Single mom who beat COVID-19 turns to Goodfellows as she tries to catch up on bills

For those looking at the epitome of a challenging 2020, they can turn to Maria.

Maria is a single mother of three, the youngest of whom has undergone almost twice as many surgeries as his age.

“God blessed me with my third child 10 years ago. In his short age he has undergone 16 surgeries in his femur and hip,” she said. “He is a strong little man. He pushes me to be strong.”

Maria is also one of the more than 14.2 million Americans who contracted the COVID-19 virus. It caught up with her during June, and with the help of her children she fought through it.

“They were there for Mom through all my pains and fevers. Thank God they never got sick,” she said.

But with COVID-19 often comes hardships outside the virus, most notably the economical challenges. Maria knows this all too well.

But thanks to the Goodfellows Fund, the Star-Telegram charity that has been helping families in need have a joyful holiday season for over a century, families such as hers can breathe a little easier in what might otherwise be dismal times.

This year the fund, working with the Tarrant Area Food Bank and Albertson’s/Tom Thumb, is expecting to provide as many as 6,000 holiday meals to Tarrant County families. These will include a smoked turkey and four boxes of food, in all approximately 90 pounds of food.

“It’s been hard to catch up on bills since all this,” she said. “But we’ve got each other and the will to keep going. I just want to make it a special Christmas for them this year. God bless all.”

Be a Goodfellow

Since 1912, the Star-Telegram’s Goodfellow Fund has provided assistance for Tarrant County schoolchildren. This season because of the COVID-19 protocols, the charity is providing the families a holiday meal, complete with a smoked turkey. 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.