School has always been difficult, but now, it’s worse than ever. My High School moved online this past spring, and with it came all the work, but I couldn’t even see my friends. To make matters worse, none of our parents let us meet up after classes. I understood that it was important to be safe, but that didn’t make the disappointment and boredom any less tolerable. My friends and I were convinced that things would go back to normal soon.
Spring turned into summer, and our speculations couldn’t be further from the truth. My house was jam-packed with four restless siblings and two frustrated parents. My Mom works as a maid, helping clean houses so big that half the rooms aren’t even used, or at least she used to. With stay-at-home orders, she virtually ran out of work. Even after the lockdown ended, her usual clients have become hesitant and don’t want to let anyone into their houses. My dad has it a bit better as an electrician. He’s been able to do much of the same work outside buildings but is still limited in what work he can do inside homes. His job is the only reason we have any money right now at all.
My parents try to hide it, but my siblings and I know how worried they are. This year has been tough, and all our family’s savings have dried up. Starting in the fall, we go back to online education, and we only have one computer for a family of six. We made do during the spring, but I have no idea how we will manage a full year of online classes. My parents want to buy a new computer but can barely manage monthly expenses and put food on the table, let alone budget a major purchase. Our school system has been trying to provide computers and tablets to students, but they simply don’t have enough money.
This is when we were contacted by Moms Against Poverty. MAP has gone above and beyond to help ease the financial burdens on my family. They have provided both food and essential resources to our family on a monthly basis. This aid has lifted a weight off of my family’s chest and given my parents the ability to save some of their paychecks for larger purchases. Our family finally feels like we have some control over our lives again, and I am glad that there is someone out there that cares about my family. THANK YOU MAP
