Goodfellows a surprise for girls whose mom can’t provide extras
“My 9-year-old has worn the same jacket for two years,” said Brittany, a single mother of two girls. “She’s a size 10 and the jacket is a 6. She pretty much passes everything down to her sister, but she doesn’t have anyone to pass stuff down to her.”
So, fortunately, the Goodfellow Fund is poised to pass down a pair of $50 J.C. Penney gift cards dedicated to buying such things.
Brittany’s daughters — the younger one is 7 — don’t complain about the circumstances under which they’ve lived since their parents’ 2015 divorce and their father’s refusal to pay child support. They know their mom is doing all she can. Unfortunately, the lady is kind of stuck in those circumstances.
“I work for a school district as a paraprofessional,” Brittany said. “Working at the school district is good for me, because I’m off when my girls are off and I don’t have to pay for daycare.
“I enjoy what I do, but it doesn’t pay enough. We have a roof over our heads, I can pay my car note and we can buy groceries. But that’s all. I never have any money left over to do anything extra for my kids.”
The scheduling that makes it possible for Brittany to eschew daycare is what’s got her stuck. To get unstuck, she’d have to find a job that pays enough to cover childcare as well as boost her kids’ living standard.
She’s thinking about going to night school to finish a nursing degree that she could use to stay with the educational system as a school nurse. All she needs is someone to take care of her girls while she attends classes.
In the meantime, Brittany’s accessing all the support sources she can, including the Goodfellow Fund, which she’s keeping secret from her daughters.
“They don’t know about Goodfellows,” She said. “I’m looking at jackets and jeans. I wanted everything to be a surprise. I hope to keep some of the jeans to put under the tree, but they need their jackets as soon as I can get them.”
And because both girls are getting new jackets, that size 6 relic will be donated to a local charity, Brittany said.
“These gift cards mean a lot to me and my family,” Brittany said. “My older daughter says she doesn’t care that her jacket doesn’t fit. But I know a new one will boost her confidence and mine, knowing she’s comfortable in something that actually fits her.”
Be a jolly Goodfellow
Since 1912, the Star-Telegram’s Goodfellow Fund has provided practical gifts for schoolchildren. Join this tradition by sending a contribution to Goodfellows, Since 1912, the Star-Telegram’s Goodfellow Fund has provided practical gifts for schoolchildren. Join this tradition by sending a contribution to Goodfellows, Box 1870, Fort Worth, TX 76101. Or visit goodfellowfundfw.com to make a secure credit card donation.