Grace Family Church

The STEPS program has been working with a mother of three for a few months now. The mother is attempting to establish housing of her own so that she can remove herself and her children from a turbulant household. With the help of STEPS and the Homeless Coalition, the mother has been able to obtain an apartment with a move-in date of May 2. However, the mother is in need of assistance with paying the utlity deposits in order to get the utlities turned on. The mother reports that they need $50 to turn on the electric, $279 to turn on the water, and $50 for the security deposit for the apartment.

Any and all help is very much appreciated and this mother and children would be so very grateful..

Single mother of two boys, ages 17 and 11, in need of clothing for the children. The family has recently moved into a new home of this year, around March, alongside a new job for the mother. The mother is starting a new life after being displaced by the most recent hurricanes of 2024 – Debbie, Helene, and Milton. Mother is in need of assistance with clothing for the child and basic need items like toothbrushes. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

17-year-old: 38 size pants (2 requested) - XL shirt (3 requested) - 11 1/2 or 12 sneakers/shoes (1 requested)

11-year-old: 36 size pants (2 requested) - L shirt (3 requested) - 11 Wide shoes (1 requested)

Basic Needs- Toothbrushes

The single foster mom of 2 kiddos paid $5,078.00 for braces for the teen foster child. Two organizations have put $1,000 towards the $5078. Any amount that any church would like to pay towards the $4,078 would be so helpful. Thank you!

Single mother of five in need of assistance with gas card. Client is self-employed; however, she makes limited income and is unable to afford gas to get to work or take her kids to school. This support will help her keep working to ensure her and the children are not homeless. Also, the gas card would help her get the children get to school. Any assistance is appreciated.

The caregiver is the caregiver of four of her grandchildren, 3 girls and 1 boy. The caregiver is currently in the process of adopting the youngest two. The caregiver had three of her grandchildren residing with her at first and a baby was born into the case. Initially, the caregiver was not able to handle a newborn with the other children, and she had a family friend to become a non-relative placement/ potential adoption placement. After a year of them caring for the youngest child the non-relative placement was disrupted and the caregiver found herself now caring for four of her grandchildren. The caregiver has beds for all the children but, the room is tight as she has a twin bed with a trundle underneath, a toddler bed and a pack n play in the bedroom. The caregiver would like to receive a bunk bed for the children to assist with space in bedroom. The caregiver is also in the process of being licensed with another child in the home. Licensing did have some concerns with the spacing in the bedroom. The caregiver is planning to re-organize the room to comply but, bunkbeds can assist.

The mother was able to secure a residence in Plant City close to her employer at that time. Her budget at the time indicated that she would be able to afford rent and expenses. However, in the wake of the back-to-back hurricanes in the Fall 2024, the mother was laid off. She was able to find stable employment in Tampa and reunified with her children in March 2025. However, her current income is insufficient to meet the needs to maintain the residence (which the landlord refuses to make repairs to) and cover the costs of transportation to her place of employment. The mother and the case manager have reached out to multiple community resources (Metropolitan Ministries, Catholic Charities, City of Plant City, etc.) but have been told that financial assistance is not available due to it being the end of the fiscal year. A FUP referral to Tampa Housing Authority has been made, but a decision has not yet been made. The mother worked hard to regain custody of her children but has been struggling especially since she does not receive child support from the father of the children.

I am writing to request a twin bed and mattress for a child who has been diagnosed with Autism. Due to his unique sensory needs and challenges with sleep, a secure and comforting sleeping environment is essential for his well-being. He struggles with settling down at night and this will provide a more restful nigh sleep. The family also needs two dressers to store their clothes. They also need a couch to create a comfortable and welcoming space for family bonding. If this request if met, it will ensure a safe place for the children to sleep. The family will have something to sit on and enjoy family time. They will have a proper place to store clothing.

The children have been involved with the department for quite some time. The younger child was born into the case. The children were initially placed together with another relative, but the caregiver recently passed away and the case reopened. The children have been with the caregiver since the beginning of the year and the caregiver is willing to provide long term placement for the children. The caregiver has not received any funding and has been purchasing items without any assistance. The caregiver has been able to get necessary items for the children by using her savings but could use help to reserve her savings for emergencies. The caregiver needs assistance with getting bedding and clothing for the children.

Queen bedding set- the teen likes the color green. Twin bedding set - the child likes Minecraft. The kids are 9 years old and 16 years old

Single mother with 3 children (3/4/13 years old). Client is employed but work hours have decreased due to her being 7 months pregnant and having other medical issues affecting her health. Client doesn’t always have enough money to pay all of the household bills on time if at all as well as provide additional essentials such as feminine products for her 13-year-old daughter who just started her period and other items for the younger children and prepare for the baby on the way. Any assistance would be beneficial to the children, as mom works to ensure she continues paying household bills so the children don't end up homeless or without electricity.

Items needed: Soap (bars or bodywash): $20 Lotion: $10 Deodorant: $10 Shampoo and Conditioner: $15 Diapers (size 1 or 2): $25 Pull Ups (size 3T & 5T): $30 Wipes: $10 Car seat/stroller combo: $139 Sanitary pads: $10

A single mother of 3 children had fallen on hard times as her rent began to increase. She became unable to afford her rent and was evicted. She and her children have been temporarily staying with a family member, and she is just now starting to get back on her feet. The mother started a new job about one week ago and has not yet gotten her first paycheck. Her plan is to save up so that she can move into a new place. The mother needs assistance with gas to get to and from work. She would be greatly appreciative of a gas card. If this request is met, the mother will be able to be more self-sufficient as she works toward securing housing for her and her children.

Single mother who was on maternity leave is having a hard time returning to work due to not having the finances to pay for gas. Client travels a long way to work in Lakeland and spends about $30 a day in gas. Client has three children and needs to return to work as she will need to move to another apartment in June 2025. A gas card in the amount of $300 is being requested so that client can return to work for two weeks while she awaits to get her first paycheck. This will ensure the mother being able to return to work to provide for her children and to be able to save to move in June 2025.

This request is for a mother who has recently been reunited with her children M (11), M (8), F (6), F (4), M (15) F (13) and is focused on creating a healthy, active and stable routine for her family. She is seeking assistance with the enrollment fee and 3-6 months of a family YMCA membership to give her children a safe space for physical activity, social engagement and positive outlets. The YMCA would also offer her support in maintaining her own well-being during this transitional time. This opportunity would mean a great deal as she continues working hard to build a strong foundation for her family's future.

Enrollment Fee: $75.00 Monthly Fee: $95.00