The referred family is requesting assistance obtaining YMCA membership for the summer ($178). The membership will cover the cost of a YMCA membership for mother and her son for 2 months during the summer ($89/month). Mother is the sole caregiver and is currently experiencing financial difficulties. The child expressed to mother wanting to be active during summer. The child is 11 years old and therefore cannot attend the YMCA without an adult. The child is currently on summer break and does not have access to any nearby activities or programs. The family currently lacks personal transportation and relies on public transit. However, the child has difficulty with bus travel and therefore limits their ability to participate in other community programs. The YMCA is within walking distance of the family’s home. The family would appreciate any help and want to explore all the options to make their child as comfortable as possible at home.

The mother is in need of rental assistance. She is currently employed but requires support with past-due rent. Despite this financial hardship, she is actively complying with her case plan goals and court orders. She is enrolled in domestic violence classes, anger management, parenting, and conjoint counseling. The mother remains committed to family maintenance services and has demonstrated consistent effort and progress.

Through my work with her, I have observed several strengths: she provides emotional support to her child, is a loving and nurturing mother, and shows great resilience. Her goals are to maintain stable employment, create a positive and supportive home environment for her son, and return to school to pursue a degree and long-term stability.

I am advocating for this need because she has received an eviction notice and is at immediate risk of losing her home. Addressing this need is essential to ensure the child continues to live in a safe and stable environment.

DCFS has provided various resources to support this family. However, the timeframe for assistance through DCFS can take 8–10 weeks, which is not feasible in this urgent situation. As such, we are requesting this support through CarePortal. The estimated amount needed is $500.

I am working with a kinship caregiver who has legal custody of two children and who is also taking care of two other children who are not a blood relative (informal custody, there is no court involvement). Children Services have recently placed a child in the home who is related to some of the children already living in the home. This kinship caregiver does not work to take care of the children, but the kinship caregiver's husband works full time and can generally meet the family's basic needs. However, they need a twin-size bed and mattress for the child who was placed in the home by Children Services. Please consider helping this child get a bed and mattress so he has someplace to rest. Thank you so much!

I have been working with the parents of a baby who was born on 8/13/24 (almost 2 years old now). At the time of the baby's birth, they were struggling with substance abuse. Court denied reunification services, but the parents were determined to do whatever was necessary to prove that they could take the necessary steps to be able to parent their baby. On their own, they both (separately) completed extensive inpatient treatment programs, and then continued participating in outpatient services. They visited the baby regularly. In late 2024 they petitioned the court and were granted reunification services. Since then, they have maintained their sobriety, secured employment, and, most recently housing. Yesterday, they moved into a 2-bedroom apartment. At the upcoming hearing on 7/2/25, it is anticipated that the toddler will be returned to their care. The parents have everything they need for the child, as that has been their priority. Other than that, they have very little for their new home. They are confident that they will be able to eventually furnish the place and purchase what they need. I asked what the most important needs were right now. They would love a stove and a couch.

These parents have worked so hard, never given up; I have seen such a huge change in them. I'm very proud of all they have overcome and accomplished. I'd really like to help as they start their new life.

Thank you in advance.

Mother has struggled with stable housing since losing her children. The beginning of May 2025 the children returned with the mother, and she is a single parent. Father is working out of state, and they have a poor relationship, and he is currently refusing to cooperate financially to help support his children. The mother’s food stamps were cut to $100 monthly. Mother has a full-time job during the week and a weekend job, and she continues to struggle financially. Mother was able to save money for the first and last for the backhouse she is renting. Mother purchased items for the home in order to have a warm welcome of the children after they were detained, and they were with father for 7 months because she was homeless after the loss of the children. Mother has struggled to be stable; however, continues to face adverse scenarios and overcomes challenging times. Mother does not receive other county assistance besides the $100 in EBT. Mother is being taught how to budget her money and working two minimum wage jobs and with the cost of living; she continues to struggle. Mother is also a previous foster youth and has faced many hardships and losses in her life. Mother has a 6-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy. Mother could greatly benefit from groceries support. Mother has asked for milk, eggs, chicken breast, ground beef, frozen meals, hot dogs, bread, peanut butter, jelly, sandwich meat, tortillas, cheese, etc. Mother could also benefit from toilet paper and paper towels.

Newly arrived Special Immigrant Visa holder family of 7 who fled from Afghanistan (US allies) is needing a bunkbed for 4 daughters to settle into a single bedroom in their 2 BR-1BA apartment this week.

Unfortunately, due to limited space in bedroom (needing to fit 2 sets of bunk beds), twin bunk beds will fit better than full bunk beds, so probably not flexible on that aspect of this request.

Depending on the bunk bed frame that you donate, we may or may not need box springs, so I didn't add those explicitly to this request.

Thanks!

We have a youth accepted to Georgia Gwinnett College starting in August. She will definitely need a laptop for school. Although her tuition should be covered by the state through the Independent Living Program (ILP), she will be living on campus and will have to pay her own dorm fees, ($400 per month). She will have a job on campus to try to cover those fees, but is also working now trying to save up for a car. She would greatly appreciate any and all help you could provide to set her up well to succeed at school. Please join us in praying for this youth!

Backpacks & BBQ is an annual outreach event hosted by Middletown Nazarene Church that brings together our church, community, and local partners to support students and families preparing for the school year. We provide free backpacks, serve a full cookout-style meal, and offer a safe, fun, and welcoming environment for children in need in our community.

Each summer, hundreds of neighbors come together at our church for this day of joy and generosity. Children leave ready to start school with confidence and dignity — and families leave knowing they are seen, supported, and loved.

More information about the event can be found here: Go To Link

As part of this event, we want to provide sanitary and hygiene products for the students, so they can go back to school with confidence.

We have a dear NKT family of 6 (mom, grandma, and 4 children) who do not have beds to sleep in nor living room furniture to sit on. We want to bless this family by outfitting their home with these furniture items. We will look for good quality, previously owned items on Facebook Marketplace.

*The twin beds and bedding are for boys, all under 12 years old. *The queen bedding is for grandma/mom. *If box springs are not available, we will purchase mattress/box spring hybrids.

A single mom going through a divorce is trying to become financially independent. She currently makes very little income, and needs assistance to help pay for gas so she can drive her children to school and different activities while she looks for work.