Dishout

Community comes to aid of family facing hard holidays Amid a money

0 Comments | Florida Times Union, Dec 13, 2008 | by MARY MARAGHY

Clay County residents are rallying around an unemployed single mother from Orange Park who is on the brink of foreclosure while trying to help her 12-year-old son, who has cystic fibrosis, battle a life-threatening lung infection.

Friends call Jena Beckman and her four children – Ty, Madyson, Connor and Garrett – a precious family deserving of help with their seemingly insurmountable financial problems.

“God uses people like you and me to be his hands and feet. We are hoping our generous county will help the Beckmans keep their home and be able to pay their electric and water bills for months to come,” said Pam Mullarkey, who created the Jena Beckman Fund at Compass Bank for donations.

Joanne Register is collecting items and hosting a garage sale Friday to benefit the family.

“The outpouring has been great. One family donated a mini- storage unit full of stuff. We’ve been putting out e-mails to businesses and friends … People are in a charitable mood.”

Beckman’s Bible study class at Christ Church Jacksonville adopted the family for Christmas.

Recently, Beckman left her waitress job at the Blue Grotto on Fleming Island to stay home with her 12-year-old son, Ty, who was born with cystic fibrosis, a chronic lung disease. Doctors told her he wouldn’t live to age 6.

“He’s been a trooper,” she said. “He’s been through so much.”

Ty recently developed a severe infection and is too sick for school. His mother administers 10 doses of antibiotics per day through a port in Ty’s chest. A visiting nurse provides some help with his care.

Meanwhile, Beckman said her only income ended in November when her ex-husband lost his job and discontinued child support payments.

“It’s very frustrating to hear about bailouts when you are just hanging on. It’s all I can do to keep my focus on Ty,” Beckman said, adding that she discontinued cable and her telephone, she’s sold possessions on eBay and most recently took in a tenant.

“It’s not ideal for a single woman and explaining the strange man living in my garage,” she said. “My hands are tied. I’m open to any ideas
financial aid for single mothers

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 29th, 2010 at 7:43 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.