Single Mother of Two Involved in Car Accident
This Share The Season story appeared in the Wichita Eagle, 11/14/2021
Janae has her hands full. She is a single mother and works as many hours as she can. Independent and capable, she doesn’t normally need to seek help from others. However, this year unforeseen circumstances caused her major hardship.
Involved in a car accident, Janae’s only mode of transportation was gone in an instant. Although her car insurance covered the lion’s share of the repair costs, there was a remaining balance. Janae was on a tight budget already. Not only were there were mouths to feed and utilities and rent to pay, but her employer counted on her, and she counted on the income her work generated. The accident was a crippling blow to her livelihood. She knew if she paid for the repairs her budget would be broken. She had to have transportation, so she paid the mechanic for the repairs.
As most of us know, when balancing a tight budget any slight deviation from planned expenditures can have a ripple effect. Months earlier, Janae agreed to set-up a payment plan with her energy provider. The agreement stated that she would pay an installment each month toward her balance. After paying for car repairs Janae was unable to pay the agreed monthly installment. She faced the unthinkable. If she broke the payment plan agreement, the entire balance was due immediately. If she could not pay the balance in full, she was subject to a service disconnection.
She was desperate. The necessary choice she made to pay for car repairs now meant that she and her little family would go without energy. She came to The Salvation Army and sought help.
Janae filled out an application for The Salvation Army’s program Share the Season. Share the Season provides one-time assistance to people who need help because of hardships such as reduced hours at work, illness, or a death in the family. On her application she explained that she, “just need[ed] that boost of support to keep [her family] secure, warm, healthy, and fed.” The program was able to assist Janae with her energy bill and give her that boost of support.
Share the Season, completed its 22nd year, in partnership with the Wichita Eagle. Since its inception the program has helped over 3,900 families through community contributions. This year The Salvation Army led the fund-raising effort and manages the financial component of the program. We also provide case management by meeting with people, reviewing their financial situation and trying to find the help they need. We are honored to share these stories with the community, both to create awareness for those who can benefit from the program and to generate financial support.