A Ray of Hope in Crisis: Supporting a Family on the Brink

Recently, our Communities In Schools Site Coordinator learned that one of our school families might be staying in a local hotel. Initial attempts to reach the mother failed—her phone had been shut off. Undeterred, the coordinator searched social media, located her profile, and reconnected to get an updated number.

What emerged was a heartbreaking cascade of hardships: the mother had lost her job, totaled her only vehicle in an accident, faced multiple hospitalizations, had utilities disconnected, and the family was at imminent risk of eviction. The coordinator immediately reached out with reassurance—no judgment, just genuine support—and let her know help was available without adding more stress.

Through persistent calls to community partners, the coordinator secured financial assistance to cover critical bills, connected the mother with employment resources, and provided ongoing encouragement. In a short time, the family began to regain stability and, most importantly, hope. The mother expressed deep relief at seeing a path forward—that this crisis wasn’t permanent. This story captures the essence of CIS: stepping in during moments of overwhelming need, coordinating resources swiftly, and restoring dignity and possibility so students can stay focused on school and families can rebuild stronger.