Bringing holiday happiness to struggling families

Amanda is one of the struggling parents we help every day.

Amanda is a quiet person who gets on with her life and doesn’t make a fuss. Five years ago her partner cruelly abandoned her, leaving her to bring up three young children on her own. Since then, every day has been a battle to make ends meet.

Amanda never wanted to ask anyone for help, but things got so bad during the pandemic that she had to call us. First, the store where she worked closed temporarily cutting off her income. A few weeks later she was faced with a hefty repair bill for her car, an essential because her eldest child Ollie has learning difficulties and she would need to take him to and from his special school every day.

Finally, Amanda’s washing machine and fridge-freezer both broke down. Getting the car repaired meant she had no money left to replace them.

When Amanda phoned her local Salvation Army community centre, our officer Major Carol couldn’t have been kinder. She helped Amanda find a good second-hand washing machine and fridge-freezer, and provided food parcels when Amanda was struggling to feed her three children. Looking back, Amanda says: ‘I don’t know how I would have coped without The Salvation Army.’

Things have improved now that Amanda is able to return to work. But Major Carol and her Salvation Army team haven’t stopped being Amanda’s friend. They’re planning a summer treat for Amanda and her children – a picnic that they can enjoy in the park. It doesn’t seem much, but to those children it means such a lot.

And with your help, The Salvation Army can change many more lives this summer. So many worried parents will be able to sleep at night because we are there to help them. So many children will have something to smile about because of the kindness we show them.

Please will you give £25, or whatever you can, to help parents in need and bring joy and excitement into their children’s lives?         

A gift of:

• £25 could help towards the cost to run a youth club, giving young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the chance to develop new interests and skills.
• £54 could pay for 20 activity packs to keep young children busy, interested and full of life over the school holidays.
• £114 could meet the cost of a Salvation Army officer to run one of our community centres for three days to host breakfast clubs, children’s groups and youth activities.