Summers at Bellevue LifeSpring are a busy time. Families in need are looking ahead to the coming school year and holiday season when their tight budgets will be stretched for new jackets and backpacks, holiday meals and gifts under the tree. During the summer, these families meet with Bellevue LifeSpring staff to sign up for our Clothes-4-Kids™ or Holiday Adopt-A-Family™ programs. Thanks to the support of our community, Bellevue LifeSpring is helping to ease the worries of families like Aylin’s and give her children something to look forward to this fall.
New Country, New Struggles
Aylin’s family emigrated to the U.S. 18 months ago as refugees. She and her husband separated not long after their arrival and she is now struggling to support her family of three on her single income. She says the separation has been hardest on her 9-year-old son, Yusuf. He has started acting out at school and at home in response.
Aylin’s 16-year-old daughter, Yara, is very bright and doing well in school, especially for how recently their family moved to the States. She’s taken on a lot of responsibility at home, trying to support her mother as she plays the role of two parents. Yara’s quick mind has helped tremendously in locating resources to provide what Aylin’s limited paychecks cannot. She also looks after Yusuf while Aylin is at work. Yara is eager to learn and told us that she hopes to improve her English and get better grades in the coming year. Aylin says she hopes to learn more English as well so she can find a job that will better support their family.
Community Creates a Home
Thanks to your support, Yara and Yusuf will go back to school with new clothing and shoes so they can look and feel as confident as their classmates. This December, your generosity will provide their family with food for a holiday meal and gifts of toys and books that they can show to their friends. Programs like Clothes-4-Kids™ and Holiday Adopt-A-Family™ have a powerful impact on the lives of families who are struggling to make ends meet. They give children access to the simple items that mean so much when we’re young: shiny new shoes and crisp blue jeans for your first day of school, presents to unwrap and talk about with friends, a warm meal that reinforces the comfort and strength of a supportive community in a new place. You are creating a home for families like Aylin’s right here in Bellevue.
What We Share
This summer, nearly 300 families like Aylin’s will meet with our Human Services team at the Bellevue LifeSpring office. Every family has a different story, different holiday wishes and different goals for the coming year. What we all share is a love for our children, a hope for their futures and immense gratitude for our Bellevue community. Your support makes the difference for these children and their families. Thank you.
