Jake’s Story

- Chapter 9 -

Santa came to our house! I got a new race track set, and my sisters got the exact Barbie dolls that they wanted. We even had a real Christmas tree that dad put up in the living room. It was the best Christmas ever! Miss Jill came after Christmas for her last visit with us. We will miss her so much. She helped our family with so many things this year. We were able to move into a place of our own. We got help with new clothes, beds, furniture, and a washing machine. Most importantly, she helped my dad not feel so sad and stressed out.

Our number came up with NECAC this month, and Dad will be able to afford to pay the rent on his own. This means we won’t have to move! I get to keep my own room and stay at my same school. Miss Jill and the Care Service helped my family find our perfect home where all of us feel safe and secure.

Each year the Care Service walks side-by-side with nearly 2,000 households during their time of crisis providing them with the resources they need to change their lives and work toward a better future.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 8 -

My mom has been calling us a lot. She said she wants to come home because she misses us. I miss my mom a lot, but I’m also scared of her. My dad talked to us and said it wasn’t going to be the same, and that if my mom hurt me I needed to tell him or a teacher right away. Dad said she was going to only stay with us for a couple of weeks to see if it was going to work. It was nice having my mom home, but she decided to leave after a week. She stole some money out of dad’s wallet and never came back. I’m kind of glad.

My dad is better when my mom isn’t here. Miss Jill brought a big basket of food with a turkey and pie for Thanksgiving, and talked with my dad about our house. My dad has been saving his money so he can pay the rent next month. He has followed the budget Miss Jill helped him set up, and he has been able to pay all of his other bills and open a savings account.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 7 -

My dad took me and my sisters to visit Miss Jill in her office today. Miss Jill is going to help my dad read and fill out some papers so my mom has to pay some money to help take care of me and my sisters. The problem is that the court can’t find the right address to give her the paperwork. After helping dad answer all the questions for the paper, Miss Jill gave him the phone number for some lawyers that would be able to help him better.

Dad told Miss Jill how good I was doing in school since I got my IEP. I’ve been able to raise ALL of my grades, and I like school a lot better now. Dad is now trying to learn to read so he can help me with my homework. He goes to a tutor once a week and he can read me some of my books. I’m so proud of him. Miss Jill called Sacred Heart to see if there was anyone who could help my dad with his reading once our case is closed.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 6 -

Miss Jill came to visit today, and she brought us a new, big washing machine. The little camping machine broke, and our clothes were getting really dirty. I was embarrassed to go to school because I thought the kids would make fun of me and tell me I smelled. My dad hooked it up and started washing our clothes right away.

Miss Jill also brought us winter coats, but she saved the biggest surprise for last. She wanted us to tell her our Christmas lists for Santa. She said the Care Service has an Adopt-A-Family program that helps families at Christmas time. My sisters and I had so much fun telling Miss Jill about the toys and books we were hoping Santa would bring us. Santa doesn’t always come to our house.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 5 -

Emma has been really sick. So sick that she had to go to the hospital. Dad said she needed to have a surgery to make her feel better, and that Sophie and I need to stay at the Crisis Nursery for a little while.

I was scared to leave my dad, but I needed to be brave for my sister. When we got to Crisis Nursery there were lots of toys and books to play with, and the people there were nice. Sophie and I had fun playing with the other kids, and Crisis Nursery had my favorite snack—Rice Krispies Treats!

We never can buy Rice Krispies treats because they are too expensive. We stayed for a couple of days, and my dad picked us up when Emma was all better. I had fun at the nursery, but I was so glad to be home with my dad and sisters.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 4 -

We moved into our new house! I have my very own room all to myself. My sisters and I played hide and seek while Dad and Miss Jill talked about money and budgeting stuff. We don’t have any furniture yet, but Miss Jill is going to help us with that too.

She said she will give us a referral to Sharing Shed who could get us a couch and kitchen table and beds—anything we need for our new house. She was able to get a bed for me already and some pillows. I’ve been having a hard time at school, and Dad has been frustrated and yelling a lot.

Miss Jill talked to my school, and she is helping my teacher come up with a special plan to help me, called an IEP (individualized education plan). Miss Jill also told my dad that there are classes to help parents, and a place called Crisis Nursery that can watch us kids so my dad can have a break. Dad doesn’t want to take any classes, but he said he’d think about the nursery. Miss Jill said there are lots of toys and kids to play with at the Crisis Nursery, so it sounds fun to me.

Watch for more of Jake’s story to be released on August 11th.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 3 -

The van is fixed! Dad finally got the part he needed. He said he is going to take us to the river this weekend to throw rocks and have a picnic. And that’s not even the best news—we found a new house! Miss Jill’s work is going to help us pay for the house. Miss Jill told Dad that the Care Service could pay for the deposit and a few months of rent. She helped Dad fill out the paperwork for the rent and to help with utilities because he can’t read or write, and she brought diapers for the girls. She also brought dad a gift card to buy gas for the van so he could save some of his money, and told him about Parents As Teachers and Early Head Start that will come into the house to play with the girls each week. It’s kind of like school for little kids. Dad was having a hard time getting his medicine, so Miss Jill talked to Medicaid to see what was wrong. All dad needed to do was pay $6, and he was able to get all of his medicine which made him feel a lot better. Every time Miss Jill visits they work on a budget and a plan so we don’t have to live with Aunt Carrie again.

Watch for more of Jake’s story to be released on July 14th.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 2 -

My legs are really tired today. Our van is still broken, so my dad and my sisters have to walk me to school. It takes more than an hour to get there. My dad is trying to get the van fixed, but he doesn’t have enough money yet. I try not to complain because I know he’s trying, but I really wish we had a car.

Miss Jill came to my aunt’s house today for a visit. Sophie got scared and started crying because she thought Miss Jill was going to take our dad away. Dad explained to Sophie that Miss Jill was just trying to help them.

Miss Jill told dad about some places we can get food by our house, and she brought dad some papers that will help us get new clothes. All of my clothes are dirty, and the camping washing machine doesn’t work very well. It’s no fun staying at Aunt Carrie’s house. We have to be quiet ALL the time. Aunt Carrie is always mad, and it stresses my dad out. Dad told Miss Jill that he is moving up on the NECAC housing list, and he applied for a mobile home park. I hope that means we get to move soon.

Watch for more of Jake’s story to be released on June 9th.

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Jake’s Story

- Chapter 1 -

My mom was hurting me and my little sisters Sophie and Emma, so my dad had to find us a new, safer place to live.

We are staying at my aunt’s house for a little while. I sleep on a cot in the kitchen, my sisters sleep in the living room and my dad sleeps on the floor.

My dad didn’t have a lot of money since he only gets disability, so he said we needed help. He found Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service, and we met Miss Jill who was going to help us find a home of our own. There was a kids’ area where Emma, Sophie and I could play with toys or watch a movie while my dad talked to Miss Jill. I could tell that my dad was feeling a lot better after talking to Miss Jill. He said they made a plan, and everything was going to be OK.

Before we left, Miss Jill gave all of us presents! She gave me a brand-new superheroes backpack to take to school. I never had a new backpack that was all my own. She gave my sisters fruit snacks and a book to take home. My dad got shampoo, soap and toothpaste because he can’t buy them with food stamps. We also brought home a couple of bags of food which had my favorite cereal.

The Easter Bunny also brought us Easter Baskets filled with lots of candy and toys to the Care Service. I thought he wouldn’t find us since we moved.