Eight-year-old Anna and her mother never saw the truck coming up behind them. The two were walking Anna to her elementary school when a truck drove onto the sidewalk, hit them and sped away. Left behind with injuries and in shock, Anna and her mother were treated and then released from Providence Hospital. No one yet knew their emergency needs extended beyond medical care.

The principal’s visit revealed needs beyond the accident

When Anna’s school principal learned of the hit-and-run accident, she and Anna’s teacher went to visit the two victims at their home. The visit was met with apprehension. After the door was opened, however, the reason for the hesitation and shame became clear.

Three families lived in the one-room apartment, including five adults and four children with one on the way. Plastic lawn chairs served as living room furniture and the bedroom contained just a worn mattress and a few blankets. It was a cold, dark, bare place. As Spanish-speakers with English as a second language, they were struggling to survive. These weren’t lazy people. They were taking on the challenge of learning a foreign culture and how to connect with services in their new community-a task made ten times more difficult when you don’t speak the language.

Volunteers of America made all the difference

That’s when Anna’s principal called Volunteers of America Emergency Services. A staff member there asked for a list of all the items the household needed. With speed and efficiency, the Emergency Services program coordinated the procurement, delivery and setup of nearly all the items on the list. This included basic furniture, towels, lamps, a broom, personal hygiene items, shoes, coats, blankets, diapers, food and more. Anna and her family were thrilled.

Imagine the relief you would feel when help finally arrives after a seemingly little problem has grown to crisis proportions. "It wasn’t just the things needed for the household," the school principal later recalled. "Volunteers of America continued to support Anna and her mother by providing access to follow-up medical care for their injuries." We understand that emergencies come in many different forms for many different people. That’s why our Emergency Services are so effective at bringing relief to those in crisis.

We need help to meet current service demands

Every day of the year, we serve vulnerable individuals and families in crisis like Anna’s.  Our crisis is that we canot help everyone that comes to us.  And looking a child in the eyes and telling them we cannot help is difficult even for the most seasoned professional. 

Help us build resources for families in crisis.