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Homeless mom seeks help for kids

| December 7, 2019 12:00 AM

As part of the annual Press Christmas for All Campaign, we share with readers stories of people applying for help. Here’s one of them.

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After losing her home 10 years ago, life has been one struggle after another for this single mom of three. “Diana” is working to improve her family’s situation — but after so many setbacks, she needs help to get ahead.

“We’ve been homeless a lot,” Diana said.

The family of four lives in a camper that recently flooded, damaging the floors. The space is cramped and no one has any privacy.

“It’s not very pleasant at all,” Diana said. “I feel guilty because I think my kids should be in a house. But it’s just not feasible.”

Diana works full-time as a chef. Her twin sons, “Alex” and “Andrew,” are high school students and have part-time jobs at the same restaurant where their mom works. The boys freely give some of what they earn to their mom to help with the family’s expenses.

All three walk to work because the family’s only transport, a 1992 Subaru, has developed a leak in the radiator that makes it risky to drive. Diana can’t afford to repair the car.

“It’s on its last leg,” she said.

Three kids produce a lot of laundry. It costs about $5 to wash and dry a single load. The expense is such a strain on the family’s limited resources that the children sometimes have to wear dirty clothes to school, which leads to bullying from their peers.

“It’s a battle,” Diana said. “I can’t keep up on the laundry.”

In school, the kids are at a disadvantage: They don’t have access to a computer at home, which makes it hard to complete many assignments outside class. Chromebooks, which cost significantly less than laptops, would allow the three students to do their homework in a timely manner and improve their performance in school.

The kids no longer ask to participate in extracurricular activities, because they know the family can’t afford it and they don’t want to put their mom in the position of having to tell them no.

“They’ve got big hearts,” Diana said. “They’re very kind and giving. They would do just about anything for anybody.”

Given the opportunity, the kids know what hobbies they’d like to pursue. Alex loves being outdoors and dreams of having a BMX bike to ride on local trails and to work. Andrew would love to learn to play guitar. The youngest child, Marie, is artistic and would like to take classes to develop her skills in cooking, woodworking or similar areas.

No matter how challenging life becomes, Diana said, her children motivate her to keep moving forward.

“I look at my kids and try to do the best I can,” Diana said. “There’s a light on the other side.”

This is the 34th year Press Christmas for All has worked to brighten the lives of Kootenai County residents in need. Each year, Press readers donate generously to the program. Every penny raised is distributed to Kootenai County residents like Diana and her family. All overhead costs are covered by The Hagadone Corp.

The gift recipients are our neighbors who are struggling, including the elderly, disabled, homeless and mentally ill. Many who seek assistance from Christmas for All are working, but living near or below the poverty level.

The beneficiaries of Press Christmas for All are going to keep their dignity intact while the community provides a hand up to help get them back on their feet.

Press Christmas for All is managed by The Hagadone Corp., with assistance from Charity Reimagined. It is a legally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, run entirely by volunteers.

With a shorter holiday giving season than usual, please make your donation sooner than later. Here are four ways to do it:

- Mail a check to Press Christmas for All, 215 N. Second St., Coeur d’Alene, 83814

- Call The Press and make a secure credit card donation over the phone: 208-664-8176

- Go to cdapress.com. Click on the MENU button, then click on Christmas for All 2019.

- Drop off your check at The Press weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.: 215 N. Second St. in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

The donations are officially coming in. Here’s who contributed recently:

Ralph and Judith Nelson; Sholeh Patrick; In Memory of Eric Dvoracek, 15 years Deceased; William and Barbara Dean; Yuditsky Family; Carol Sorenson; James and Christine Brittain; In Memory of Daughter, Charline; Penne and Joseph Beckett

Donations $500 or more:

Kootenai Charities, INC.; In Memory of Art Trenkle; Barry and Sarah Williams; Kaestner Electric, INC.; Ron and Heidi Gifford