Elizabeth

During summer of 2023, Elizabeth and her 3-month-old baby, Benjamin, were about to become homeless. With bills piling up, and an eviction notice in hand, Elizabeth’s life was crashing down around her – all because she had made the decision to give birth to Benjamin.

Hopeless and now nearly homeless, Elizabeth didn’t know where to turn for help. A friend at the church she attends suggested that Elizabeth contact the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We’re beyond glad that she did.

In tears, Elizabeth shared her story….

In her young twenties, Elizabeth had dreams of having a great life. She had a small rental house with her long-time high school sweetheart – with expectations of becoming engaged. Their jobs barely paid the bills. Elizabeth was working as a cashier at a local grocery chain and had hopes of working her way up at the store. “We definitely were living paycheck to paycheck,” states Elizabeth, “although not any more than that.” Within just a few months, though, Elizabeth’s promising life started to unravel.

Earlier this year, Elizabeth wasn’t feeling well and discovered she was pregnant. “When I learned that I was going to have a baby boy, I immediately knew I would need to be the strongest version of myself, in order to give him a life he deserved,” shares Elizabeth. “That news changed me. I then knew that nothing in my life was ever going to be the same, and in an amazing way.”

Elizabeth’s boyfriend did NOT have a similar reaction.

Shortly after Elizabeth shared the pregnancy news with her boyfriend, he broke off their relationship. Her “sweetheart” was anything but, declaring, “There is no way I’m sticking around for any baby!” He moved out – and moved on – and Elizabeth was truly on her own.

Elizabeth’s pregnancy was a difficult one, and she ended up needing a lot of bed rest. After missing too many days of work, she was fired from her job at the grocery store. With no health insurance, and no family in town to support her, Elizabeth used up the little savings she’d had. Bills mounted.

Elizabeth gave birth to Benjamin in early April. By the time that Elizabeth contacted the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, she had missed three rent payments and was also far behind on her utility bills. Within days of receiving her eviction notice, Elizabeth was also notified that her gas and water would be turned off.

I thank God that Elizabeth reached out for help. In addition to covering her overdue rent and utility bills, the Society has been able to make sure she has plenty of baby formula for Benjamin and an ample supply of food from our SSVP Pantry. We have also given Elizabeth vouchers to our thrift stores, to cover the cost of baby clothes and necessities for little Benjamin. We are in contact with Elizabeth a couple of times a week, in order to make sure she has everything she needs, and to help make these first months of Benjamin’s life as comfortable as possible.

Elizabeth expressed her gratitude to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul – which we are passing on to you, friends of our organization.

Besides preventing this little family from falling into homelessness, your support provides Elizabeth with much-needed hope, as she shares: “My fiancée had decided that having a child was too much for him. He didn't want me to keep my son, but something deep inside me said different. I really can’t thank St. Vincent de Paul enough for the support they’ve given to me and Benjamin. And even though I struggle with single parenthood, I no longer have any fear. The St. Vincent de Paul volunteers have restored my faith in humanity, and in God, and have shown me that better horizons are coming.”

Gifts to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha are used to care for the people who turn to us during their hour of need and are greatly appreciated. All of our services are provided at no cost. All gifts made to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Our donor information is kept in strict confidence. Our donor lists are never rented, shared or exchanged with other organizations. The stories in our letters are real. Identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy and therapeutic interests of those we serve. For more information about the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Omaha, or to include us in your estate planning, please contact Development Director, Tim Sully, at (402) 779-8499 or at [email protected].

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