Beyond the Byline: Help is needed more than ever

WILKES-BARRE — As we eagerly await the end of the 2024 political ad campaign, we begin to turn our attention to critical issues in our community.

It all comes down to people helping people.

That’s what was done back in the day when I was a kid. Neighbors always rallied to help each other in times of need — and there were plenty of those situations back then.

If word got around the neighborhood that a family had fallen on hard times, neighbors would get together and suddenly a Christmas tree would arrive with presents for the children and boxes filled with food.

It was compassion and caring at its very best.

This week we heard from Jennifer Warabak, executive director at the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO), regarding the agency’s 45th annual Thanksgiving Project that is underway.

Warabak said CEO is about halfway through its open registration period for this year’s event and already more than 6,500 families have signed up.

Mary Ellen Spellman, director of CEO’s Weinberg Regional Food Bank, said communities have been hit hard by the rising cost of living this year.

“Our network of partners that operate food pantries and provide prepared meals are seeing more need for food than ever before,” Spellman said. “Many of our neighbors are asking for help for the first time in their lives.”

It’s sad, but it’s real. More and more people in our community are struggling to feed their families and to pay their bills.

As a community — as one big neighborhood — we have to help where we can.

Also this week, Howard Grossman, who has headed the NEPA Inter-generational Coalition for 20 years, was praised for his work with the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program.

“I can’t say enough about the hard work Howard has done to build this organization, and I commend him for his dedication,” said Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, who has fought for significant legislation aimed at easing the burden on these unsung heroes.

Grossman said that every family has a different story — noting parents might be unable to care for their children because of death, incarceration, illness, military service or other reasons.

“In 80% of the cases,” he said, “drugs are involved.

The program focuses on grandparents who are raising their grandchildren for many extenuating circumstances.

Grossman reflected on what these grandparents are faced with. He said when you find out you’re going to be a grandparent, there are many things to look forward to — babysitting once in a while, taking the children for a walk, cheering from the bleachers as they play sports, sitting in an auditorium at their dance recital.

You imagine yourself engaging in those pleasant pastimes while the parents of the children carry the responsibilities of everyday care.

But, Grossman asks, what if the parents of your grandchildren are unable to care for the little ones? What if you step in?

“Suddenly, the day-to-day work, the decisions, the discipline, the helping with homework — it’s all on you,” Grossman said. “This is a very dynamic and growing demographic.”

Grossman cited figures:

• 21,000 families in Northeastern Pennsylvania are among the 90,000 in the state that include grandparents — or aunts or uncles or other relatives — raising children.

And Grossman has always known that these caregivers could use some help, ranging from information about support groups to a chance to talk to attorneys about such topics as gaining legal custody.

Raising children can be challenging and expensive. People like Howard Grossman and Rep. Pashinski are doing what they can to, as they said, “ease the burden.”

And then wee saw that WARN notice that was filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry — True Value in Hanover Township will lay off 269 employees in December.

The WARN report states that the layoffs will begin on Dec. 14 and be completed by Dec. 28.

How many families will face all sorts of challenges when this happens? How many children will be affected?

Several years back, I was volunteering with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of NEPA. I remember going to a home in Hanover Township one year around Christmas time to visit a single mom with a couple of kids — good kids. Nice kids.

We were there to interview the mom about her son — who was a Make-A-Wish kid — which meant in addition to everything else, this little boy was facing a life-threatening illness.

While my co-Wish volunteer talked to the mom, it was my job to talk to the child. The protocol was to take the child away from his parent(s) to ask the child what his/her wish was — what he or she really wanted.

This kid, who was about 5 years old at the time, looked at me and without hesitation, told me he wanted his mom and his sister to have a Merry Christmas.

When I realized what was going on — evidenced by the fact that there was no Christmas tree in the house — I asked the boy what he meant.

This 5-year-old boy then told me he wanted Santa Claus to bring his mom and his sister a Christmas tree and lots of presents.

Note that the little boy never asked for anything for himself, other than wishing for a Merry Christmas for his mom and sister.

I’ll never forget that kid. As the little boy requested, the family did have a very Merry Christmas. And the little boy received his wish as well.

That story remains with me to this day. It’s a story about the true meaning of Christmas — of giving, not receiving, and caring about your fellow human beings, especially those in need.

I think about those kids who want but rarely receive. Those kids who ask and hope for Santa to bring them everything they desire but don’t get nearly what they deserve.

And I think about that 5-year-old in Hanover Township, battling a life-threatening disease, who asked that Santa bring a Christmas tree and presents for his mom and his sister.

The reality is that there is need — real need — everywhere.

Let’s help.