2011

It happens that quickly
The happy family of six was financially secure and living comfortably. Both parents worked, the older children excelled in high school and earned college scholarships. They carried a mortgage on their home, but put money into their “rainy day” fund every month. They always found the time and funds to support local charities.
      So how is it these parents knocked on the door at Together We Cope one day this summer with the modest request for one bag of food to feed their children?
      What happened to this family in just 24 months is another story from “The Recession That Lingers.” The federal government says the recession is over and the nation’s economic recovery is under way. But for many average Americans hit hard by this downturn, their lifestyle continues to deteriorate.
      Dad and his eldest son were skilled tradesmen – until the bottom fell out of the construction industry and both were laid off. Unemployment compensation checks kept the family afloat, and Mom retained her full-time job. Then, suddenly, their boat began taking on water. 
      Unemployment compensation benefits ran out, but Dad and son still were not called back to work. Mom was injured at work and sent home. She qualified for workmen’s compensation, but there was a delay in processing the claim. The family quickly exhausted the savings so carefully set aside in previous years, and borrowed funds from family members in order to keep their home. One student in the family found part-time summer work, but the pay was meager.
      Basically at zero income, the family finally came to Together We Cope. Then we did what we do best: Plug the client into all the resources at our command.
      We immediately packed six bags of food and scheduled another food pickup for the next month. Because we were in the midst of our annual Back to School drive, we supplied three of the family’s students with school supplies. We issued the family a clothing voucher for our resale shop. We used our Salvation Army relationship to obtain funds to pay the family’s ComEd bill, and linked them to other food programs in the region. We helped Mom complete an online application for food stamps. We directed Dad and his son to job training programs as they consider career changes.
      Mom looked a little dazed. “We thought we’d get a bag of groceries. We never expected to be embraced like this. We feel like we’ve all been hugged,” she said with a big smile. [Home]

Single dad trying to make it on his own
James, 46, is a widower with a disabled child. His late wife was the wage earner, while James cared for their autistic son. Shortly after his wife died, James sought some help from TWC’s food pantry because he worried about his child getting proper nutrition. It wasn’t until James’ adult daughter contacted TWC that staff learned he was in serious trouble financially.
     Dad lost his own Social Security benefits when his son turned 16, and he’d heard nothing about the appeal he filed of that decision. His son’s Social Security and disability payments were not sufficient to meet the family’s monthly expenses and they were seriously behind in their rent. The landlord was losing patience and threatening eviction. Keeping this little family from becoming homeless was Job One for Together We Cope. [More] [Home]

There is always a life story behind every person who falls
into homelessness
Roger has a story, the tale of a life with unexpected twists and turns. Divorced for many years, he’d managed his life quite efficiently. Then, as happens in many lives, bad news came in waves. He lost his job, he got sick, he exhausted unemployment benefits, he went through his savings, he became homeless. The cruel fates threw in one more hurdle to be jumped: he lost his eyeglasses and could barely see. He carried around the last of his worldly goods in a backpack. [More] [Home]

2010

Amanda’s Story
Look up perseverance in the dictionary and you will find it defined as: the act of persistence in spite of counterinfluence, opposition or discouragement.
      And next to that, don’t be surprised to find a picture of 18 year-old Amanda. Amanda walked in Together We Cope in early April in need of a little assistance. Pretty, young, and resilient, she immediately made an impact on many in our office. Orphaned in her teens and now living on her own, Amanda is the personification of perseverance. Not only does she have her own apartment, work 2 jobs, and attend high school, but she has maintained Honor Roll status. [More] [Home]

2009

Doris’s Story
The family eventually lost their home and had to put their belongings in storage. Doris was able to work preparing taxes at a local tax service while her husband performed odd jobs, but the family was now homeless, had no car, and had to provide shelter for their 13 year old son. Doris was not battered and her son was 13, therefore most transient housing was not available to the family. Most shelters were full and others required that her son stay in the men’s shelter away from her, and that was not an option.
     Due to an illness, staying with Doris’s mother was not possible. Doris’s husband was able to obtain employment outside the state, but as long as Doris had a sick mother she would not leave. Although this opportunity would separate the family, it would enable their son to attend school and have a stable home life while living with relatives. [More] [Home]

Glen and Carrie’s Story
In October of 2005, Glen injured himself at work and is now receiving Worker’s Compensation, but only at a fraction of his usual pay as a laborer. His injury is so severe that he is still receiving physical therapy three times a week, and he expects to regain about 75% of his normal physical ability. In April, 2006 while Glen and his wife Carrie were walking their dog during a nice spring day, they received a cell call from a neighbor to report their home was on fire. Rushing back, they found their home was a complete loss and were only able to salvage about 10% of their belongings. To make matters worse, a few days later Glen’s grandmother died. Bewildered and unsure of how to proceed, Glen came to Together We Cope. [More] [Home]

Jennifer’s Story
A few years ago, Jennifer went through a stressful divorce from her husband of 17 years after fleeing from his sudden and violent outbursts. She lost her job and her house went into foreclosure. Jennifer and her three children were sleeping in cars and on friends’ floors, and she eventually had to file for bankruptcy. “This was not the life I planned on living,” said Jennifer. Being the take-charge type of person that she is, Jennifer went to the library every day to find job openings, went on interviews, and found free counseling for her children and herself. Eventually, she found a good paying job, but as the new school year approached, she still did not have a permanent home for the family and was faced with finding a school for the children. [More] [Home]

Lori’s Story
After a marital separation, Lori found herself hopeless and homeless. With income from a part-time job and no child support, Lori and her two children, Brianna age 15 and Tyler age 12, lost their home. For 2-1/2 months the family lived in a one-room hotel room. All the family had left were items they could squeeze into the tiny hotel room because all of their furnishings had been auctioned off because of Lori’s inability to pay the storage fees. [More] [Home]