USA--News---Single parenting no picnic for mother

Single parenting no picnic for mother

by: TIM JOHNSON, Staff Writer

Sometimes, just paying the bills is hard enough without the expense of holiday meals and gifts. But most parents want to try to make the season special for their children, and that creates a challenge.

A woman wrote to Goodfellows recently to request help for a single mother with three children, ages 16, 15 and 13.

"The mother works but recently stopped receiving child support for her three children, so money is tight and she isn't able to do much for her family at this time of year," the friend wrote. "In the past, she has let bills slide to be able to afford a couple of presents for each child; but for the past year, she has worked really hard at being responsible and keeping all her living expenses current and not past due. It would be a shame to see her slip back into a bad habit because she wants her children to have a Christmas gift or two.

"Being a single parent myself, I can understand her depression over the fact that she may not be able to do anything without falling behind in her bills."

Another woman asked for help for a widow who is raising three of her grandchildren.

"She lost her husband 10 years ago at the age of 44 years old from a heart attack, and things have been hard for her since," the woman wrote. She does her best on making sure the bills are paid and that there is always food on the table for those kids. But after that, she has no money left to buy anything else. She is on a fixed income. She is very upset about not being able to give her grandkids much of a Christmas this year."

Goodfellows raises money to provide holiday dinners and gifts for needy southwest Iowa families. The program uses certificates that can be redeemed for food or toys at participating stores. Southwest Iowans showed their caring nature last year by contributing more than $30,000 to the Goodfellows program.

Donations may be sent to Goodfellows, The Daily Nonpareil, P.O. Box 797, Council Bluffs, IA 51502.

The Iowa West Foundation has offered to match contributions dollar for dollar.