Enjoying the Holidays (with help):

Help Comes From Unexpected Sources

Aired December 8, 1999

And we thank you for joining us on INFOhio After Nine here on 90.3 FM, which is your NPR station for Northeast Ohio, listener-supported, I might add. Every child deserves to enjoy the holidays, but that's not always possible, especially if a child's family is on welfare for years. For one family on public assistance, help comes from unexpected sources. 90.3 correspondent Harry Boomer has this follow-up report, as this series, "The Changing Face of Welfare," continues.

Tracy Davis–It went real well, I had a big dinner. Didn't last, but I had a big dinner and the kids had fun.

Harry Boomer–Eight months ago, 29-year old Tracy Davis made the transition from welfare to work. Eight months off public assistance is a milestone, but not long enough for Tracy to be in a position to give her six children the kind of Christmas they deserve. Thnaks to some compassionate public radio listeners, Santa will make a stop at the Davis house on Christmas Eve. Through power of persuasion, I was able to get Sheryl Pabowczek to talk. Sheryl heard our November 10th report about Tracy's inspirational struggle for self-sufficiency.

Sheryl Pabowczek–It just struck me, because here's a woman who, from what I can tell, overcame a lot of odds to really land on her feet. She had, I think she said, three children before she graduated from high school, yet she did go on to graduate, which, how many kids would not have done that? Went on to have three more children, got divorced, her husband passed away, and yet she ended up getting off of welfare and in a job now where she is able to support herself and her kids, and I just though that if there's anyone that deserves some extra help, it's someone like that who's really trying to do for herself, but it's just the extras that she can't really afford right now. Fortunately, my husband and I are in the situation where we have been fortunate and we do have some interest in community service and I thought that Tracy was really somebody that we could reach out to.

HB–Sheryl and Tracy talked to each other on the phone and set up a meeting.

TD–We had lunch, and I showed her pictures of the kids, she asked me their sizes of clothes and everything, anything that they would like for Christmas, and we made a list, and she also asked if the kids and I will go to our house for dinner, either before Christmas or after Christmas, but she would prefer before Christmas to get to know the kids.

HB–Tracy Davis and Sherly Pabowczek are very different women, but they connected right away.

TD–I was overwhelmed. She was really nice, she was just the person that I didn't expect, she was just a normal person, you know, I could open up to her, I could talk to her, and it's like I've talked to her before, it's just like she was my best friend.

SP–She gave me kind of an update on the kids and their ages and their sizes and how they were doing in school and things like that, and I think we did connect, because personally I certainly didn't grow up with much money, my father passed away when I was just a baby, so my mom was raising two children on her own during the early '60s, when it certainly wasn't very common or fashionable to do so, so she was a single parent, and I think that I connected with her on that level as well, we both came from not having very much and single households, so we basically chatted about that.

TD–She could be like the second mom, to help out, and I would like my kids to meet the lady that's going to help out for Christmas, to make their Christmas a happy one. Selma, she's a year old, Joshua, he's six years old, Julianna, she's nine years old, Heaven-- this is a test, isn't it-- Heaven is 10. Bianca, she's 11, and Michael is 13.

SP–They're adorable, they're great kids. My husband and I have akways loved children, we're lucky enough to have children of our own, but we have nephews and nieces that we dote on, and her children seem to be very, very nice children, so I'm looking forward to meeting them.

HB–Michael, Tracy's oldest, already has a wish list.

Michael Davis–My list is a CD player, a walkie-talkie, and some games for my Game Boy, and clothes, earrings, and a telescope.

HB–Remember, I mentioned that two compassionate public radio listeners responded with offers of help for Tracy and her six children. Well, the second one wanted to remain anonymous, but he was gracious enough to give. (to TD) He sent to me, for you, this Toys 'R' Us gift card. Now, just looking at that, you really can't tell, but it says, of course, it's for your family, and it's for $125.

TD–It'll help out a lot (laughs), it'll help out a lot. I'm grateful, and I thank you for it, Mr. Anonymous. I just want to see a big smile on their faces Christmas morning. It's not just for Christmas, I want them happy every day. I want to keep a roof over their heads, I want to keep a job, keep the income coming in, so I can do the things that I have to do for my kids.

HB–For INFOhio, I'm Harry Boomer in Cleveland.