‘Helping Hand’ provides support to families in need

With the holiday season upon us, and the chill of winter approaching, many Mercedians are happy to bundle up as they venture into the brisk air for get-togethers and gift shopping. But for some local families, the cooling temperatures bring not cheer, but worry.

Ephraim, a local father and husband, was at a loss as to how he would keep his family warm after a back injury rendered him unable to carry out his duties as a cook in a local restaurant. His injury required him to stay at home on bed rest.

Since he was hurt on his own time, he was not eligible to collect workers’ compensation.

His bills began to pile up. After three weeks without work, he couldn’t pay the family’s PG&E bill and the service was shut off.

Last week, Ephraim turned to The Salvation Army which, due to contributions from the community, was able to help, recalled Capt. Joel Boyd of the army’s local chapter. Boyd shared Ephraim’s story but withheld his last name in order to respect the family’s privacy.

Every year, The Salvation Army partners with the Merced Sun-Star to raise money through its A Helping Hand at Christmas campaign, a drive that supports local Mercedians in need. This year, the 30th for the annual drive, organizers aim to raise $55,000 to help the community.

Boyd said The Salvation Army was able to help Ephraim pay the power bill so that they family could stay warm and safe in their home. Soon, Boyd said, Ephraim will be back to work.

“We are so glad that we could help Ephraim through this crisis” Boyd said. “It’s been so cold and dark lately, I can’t imagine having to deal with the difficulties of being without electricity this time of year.”

Supporting the fund is easy. A payment slip being printed in the Merced Sun-Star over the holidays can be used to mail in a contribution, or to drop one off at the Sun-Star office. The next slip will be printed on Friday’s front page.

For donors who want the ease of donating electronically, the army has a website to gather funds designated specifically for the Helping Hand drive. The URL for donations is salar.my/helpinghands.

Helping Hand distributes charity awards of about $400 to each family in need – “some a little more, some a little less,” said coordinator Elaine Gale. All families seeking help are required to meet with Gale and to provide evidence of their financial situation – utility bills and rent receipts, she said.

Money donated to the campaign also pays for 350 food baskets that allow families to celebrate the holiday with a warm meal.

As an area that typically suffers unemployment rates higher than other counties in California, Merced’s need for extra help is always strong.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 5:15 PM with the headline "‘Helping Hand’ provides support to families in need."