All it takes is one bump in the road for a family who is already struggling to make ends meet, to be on the edge of homelessness. For many families and single parents, this bump in the road is often the long stretch of hot temperatures during the summer months in Arizona.
It was this reason that brought out the concerned look in Rosie’s face. As a single mom, she watched her 7-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, happily eat her dinner in St. Vincent de Paul’s family dining room. Elizabeth was far from concerned. She could hardly wait to enjoy her summer now that school was out.
While Rosie loves seeing the excitement in her daughter’s face, she struggled to hide her own feelings of worry and concern about how she will make it through the summer. Rosie shared with us that she needs to find quality daycare for Elizabeth so she can keep her job and continue paying rent. During the school year, she works hard and is very careful with her spending, so that she can stretch her dollars to cover rent and food. But with higher than normal electricity bills during summer months, she can hardly make ends meet. The increased cost of utilities in addition to the expense of daycare during the summer for her daughter is overwhelming and leaves Rosie discouraged.
The truth is, Rosie’s situation is not unusual. Many of us have to adjust for the increased expenses that come with the hot summer months. While some are blessed to have family members help care for children, others like Rosie have to find a way to do it on their own. Fortunately, Rosie has you.
You can make a huge difference this summer for Rosie and others like her, through our Summer Action Hero Campaign by:
- Making a donation to support summer relief,
- Signing up to host a water or food drive, or
- Donating non-perishable foods at Walmart locations throughout the valley.
This summer we don't have to let parents make the tough call of paying bills or feeding their children. Each of us can be a hero to a family in need and help them do both!
