Feels good to help someone :)

[win-star]

{very long story sorry} [after short version] - Short version - I help the lady again that I helped 3 -4 months ago and gotten her 2 weeks free of food and have a no frills manager to set up a donation table in front of no frills.

Long story:

3 - 4 months ago I help a lady buying her groceries as she was having life problems of a single mother of two very young girls and her casino/alcoholic ex-husband who left her without anything as he had nothing also.

here is the previous thread:
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/194537-...-happy-canada/

Well I just went to No frills by my house to pick up some stuff for my parents and met her again today. She now lives/rents a basement in the neighborhood across the street of an old couple's home paying super cheap rent [in away she pays $200/month including water and electricity] .... [I helped her take the groceries home and also had a nice chat with the old couple] ... The old couple knows her trouble and helps her out with cheap rent. She left her apartment that she was living at before since she couldn't afford it and still working minimum wage at some place and not getting enough hours [she works at a restaurant doing dishes at restaurant that the guy owns and not doing that well] Since the day I helped her, she sold some super old car that barely ran to a junk yard that somewhat helped her through the last couple months, she can't sell her and old house hold stuff as she just as basic stuff like pots and pans and bed etc. She wasn't able to apply to other jobs as her experience is not much as she was a stay at home mom before and the husband did all the money making before he went into the gambling

Anyways ... to my helping story ....

I use to work at the No Frills and somewhat knows the Manager in a friendly way. So I asked the manager if she could help this lady out, since I know a few cashier there I helper her previously and some of those cashier knows her personally that helped me back up my story to the manager, so that's how I was able to help this lady with her "free" food.
The manager gave her 2 weeks worth of food to them. Also the manager set up a small table out in front of the store after I helped with her groceries home, now her and her children sitting with a box there to receive some donation/help.

I would take some pictures but she prefer not to as she would like to keep it quiet, as she doesn't want to have her family and friends see what she is going through

I stayed for 30 mins and some people gave her coupons and some money. Before I left a guy gave a $50 bill ... I personally gave $20 before I left.

Helping someone makes me feel happy, even though I helped her before ... I am just helping her because I worry for her 2 daughters [5 years old and I believe 6 years old]

I think I am going to look around now for a place that can help her out to survive or some how find some donation place without reveling her identity to public at a government agency or something or a private institutional ... going to be kinda hard but I'll do it ... maybe I'll get some luck after helping her so I can get a good job later on doing this

[Brandy Hunter]

Anyone in your area (from SC) that can donate toiletries ? I'd help but we're almost 4 hours away.

[recessionisnotfun]

WTG!!!!!!! You are a good person win

[KK7]

way to go win I am sure she is very apprciative

[walkonby]

You are doing EVERYTHING right winstar!! This will help her to help herself and her girls. Everybody deserves a helping hand and right now she is definitely in need of one, thank goodness you " bumped " into her again.
The manager of No Frills seems very understanding and generous, as well as those customers that donated to her.

Good job winstar!

[coupon girl]

nice of you win-star -awesome brag

[Lynn49]

I love to hear stories like this, Win-Star! She must have felt truly blessed! I hate to bring it up, but would that manager have a position for her on her staff? I know...I'm pushing it...but fingers crossed that she finds something more lucrative soon.
You're doing more for her than you know......

[nosobbq]

wow!! great story!! i hope everything works out for her...

[avoncallingu]

Thank-you for being so kind! I'm sure she thanks her lucky stars that she ran into such a great person as you! What a great thing you have done! Is there a "Back-Packs" group in your area that provides kidlets with backpacks and school supplies? That might help the kids in a couple of months when they go back to school. I think they are not so "official" with their referrals. Or a "donation" might be made through the principal of the school who often "pass along" things to needy children (having been one myself.)

[Natalka]

Aw, you are wonderful for having done all this, win!

[Lynn49]

Thank-you for being so kind! I'm sure she thanks her lucky stars that she ran into such a great person as you! What a great thing you have done! Is there a "Back-Packs" group in your area that provides kidlets with backpacks and school supplies? That might help the kids in a couple of months when they go back to school. I think they are not so "official" with their referrals. Or a "donation" might be made through the principal of the school who often "pass along" things to needy children (having been one myself.)

Now that's a new one for me: "Back-Packs" group?
I'd love to hear more.....is there a way to find one in a particular city? I mean..do they have an official site that lists local groups?
That would be a great thing to start here if we didn't have one already....

[conway]

that is so nice of you win-star. I just told my parents this story and they thought you are awesome. If you were closer to me, i and my parents would love to help and donate money to this family. I feel sorry for the kids but happy they are getting some good help from the no frills manager.

[win-star]

I love to hear stories like this, Win-Star! She must have felt truly blessed! I hate to bring it up, but would that manager have a position for her on her staff? I know...I'm pushing it...but fingers crossed that she finds something more lucrative soon.
You're doing more for her than you know......

About the position part, The cashiers there at No frills that I know and knows her personally/friend also and I talked to the manager of the position for her to work. Since it's summer time and students are out, the summer position was filled since beginning of June but will consider to be one of the top choices beginning of September when student goes back to school and she could have a morning part time position while students are in school.

I've talked to the manager this morning and was thinking to give her a table again with a donation box for this friday for her to sit and get help. The manager prefer not to have her on weekends as it's busy and doesn't want her and her kids to get run over with tons of people walking in and out.

I have found out that she is only making ~$90 - 100 max a week which is only enough for monthly rent and food ... Also I was told by her the government gives her $100 direct deposit each month for "support" ... I am confused of why so "little" ... $100 would only last a week's worth of food to life normally to be full and have enough energy to be around

she's making $400 {with government cheque} ... $200 of it goes towards rent, $100 towards the mississauga monthly pass to get to work and places needed to go, also change for kids to take with her when she can't get someone to babysit, so each month she is left with roughly $200 for the entire month for food and clothings .... she usually get by living off frozen prepared food on sale or food that is still eatable that some stores put together on a tray or some sort for $1 .... but this is not a good way to live healthy or a good nutritional life

Thank-you for being so kind! I'm sure she thanks her lucky stars that she ran into such a great person as you! What a great thing you have done! Is there a "Back-Packs" group in your area that provides kidlets with backpacks and school supplies? That might help the kids in a couple of months when they go back to school. I think they are not so "official" with their referrals. Or a "donation" might be made through the principal of the school who often "pass along" things to needy children (having been one myself.)

I gave her that idea of talking to the principal today when I stopped by her house for a visit. I have also given her my old useable crayons, markers and spare unused pencil, pens and erasers I got that I don't use as one of her kids will be going to Kindergarten or grade 1 ... what ever grade a 6 year old will be going to

[KK7]

don't want to be a negative gussy but she has to be making more then that win pm me if you wish but her numbers are way off!

[Sherbear609]

YOU ARE AMAZING HATS OF TO YOU WIN have you tried the womens shelter? they usually are nonprofit and are a great source of information...as well as trying your local YWCA they can help you with any employment questions and If lucky depending on the size of the apartment she could even run a small daycare in it there are so many more options out there for single women