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Last month I told you about Sandra and her kids. Your many emails and inquiries about how you could help her this holiday season was so appreciated and heartwarming. Thank you!
I could tell you about Kevin, a single dad facing eviction, or Sasha, another mom working two jobs and still unable to pay her rent this month. There’s the elderly woman just a few blocks over from the ACO office whose children and grandchildren had to move in with her because they lost their home and now, she’s trying to feed and support them all on her fixed income. We paid her utility bill this month to keep them warm. She depends on the ACO Pantry and Cares Center to feed those babies!
When I finish with those stories, I have hundreds more. It’s not just one family, but many who are struggling and distraught with the holidays coming. They don’t know how to keep a roof over their heads through Christmas, much less worry about their kids waiting for Santa to come. It’s a sad time of year for so many Collin County families. And it’s a critical time of year for ACO as we work diligently to assist families with food and rent assistance.
Our number one call for help is rental assistance. The second is utility assistance and the third is food. Our number one need is funds to help pay a family’s rent or assist with other bills. I’ve committed to our Board of Directors, our staff and our community that ACO’s #1 focus in 2025 will be housing. We are fortunate to receive several grants from local cities, corporations and funders. However, it’s not enough. For every one family that we can assist, there are four more than we cannot, due to funding.
You might think there are no struggling families facing homelessness in Collin County. People have said to me, “We don’t see them sleeping on the streets like in other major cities. There are no tents under our bridges.” I say to you that first, because of agencies like ACO who are working so hard to help families prevent being homeless that they are not obvious to you. We are paying rent for families each and every week when our funds will allow. Second, we can’t help everyone and if you look hard enough you will see them in Collin County. They are on wait lists at our one homeless shelter, they are living in their cars in local retail parking lots, waiting in day labor areas, sleeping on friend’s couches and yes, in the streets at night.
I have answers for those of you who say to me that you don’t see them. But, I struggle to have answers for those families who come to ACO for help and we have to turn away due to lack of funds. I don’t have an answer for the child who asks, “Where does Santa leave toys for homeless kids?”
Imagine how hard it is for our case directors to sit across the desk from a dad with three children who’s about to be evicted and tell him they cannot pay his rent this month to save his home. Imagine how difficult it is for our volunteers who answer our phones at our front desk to explain to a crying mom that we are currently unable to assist with housing payments due to lack of funds. Imagine if you were on the other side of that desk or on the phone and had nowhere else to turn for help.
Now imagine that you can change the lives of that one family this season with a financial donation to ACO. Imagine the sigh of relief you’d hear from that mom and the stress that would fade on that dad’s face knowing he could keep his kids safe and warm this month.
While we are dedicated to seeking more funds for housing in 2025, we must get through the end of 2024 and your gift today can mean a gift tomorrow to a desperate family facing homelessness.
What better way to celebrate the giving season than to give the gift of hope and shelter to a neighbor here in Collin County? Please give today, knowing that you will help others enjoy the season and stay safe and warm.
One more thing... it’s about Sandra. The week before Christmas she will be shopping for Ella and Tyler at the ACO North Pole. They will be secure in their home this month; their pantry will be full, and Sandra will be attending classes in the ACO Kiser-Covington Learning Academy to better her chances for a higher paying job.
Every parent that is registered will have a shopping appointment to peruse the ACO North Pole shelves of all of the new toys, gifts and stocking stuffers that have been donated by the community. They will choose the items that they know their kids will love and leave with wrapping paper and gifts to put under the tree or celebrate the season. Sandra will have joy on her face and see the excitement in her children’s eyes when they open the presents left by Santa. YOU are their Santa!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at ACO!
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