LIMA — Melody recently had her twins Billy and Joe two and a half months early and only recently brought them home from where they were born in Dayton.
But traveling back and forth for appointments over the last two months has forced her to lose her job and housing.
“I’m just trying to seek work and get back on my feet,” she said. “We have to see specialists in Dayton and we travel back and forth. We need any extra help we could get this year.”
The babies sleep on the couch of the humble home where Melody has taken up residence.
But Melody also cares for her four other children including Ryder, 3, Kelsey, 4, Cory, 10, and Brittany, 13.
And there are a number of different things that the family could benefit from this holiday season.
“Clothing, shoes and traveling expenses for gas, hotel rooms and travel would all be helpful,” Melody said. “That’s pretty much it other than toys for the kids.”
But the kids also like riding bikes.
“Cory likes to do tricks and wheelies,” Melody said. “The little kids like bicycles, too. My 3-year-old rides without training wheels, too.”
Brittany, however, likes shopping and gift cards to places like Starbucks and Five Below would help her have a good Christmas.
Melody said that gift cards to places like Walmart or Meijer would help her provide for the twins, as well.
“I have to get clothing, diapers and wipes for them, too,” she said.
It is hard trying to provide for kids like Brittany and Cory who are both A and B students who run track and play football, respectively, but Melody is doing her best to improve things.
“It would mean a lot to get some help,” she said. “I’ve been trying to find a job that works around their schedule. And I can’t put them in daycare right now so I have to work around someone that’s scheduled within my household.”
And the road forward will not get any easier with the 4-month-old twins at risk of blindness and deafness.
“They’re concerned about Billy’s head because he had a brain bleed when he was born so we have to go back and forth for ultrasounds,” Melody said. “We’re actually getting ready to go back in a week.”
And if Melody receives help from someone, seeking help from the Lima Salvation Army was worth it.
ADOPT A STOCKING
The Adopt a Stocking Fund benefits families during the holiday season. Monetary donations can be given online at give.salvationarmy.org/stocking or via Adopt A Stocking; c/o The Salvation Army; P.O. Box 234, Lima, OH 45801. All material donations for a specific family should be dropped off at The Salvation Army, 614 E. Market St., Lima, and should include a copy of the article or the date the story appeared in The Lima News. See past stories at LimaOhio.com/tag/stocking.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
