Mattie* was distraught but financially okay when her husband moved out unexpectedly. Responding to her accusations of emotional abuse, he filed for divorce a few weeks later.
Suffering from grief mixed with relief, she sat down to deal with the household bills when an email notification sounded. Her husband informed her he had closed their joint bank and canceled their credit cards. She had retired a few months earlier and had no other income.
She called her attorney, who told her he would be forced to help support her, but it could take a little time.
In addition to her mortgage and utility bills, she needed groceries for herself and her teenage son. She checked her billfold — $8. The change jar netted $4.59.
She immediately thought of GraceWorks. She had donated clothing from time to time, participated in her church’s annual food drive and even gave a still-working washer to help struggling Neighbors.
Now that she was a struggling Neighbor herself, she overcame her embarrassment and told her story to a GraceWorks volunteer. She was given help with the mortgage and utility bills and a shopping cart full of food to tide her over until the attorneys worked out the support she was owed from her husband.
“I was scared,” Mattie said later. “I’ve been in a bad economic situation before in my life, but never down to twelve dollars and 59 cents. I thank God for GraceWorks that they could help me. Now I know the importance of those donations. I just never thought they would come around and help me.”
Donations, financial or items for the GraceWorks Thrift Store, help many Neighbors every day. Store items are sold to provide about 30% of support for programs. Food is used to fill families’ empty pantries. And, financial donations help GraceWorks in fulfilling its mission of “Neighbor serving Neitghbor.”
*GraceWorks does not use actual names to protect confidentiality.