Thank you for making a difference in the lives of others.
We will continue to share stories and quotes on this post, from clients.
Keep checking back once a month for an update on how our community is making a difference and transforming lives.
May 2020,
“I just want to say thank you for all that you do to help so many people. Thank you for helping me to be able to eat over the years. It is tough for me to get around being a senior with a broken body. When I come to Loaves & Fishes, the kindness of volunteers is wonderful. I thank everyone for your kindness when helping people like me. I wish I could afford to give more.”-Gladys
Enclosed with the card was $10 in cash – a generous donation indeed for this Client.
June 2020,
A newly unemployed, single father of three needed assistance. He quickly found a new job, but it meant relocating his family to Naperville. Loaves & Fishes was happy to assist with his security deposit and helped him secure housing close to his new job. This assistance has allowed him to spend more time with his family and less time commuting, a win for the entire family!
June 2020
Thank you so much for your dedicated volunteers this morning. Three volunteers from Loaves and Fishes came by to help with the Food Bank truck deliveries to seniors and families and they were a gigantic help. We had last minute cancellations and their presence truly made a difference! I was so excited when I saw them this morning!
Once again, Loaves and Fishes is a great support for Marian Park. Please let your volunteers know. We are all very grateful.
Sincerely,
Dorothy
July 2020,
A new mother asked for assistance with rent because her husband, the sole income provider, lost his job. The family was not eligible for traditional federal assistance. Thanks to our generous community partners, we were able to help these new parents. Additionally, we connected the family to an organization that supports new mothers, where she qualified for further assistance. Meanwhile, her spouse is shifting to a new career and is excited about being able to work again soon!
A single mother of 2 lost her temp job when the office closed due to COVID-19. She continued to look for work as she waited for unemployment insurance. This determined woman was able to secure a new job where she can work from home but not until July. Meanwhile, her lease was set to expire in July, and needed help with paying her June rent before the leasing office would consider renewing it. Thanks to our community partners, we were able to complete a package to help her pay her rent and get her lease renewed.
August 2020
Dear Friends,
On Sunday, A and her family moved out of the ExtendedStay Hotel and into a lovely 2BR apartment. They have been accepted into Bridge Communities and sponsored by Families Helping Families. Almost simultaneously, M started a new job and received a donated car from a friend. For the next two years, they will chip away at their staggering debt and settle into the community. They have been given an extraordinary opportunity to start over.
Each of you responded to our request for assistance without hesitation. Together we kept this family of five off the streets, quite literally, as there was absolutely no other shelter to be found. We all have collaborated in the past, so we know of your commitment to preventing homelessness. But your generous support, in this case, was deeply moving. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
Love, Palma
Volunteer
She returned home and had to start from scratch as all of her belongings were damaged from the water that pooled in her apartment. Enter Goodwill. Loaves & Fishes completed a referral on her behalf, and Goodwill responded with a very generous voucher. With the help of Loaves & Fishes and Goodwill, the voucher will help put the family back on track and make their apartment feel like home again.
September 2020
A widow found herself caring for kids again after losing her son and gaining custody of her two grandchildren. She has been self-sufficient since she was 19 years old. COVID-19 closures resulted in her getting laid off and having trouble catching up on her bills for the first time in her life. Loaves & Fishes, and a community partner, increased the pledges for her rent, so she and her grandchildren could stay housed. It is evident that she’s fighting the good fight, and we believe she will be okay. She was so very grateful for the support.
October 2020
Jayne needed to move out of her one-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment to accommodate her adult son, who has Autism. Jayne believed he would benefit from having his own space in the new apartment. She was very anxious about gathering enough money for her security deposit and the first month’s rent, so she called Loaves & Fishes. When Loaves & Fishes stepped in to help, she was so relieved.
Jayne had the following to say: “You took my headache away. I thought I would have a stroke, but when you called me back and told me you could help, it all went away. I can breathe. You don’t know how much this means to me and my son…I appreciate you guys.”
October 2020
A young woman moved to the suburbs a year ago, because she wanted to be in a safer neighborhood for her daughter. She was managing her expenses independently until the pandemic resulted in her being furloughed for 6 weeks and counting. She fell behind on rent and her utility bills as a result. We were glad to be able to help her catch up on her bills, so she could regain some sense of security during these uncertain times.