After transitioning out of the Air Force, Gena was quick to find a new position and began looking at colleges to further provide for her family. She had decided on a program and was excited to finally begin working towards a degree in the new year. With her children in school, she would be able to work during the day and take night classes.
Her son, Ian, however, had recently received a special needs diagnosis, and while she had begun looking for spring break camps at the beginning of the year, programs built specifically for Ian’s needs were significantly more expensive than non-specialized care.
Gena was caught in a difficult position. She could either use her emergency savings to cover missing work while her children were on break or dip into her savings to cover the additional cost of specialized camp for her son. Whether she cut her hours or paid the extra cost of camp, Gena knew her finances would be tight.
She shared the situation with a friend and fellow veteran. Her friend had learned about our Childcare Assistance program through attending our holiday distribution and shared this information with Gena.
“This assistance will support me in my endeavors to continue my education and secure a stable future for my children. It also helps my children personally because they haven’t been able to do many extracurricular activities recently. This will be the first time in a very long time my daughter will be able to attend camp, and the first time my autistic son will be able to attend camp with peers like himself. Thank you so much!”
Because of the assistance she received, Gena’s children were both able to attend camp over spring break, where they made new friends and memories, while Gena worked and excelled in her own education.
Because of our community, Gena was also able to build additional savings for her children’s next school break experiences. Because of you, veterans like Gena don’t have to choose between future goals and current needs. This is Your Impact!
