Family Strength

The pictures and memorabilia in Ms. A’s kitchen paint a story of a loving family. The fridge is plastered with photos depicting: a father-daughter dance, an adopted grandson, one of the first family members to attend college, and a tenacious granddaughter who loves to tumble.

There are also playful signs of admonition that show Ms. A. runs a tight ship. “Clean up what you mess up” is sassily proclaimed from a hand-made sign by the kitchen sink. In this house, all are welcome to share a meal, but all are equally responsible for their chores. Speaking of sharing a meal, Ms. A. does just that on a regular basis. She picks up donated dinner boxes from church but doesn’t need everything that’s included in the kit; so, she divvies it into parcels and brings the extra food to her neighbors, who cannot leave home.

Ms. A. is equally resourceful about a number of household hacks. She is very grateful for the reattached gutter that Westminster Home Connection fixed at the front of her house, and she added a perforated plastic tube to the end of it to irrigate nearby plants. Her grandson pitches in too. He dutifully painted the handrail that Westminster Home Connection added to her back porch to match their existing railing.

Though Ms. A. is recently widowed, her husband’s presence is always felt in the prominently displayed family Bible filled with his notes and in the memorial stone Ms. A. placed in her front yard. She updates the flowers and decor around this stone with the changing seasons. Her family is very excited about the coming change in season as her grandchildren get ready to return to school. They have an optimistic outlook on education-based opportunities, and they approach the future, knowing that they have each other and caring neighborhood agencies like Westminster Home Connection as resources.