A single mother who has been working hard with DCFS to regain custody of her Special needs son has experienced temporary hardship due to losing her job due to lack of transportation because her car broke down. The mother is also requesting any leads for job opportunities in the fast food or customer service industry.

My client who is a young mother of two, is requesting help with getting a Christmas tree for her home. After a long year, this young mother has reunified with her children and has them both in her care just in time for the holidays. We are asking for help to make this holiday special by helping her get a Christmas tree for her home to really bring out the holiday spirit. We have referred to her and her children to our gift program so her children can receive gifts this Christmas and all she needs is a Christmas tree to be able to put those gifts under.

Urgent! The child, 7 month old girl, was removed from her mother and placed in the care of her father who is homeless. The weather in Palmdale is below 50 degrees at night. The father would benefit from assistance with a motel stay/housing and baby clothes. The father is in need of assistance with locating and paying for the first and last rent for an apartment or room for rent. The father is the primary caregiver for his 7 month old daughter, which has been challenging due to not having permanent housing. Although, the father is having this challenge, the parent/father is meeting the case plan goals/court orders and is enrolled in the father strong parenting program. Furthermore, the father is committed to continuing to provide care for his infant daughter. During my work with the father, I have identified the following strengths: Loving father, Advocate and consistent. The goals for the father are to locate permanent housing, child care and get DCFS out of his life permanently. For these reasons, I am advocating for the father have the need identified met. The main reason I am requesting this need to be fulfilled is because the father is caring for his infant daughter and no family should be homeless during the holidays. Which is the main reason, such as, in order to provide a safe environment for his child. For the father to be assisted with locating housing ensure child safety, improve parental capacity, and enhance the potential for permanency. Updated on December 05, 2023 by an Agency Worker
The father is in desperate need of housing. The department is seeking help with the father being housed for two weeks at a motel with his young child. This will allow the department to better assist the father in seeking suitable housing and avoiding the child from going into foster care. The father has no family in the Antelope Valley and has a strained relationship with the maternal family. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

This family consists of a mother and two children are in desperate need of a working refrigerator. The mother has been searching online for a refrigerator, but has not been successful with finding any within her budget. She also does not have a way of transporting a refrigerator, making the prices higher due to delivery charges. Although, she is having that challenge, she is meeting the case plan goals/court orders and recently received custody of her children again. The mother is working full-time and is resourceful, resilient and caring. The main reason I am requesting this need to be fulfilled is because it aids in preserving food, a basic necessity for living. Her current refrigerator broke and only the freezer part is working. The family is currently having to make multiple trips to the grocery store a week. This need is critical to ensuring the caregiver is able to budget and provide adequate and fresh amounts of food for the children. This need is being requested through Care Portal because unfortunately DCFS would be too long as some requests take up to 8 – 10 weeks.

This family has a voluntary Family Preservation case with SHIELDS since October 2023. The parents need assistance with obtaining a highchair and a toddler car seat. They have twins who are 8 months old in need of a highchair they can share, as the apartment is too small to store two highchairs. In addition, they need help obtaining a toddler car seat for their four-year-old, as she has not been secure in the booster seat they purchased. Thank you in advance for your assistance to this low-income family.

Mother has recently reunified with her 5 children ages 5-13. Mother was homeless a year ago and was able to obtain housing through section 8. The children have returned home but the family need beds and mattresses. Mother is able to care for her children and this will allow for the children to have appropriate sleeping arrangements to avoid future risk of neglect.

This family consists of father and his two children who are ages 10 and 12. The children were recently released into their father’s care and they are in dire need as father has limited resources. The children came into father’s care unexpectedly and the children were unable to bring any of their belongings with them. Father had to quit his job because they did not accommodate his schedule now that he has to care for his two children on his own. Father is struggling immensely and has little community and familial support. Father does not have the means to purchase beds for the children to sleep in and has asked for assistance. Father has limited space in his home and could use a bunk bed set and bedding for the children to sleep on. The children have few essential items such as a change of clothes and shoes, and in general require more clothing items. The children deserve a bed to get restful sleep at night for school. They appropriate and a sufficient amount of clothing to feel confident, increase their self-esteem in order to thrive in their classroom and among their peers at school. With the approaching holiday season and cold weather upon us, a warm bed and appropriate clothing would benefit the children immensely, due their abrupt change in living situation. This assistance and support would help father and children restore their faith the intentions of the department and in their community, as we only hope to keep their family together.

Student has a washer that is broken at home and she is responsible for doing laundry for the family. Single mom cleans houses to support family so there is a lot of laundry demand in addition to the household needs. Moms work provides for the family. The problem with the washer is that it is not draining and seems to be broken. The student is hand ringing multiple loads a day. She is asking for someone to come and repair it, she states the machine is not that old, or she is asking for money to hire someone if not. To top it off student lost her job due to missing work as her dad (not living with her ) had terminal cancer and died on Monday. Any help for this sweet student would be amazing. Cost given below is for the average cost of washer repair found on google. I have no Idea how much it would actually be less or more.

We are asking support of our local community for a mother who has successfully reunified with her two minor children. Additionally, mother has a young adult child who is going to school, and helps the mother with the rent and bills. Mother worked every day to be as involved as she could while her children were placed with relatives. Mother currently does not have a kitchen table for her kids, and since reunifying the bond with her sister has been strengthened, as she was the relative caring for mother's children at the time. The maternal aunt and her children have been visiting the children a lot since the reunification. Mother works at a cafeteria, and is providing for the children's needs and extra-curricular activities, which is many. Her children are in early adolescence (middle school) and the separation from mother was very hard on them since mother has been the only parent in their lives. We would love if this family could be blessed with a new table and chairs set, and a large couch so the whole family can comfortable visit, the children can do homework, eat, and spend the end of the year together.

Please help a family in dire need of somewhere to live for the next two days. The family consist of mother and her four young children. They were living in an apartment but there are some issues that do not allow them into the apartment for at least the next two days. The weather has turned cold and the family has nowhere to go. Shelters were contacted but they are waitlisted. Please help the family stay in a safe environment for the next two days. We are requesting hotel stay for two nights.

Mother is a single mother due to father getting deported about 5 years ago. Mother is unable to receive any government assistance due to both children being undocumented. She has little to no family support and only has an maternal great aunt who helps her in the afternoons with caring for youngest child. Mother works Tuesday-Friday from 3:00pm-9:00pm across the street from the home due to needing to also be close by due to maternal great aunt being elderly. Mother does not have a working refrigerator and is using a mini one to store all her food, she is unable to purchase anything due to her very limited income. Currently they are unable to store much in the fridge due to it being extremely small. Mother is also struggling with buying groceries and on occasions goes to food banks to obtain food.

This is a family of 4 with 2 young children, 1 year old and 2 years old. The family has been struggling with paying their light bill. Mom recently got a new job and has been requesting to work 3 days but they only give her 2 days. Reduced work hours resulted in lower income and they have been falling behind on bills, especially their DWP bill. The total amount for their bill is $699.35. They are requesting any assistance (in any amount) with this bill.

I am currently working with a single mother of six children. Family went through a rapid relocation and were only able to retrieve clothing items and small personal necessities from previous home. Mother recently received placement into a new home, but unfortunately due to rapid changes mother does not have funds to purchase twin beds for her children. Parent is in need of four twin beds and a twin bunk bed. Due to current status, children sleep on an inflatable mattress on the floor. Mother hopes to receive beds during the holidays to bring a sense of joy into her children's life's after these difficult times. Mother is working on utilities and additional furniture for their house. Receiving four twin beds and bunk bed would help mother with additional support in stability. The help will provide another level of comfort and support for the mother and family. Receiving beds will assist family to have a safe and warm bed during these cold nights and will help the house feel like a home to them. Thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting this family, any assistance is greatly appreciated.

Single mother of three is in need of a case of diapers size 4, a case of wipes and toilet paper. Mother is struggling financially and is doing as best she can. Perhaps a $50.00 gift card for groceries would help mother with food for the holidays. Mother completed her case plan, and the children are at home.

This family has been participating in the SHIELDS Family Preservation program since September 2023. The mother of two small children are requesting assistance with the purchase of a highchair, a walker, and a large toilet training seat. The 10-month-old infant was born prematurely, so he is developmentally delayed. A highchair would benefit him in being able to sit and learn how to feed himself. Additionally, a walker would benefit the infant in being able to strengthen his leg muscles, as he prepares to learn how to walk. Lastly, a large toilet training seat is being requested for the 2-year-old toddler, as she is overweight and unable to fit in a standard toilet training seat.

We are requesting help on behalf of a formerly homeless mother working to reunify with 7 children. One child is 17 and about to age out of the dependency courts, she will be returning home soon. Additionally, the mother has been making significant progress in her case plan and has obtained housing for herself and her children. Mother has recently acquired a new apartment but has nothing to speak of in terms of furniture. Mother has made efforts to acquire furniture and provide for herself, by looking for work, applying, and searching for donations with other organizations. We are asking for the most essential items, as the mother is hoping to get an approved transition for her visits with the children to the home. The couch and table we are requesting would need to be a larger size since there are seven children in the family.

This is a teen who is placed in a foster home. Despite all odds, this child is doing his best to thrive in his foster home and is a very ambitious child. He has straight A's, is taking AP classes, and is working hard to maintain his mental health despite being a system involved youth. Although he does have the support of his foster home, he has been on waitlists to have boxing classes funded through the Department. He still needs boxing shoes and a mouth guard alongside the membership itself. Many foster youth feel as if they are not entitled to extracurricular activities or other recreational passions that other children get to experience simply because they should be grateful for what they have. But clubs, sports, and other physical activities are so crucial for youth development and are considered one of many rights system involved youth should have. Any funds to help assist in his passion for boxing would be very much appreciated!

Please help this family. Children ages male-12 and female-14 were recently returned to MO. They need warm clothing and shoes. Mo asked if it's possible to help her obtain some gift cards from either Ross or Target to be able to buy her kids warm clothes and shoes. Mother also stated that she needs help with a gift card to go grocery shopping or to take her kids out to eat fast food once in a while after school, since she's staying with them in a transitional housing unit and do not receive as much help. Thank you for the help!

Mother has reunified with her three children and court ordered 1 year of Family Reunification services. Mother is currently employed; however, mother has not purchased furniture for the home, as she is the sole provider for the family and ix focused on providing the children’s basic needs such as food and shelter. Currently, the family is in need of 2 dressers for the children’s clothing, couches for the living room, and a headboard for mother’s queen size bed.

This family consists of a young mother, her mother, and two young children, ages 10 and 6. They are facing significant hardship due to an accident that the head of the household suffered at home, rendering her unable to work. The client is receiving disability, but unfortunately, the disability benefits are less than her previous job earnings and insufficient to cover expenses. On top of that, the grandmother had an accident 20 years ago, resulting in disability, leaving no one in the household able to work. The client is working with a financial adviser to reduce their debt to improve their financial situation. However, to alleviate some immediate burdens, the client seeks assistance to cover their LADWP bill and gas expenses, totaling $770. Any help provided would be immensely appreciated and greatly support their ongoing efforts to regain stability.