She came through our doors in tears — and she had every reason to be.
A single mother of four, she works as a para-educator in a local school district during the school year. She shows up for other people’s children every day. But when her seasonal summer contract was unexpectedly cancelled, the income gap it created was immediate and severe.
Despite working full-time throughout the school year, she did not qualify for state assistance programs like SNAP or TANF. Without that safety net, and without her summer income, her family’s water service was disconnected. In a household that includes two children with special needs and a young toddler she is also caring for, that was not just an inconvenience. It was a health and safety crisis.
The SENT Neighbor Advocacy team sat down with her and looked at the full picture.
What they saw was a family with a clear path forward — they just needed help crossing a very specific bridge. Her eldest son had just completed his CNA certification and was finalizing job interviews. Disability applications were pending for two of her children. And her district contract restarts on August 4th. Stability was close. The gap just needed to be bridged.
The team built a creative budget plan that leveraged the Southside Filling Station to dramatically reduce the family’s grocery expenses, freeing up room in their budget. They then helped her establish structured payment plans with Evergy and her other utility providers, and connected her with immediate community relief to restore water service.
She did not need someone to solve everything for her. She needed a team willing to sit down, think creatively, and walk alongside her until she could get back on her feet.
That is exactly what she got.
🔗 Neighbor Advocacy Services: senttopeka.com/neighbor-advocacy