CLEVELAND, Ohio – Thanksgiving is approaching, but Victoria and her son David have a hard time finding something to be thankful for this year. They’re hungry. They’re tired. They’re emotionally drained. How are they supposed to feel excited for a holiday when their pantry is empty? How do they find joy when facing a crisis with no foreseeable end?
After David missed two weeks of school, Ms. Scott-Rose called Victoria and found out about the family death and the difficulty David was having processing the news. “I do it on my own time. It’s just what I do. It’s how I was raised,” Ms. Scott-Rose says. “That desire to help is what drew me to this job in the first place. So, if a family tells me they need food, I’m going to make sure they have it. And if it’s a desperate need, they’ll have it that night.”
Asking for help is something Victoria has had a hard time learning to do since her husband’s death. Though she shared the situation with Ms. Scott-Rose, she never asked her to bring food. But she says Ms. Scott-Rose’s unexpected generosity has helped her realize “there are good people out there who will help you when you need it,” which has made her more open to accepting it.
“I know Ms. Scott-Rose will help me work through everything, but I’m worried it might take too long,” Victoria says. “I don’t even know where to start. What if she’s not here anymore?”