Sudden death in the family haunts them. Can you Lend a Hand?

Editor's note: The following is a profile submitted by South Shore Community Action Council  for The Patriot Ledger's  Lend a Hand  campaign.  The person's name has been changed to protect her privacy.

For five years, Ashley and her boyfriend, Thomas, created a loving home for their young daughter and Ashley's two children.

But in June, tragedy struck.

Thomas suffered a stroke. A vein ruptured in his brain and he died.

Ashley and her children were devastated. Thomas shared a special connection with Ashley's children. He raised them as his own and was an especially positive influence on her oldest son, a middle-schooler with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Ashley and Thomas did their best financially, but they were not well off by any stretch.

And now, car repairs and heating bills plague her.

None of Ashley's family lives in the area, and she does not receive child support. She is on good terms with Thomas' family, but the support they can provide is limited. Thomas' mother cares for her husband, who is older and not in the best health.

She has been advised to apply for heating assistance through South Shore Community Action Council as it may help her save some money to put towards her car repairs.

Ashley's youngest daughter is enrolled in South Shore Community Action Council's South Shore Early Education program. Through its Head Start, she and her little family receive support and advice from a family advocate.

She is using the time that her children are at school and Head Start to work and attend school herself. Her hope is to become a registered nurse and is about to complete her first semester of courses.

Though she is faced with the trials of school, work, expenses, and most importantly, a hole left in the family, Ashley is determined to push forward. She shows a strength and adversity that is motivated by her children and their needs.

Can you Lend a Hand?

Who does The Patriot Ledger's Lend a Hand giving help?

Lend a Hand was founded by  Chazy Dowaliby, who died in 2019.  Dowaliby, who became a well-known South Shore figure in her decades at the helm of the Ledger, was named the paper's executive editor in 1998 and launched the Lend a Hand program in her first year. Since then, Lend a Hand has raised millions from readers' donations.  

Donations to Lend a Hand help fund the social services programs and resources for its three partner organizations: the South Shore Community Action Council, Quincy Community Action Programs Inc. and Aspire Health Alliance. Lend a Hand only takes monetary donations, which go to the agencies.

Aspire Health Alliance  serves Boston, the South Shore and Southeastern Massachusetts by providing mental health programs and services for children, teenagers and adults, as well as services for children with development disabilities through an early intervention program. The agency is also the regional provider of 24/7 crisis intervention services.

South Shore Community Action Council  is a Plymouth-based nonprofit serving low-income families and individuals on the South Shore through food assistance programs, child care and other social services. 

Quincy Community Action Programs  is a Quincy-based organization helps individuals and families achieve financial stability through education programs, early childhood education, and heating and utility assistance, as well as helping put food on the table through the QCAP food center. 

Lend a Hand donations each year range from thousands of dollars to small checks of $10 or $15 to coins from a child's savings. It all adds up. 

How to donate to The Patriot Ledger's Lend a Hand giving campaign

Donating is easy. 

Many will find using PayPal the easiest. You can donate securely online through  PayPal . All credit cards are accepted, and you don't need a PayPal account. Search: PayPal Lend a Hand Foundation. The direct address is  www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=F5JAG5WWMYS5A .

Another way to donate is to clip the coupon from the print edition of The Patriot Ledger or from this story. You can send in a check or money order. Don't have the coupon? Just mail us a piece of paper with this information:

Your name, address, telephone number, amount of contribution, who the donation is from or if this donation is anonymous, and if you'd like to donate in honor or memory of someone. Please note, your address and telephone number are not for publication, but are for us to contact you if we have any questions.

Mailed donations go to:

The Patriot Ledger

3 Webster Square PMB #467

Marshfield, MA 02050  

If you have questions about The Patriot Ledger's Lend a Hand campaign, email  newsroom@patriotledger.com  and put "Lend a Hand 2024" in the subject line.

And most of all, thank you for your generosity and your continued support of Lend a Hand. 

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: How you can you Lend a Hand to your South Shore neighbors in need