After becoming a single father, my kids and I experienced a side of life that we had never known before. I had to take full custody of my two children as their mom had fallen into a very dark place with drug addiction. The overwhelming and sudden stress of the situation left me unemployed and homelessness soon followed.
We moved in with my mom, living on a couch and mattress in the living room, and I felt like a failure. My oldest was struggling at school and showing signs of depression. I had to tell my youngest she couldn’t participate in swim lessons with her friends because we didn’t have the money. I had hit rock bottom, and my kids were paying the price.
After finally finding a job and a home, our family found further stability with a financially assisted membership to the Kelowna Family Y. As a family, we would visit the Y once a week for quality time together which made even the hard days easier to manage and kept my kids happy and healthy.
Both of my kids also attended YMCA afterschool care at Black Mountain which provided them with a safe place to participate in activities that I couldn’t pay for on my own. I never imagined they would be able to take part in sports, swimming and even get homework help! I saw smiles on their faces every time I picked them up.
My family’s involvement with the YMCA has been a game-changer for us and we are so grateful to the Y’s generous donors. My kids, now teenagers, are both thriving and leading healthy and fulfilled lives, all thanks to the opportunities we were given. Thank you!