Family of 3 was able to secure housing in the Danville area and is need of furniture which includes dishes, living room, beds and dressers. The space is small so she could easily use futons if any can be donated. Other items would include detergent, dishwashing liquid, eating utensils, pots and pans. If anyone can assist this family please contact by email and I will be sure to contact family in need.

On Friday 9/28/2023 the agency received an 11 day old baby in care. This child arrived with no clothes or food and she was born premature. Thankfully we were able to locate placement as well as provide the foster mom with a couple of items. We then realized that the sweet girl also had a twin who would not be discharged until 9/30/2023. We have provided a pack-n-play for the baby girl but we are asking if this family could possibly get some help with a pack-n-play for the little boy to sleep in. When this need is met, the pack-n-play can either be dropped off at the foster mom's home or brought to the agency.

Client is urgently in need of a change of locks. She has already bought locks but needs help changing them. She does not feel comfortable leaving her home without locks changed as she has no way to lock her house. She's just moving in from FL, and needs help getting settled in Bedford. She's moved in to get custody of her son and needs some furniture for the transition. The furniture is not urgent but she needs her locks changed so she can leave the house and look for work. The hearing is on Nov. 1, and we're hoping we can get some services and support in place for when her son moves in. She really does not have supports and is looking for work as well. She says she really needs a church and is open to building a relationship as she does not have any friends or supportive family in the area. Updated on October 02, 2023 by an Agency Worker
We were able to find someone to help change the locks.

Single grandmother who is raising her four grandchildren by herself has been working with this case manager for some time now. Children have all had significant challenges that have placed them before the courts. This grandmother has always been there for her grandchildren since day one and even having some since they were born. She lives on a very fixed income and is need of some home repairs. Currently she needs flooring for her trailer as the flooring she has in her kitchen and dining area is ripped and heavily damaged. The subfloor is showing throughout some spots in the kitchen and dining area. Her living room had carpet and it was extremely worn down that it needed to be taken out and now the living room floor is just the subfloor. This grandmother has mentioned that having some flooring would make her home feel more like a home for her grandchildren. A concern is that after so long with the subfloor showing it could eventually become worn down and holes could appear which would then pose a safety risk for the children in the home.

Mother of three children, ages 3, 7 and 11, needs a new HVAC for the double-wide they own. The 7-year-old is special needs. They have no heat source, but are able to use space heaters while they save for the HVAC. She will apply to DSS Crisis Heating Assistance for $4,000 of the estimated $7,000 to replace the HVAC. She works full-time but is unable to come up with the remaining $3,000. Renovation Alliance has told her they do not cover Bedford County. She has an email version of the HVAC estimate available.

A single mother with five children in the home is renting a home. The landlord advised at the time she moved in, that if anything breaks, they will not replace it. Her refrigerator is no longer working. This is causing difficulty in buying groceries that don't require refrigeration. At this time, even a dorm size refrigerator would help this family. A used regular size refrigerator is fine as well.

On 9/27/23, HMDSS received custody of 11 day old twins, one male and one female. Both children were born premature. The female has been placed in a local foster home and the male is still in the NICU at the hospital due to not eating as well as his sister. If all goes well, we are expecting him to be released from the hospital sometime this weekend. We have a local home that has graciously agreed to take both children. They are in need of some essential items, as they were not prepared to take on babies, especially preemies. The family could currently use a double stroller, 1 Pack n Play (unisex), tub, and swing for them. She could also use some assistance with wipes, and diapers, size preemie and newborn, as both babies are less than 5 pounds. Donation types of any kind for these babies would more than appreciated. Thank you in advance for being such a blessing to this family in need.

A family of four in the area has recently been displaced and are trying to obtain permanent housing. The family is being connected to resources in an effort to meet this need. However, they are also needing a reliable vehicle to help them get around. Due to the need for reliable transportation the older child has not been attending school, is falling behind academically, and is currently truant. The child would like to remain in our school system due to doing so well with their schooling here and because they have formed some trusted relationships with others in the school.

A parent is in need of help with an electric bill. Dominion told the parent that $2,000 would settle his past account balance which is $5919.32. The BRC agreed to pay $300 and DSS agreed to pay $200. Therefore, we are looking to get $1,500 to pay off the remaining balance. They are using a generator currently but the parent reported how expensive gas is for that.

I am working with a family that includes a 2 young children, a mother, and father. The father who was previously hospitalized for a life threatening health condition, has been recovering for a few months and is now working with Temp Agencies to find a job. The mother had always been a stay at home parent before his hospitalization but when the father got sick they had to move to a different location closer to their family support system and she picked up the finances. Recently the mother lost her job and the father (now cleared) is working towards getting a job to assist with supporting the family. Due to her loosing her job, they fell behind on some bills and work at addressing the home needs one step at a time. They were able to get 1 toddler mattress for their children's room but are unable to afford the 2nd. They were unable to get assistance from their support system to help with paying the electric. They have a disconnection notice for 10/3/2023. We are asking for help with getting 1 toddler mattress and paying the minimum due (379.32) to avoid the disconnection.

A single mother of three children, one who is disabled, needs immediate assistance for her utility bill. Her utilities are currently off. The bill is $274.00 and a $50.00 reconnect fee, for a total of $324.00. The agency has a copy of the utility bill, and payments could be made directly to Danville Utilities. Please assist this family.

I am working with a family who is in need of assistance with cleaning their home. The father works outside of the home to provide, and the mother stays at home, but without many resources to aid her in keeping a clean home. I am requesting that some volunteers come to her home, with cleaning supplies, to help her clean the house. She does not have much clutter, but needs deep cleaning. The family has 5 children, and bunk beds would also be a wonderful help to the family, as all of the children are currently sleeping on the floor on makeshift mattresses.

18 Year-Old Fostering Futures female currently enrolled in her first semester at college studying to be a veterinarian technician in Harrisonburg, VA and living on her own is in urgent need of a car insurance payment and October rent payment, both due on October 1, 2023. This youth is working part time in addition to being in school but does not have the funds at this time to cover these expenses. DSS can assist with payments being made online with a credit card and a receipt provided.

HMDSS is currently working with a mother and her 13 year old daughter. The mother and daughter moved into their new trailer a few months ago. Recently, the mother has had car trouble and has had to pay for it to be fixed. With her car being broke down and the move, the mother lost her job. The mother is actively searching for a new job, however has been unsuccessful so far. With no employment and car expenses it has been difficult to maintain home repairs and bills. In a court hearing yesterday, the Honorable Judge Deatherage was very upset to hear that the family does not have a stove. The family is currently using counter burners to cook on, however the house has no heat. The family is currently using space heaters to heat the home, but a stove would help heat the home further and would provide them with a place to prepare and cook. This family could also use grocery store gift cards to offset some of the expenses while the mother looks for a job.

A mother and her two boys recently moved into the area. The move was prompted as a Domestic Violence incident that occurred between the mother and father. The boys aged 10 and 13 were present during the incident. First UMC recently helped the family with beds , however a new need has arose for the family. Recently, the mother has fell into financial strain and it has been hard to maintain her rent payment. The mother currently works a job, however she works in Floyd which is an hour away. She is in the process of transferring down to Martinsville to work, however this process could take a while. When meeting with the mother, she stated that she spends $40 in gas each day, driving back and forth. HMDSS has agreed to pay some of the rent, however is unable to pay all. Any help for this family is appreciated!

Mom and her two kids are living in a home where the roof has been leaking. This has caused water damage to both children's beds. The roof has since been repaired but the beds still smell of mildew and are creating mold. The dryer in the home also stopped working which has caused issues in drying things due to the water damage.

Grandmother has custody of 15 year old, Grandmother is struggling to care for her, and has had multiple surgeries for her health issues. The Grandmother is overwhelmed and the home is in need of repair, there is a hole in kitchen floor, and the bathroom commode is leaking upstairs. Grandmother needs help. Due to bugs and mice Grandmother needs a new couch and loveseat or chair so the old ones can be thrown out. Grandmother also stated she needs 2 full size bed frames as well. This grandmother is keeping her grandchild out of foster care but could use the help of the community.

We currently have a 12 year old female that has requested a few hygiene items. This child is currently being housed in a residential facility. She was recently visited by two workers from DSS in which she expressed to one that she was doing well and not having any issues. This child has been known to self-harm but she was excited to show the worker that the skin on her arms were free from cuts. She asked if she could have some Soft Soap Bodywash, Shampoo, Conditioner, Socks, & All black Crocs (or something similar) in a size 7/9. She really needs the toiletries and the caseworker did notice that her current Crocs were split down the side. After this need is met the individual that is fulfilling the need is welcome to drop the items off at Henry-Martinsville DSS. The caseworker will then transport the items to the child during their monthly visit in October. Note: The children in this facility are not allowed to have shoes with shoe strings, or toiletries that contain alcohol in the first three ingredients. Also, the crocs are not a must have, this is just something that she requested after stating that she is not self-harming anymore. Thank You

Please consider providing a placement with a gift card for food as she cares for her teenage nephew. The placement is on a fixed income with the responsibility of caring for her nephew as his mother finds stable housing. By providing the placement this gift card, she will be encouraged to continue her role in caring this child and ensuring he gets through school.

The agency is trying to assist grandparents who are raising their four grandchildren. They had purchased a used electric stove, but it stopped working. The grandparents are on a fixed income and do not have the funds to purchase a stove. If someone has a microwave, hot plate, or electric skillet, that will help as well. A used electric stove is sufficient.