For a grandfather, taking in his two young granddaughters when they needed somewhere to go was an easy decision. He knew he had love enough to care for them. But figuring out how to support them on a fixed income was more difficult.
Ella and Emma were 6 and 8 when they came to live with him. The little family has been getting by just barely for a few months when a generous friend of Dallas CASA asked if there was a family that needed help for the holidays.
The family received a full Thanksgiving dinner plus gift cards for groceries. For their advocate Latischa, the joy on the girls’ faces brought tears of happiness.
“To say that the family was excited and overjoyed would be an understatement,” she said. “From the moment I informed the grandfather right up until I placed it all in their hands they were overcome with gratitude.”
The girls immediately wanted their grandfather to turn the oven on and start heating up the meal. “Look, Pa-Pa,” they said, “the directions are right here!”
More generous supporters of Dallas CASA sponsored the family for Christmas, providing a warm coat for each girl, new clothing for the grandfather, a TV streaming device and even the American Girl doll Ella had been dreaming of. Gift cards for groceries over the months to come were included.
For the grandfather, knowing someone cared enough to do something for his little family was overwhelming. For the girls, though, the support means something more intangible. It means permanency for two little girls who’ve witnessed drug abuse and domestic violence and who’ve experienced such profound neglect that they had never brushed their teeth or had regular meals.
For Latischa, a new child advocate, serving the girls has been life-altering.
“The way I view it I am the one who is so honored to be connected with this family and CASA,” she said. “There’s really no way to describe how I felt after driving out to see the family and before I am even getting out of the car the girls are running as fast as they can with welcoming arms to hug me, give me their precious thank-you cards and pour out their life’s adventures since we last spoke.”
