Salvation Army Helps Single Mother Give her Children an Unforgettable Christmas

Monica Cardenas is a single mother who makes sacrifices to ensure that her children have everything they need. She is currently caring for her two children and two grandchildren, whom she has custody of after her daughter sadly passed away. Additionally, Monica is a full-time college student, aspiring to become a social worker.

“I live off of student loans, and then I work in the summer to try to make ends meet. Food for four children is very costly,” Monica shares.

Despite her financial battles, Monica always prioritizes her children. For the past two Christmases, she sought assistance from The Salvation Army in Medicine Hat, Alta., to ensure her family could enjoy a special holiday.

The help she received, surpassed her expectations.

“They didn’t have to go through Christmas without anything and that made me happy.”

“I got actual gift cards for groceries, which really helped.”

The assistance she received allowed her to serve a turkey on Christmas Day and maintain a family tradition of including Chilean side dishes in the dinner.

“I got the stuff that we normally eat,” Monica adds. “My children enjoyed it. Plus we got groceries to last us until mid-January.”.

Aside from the gift cards, Monica’s children got some gifts.

“They were so excited and happy. I was able to stuff some of their stockings with candies, teddies and mittens that The Salvation Army provided. It was great,” she says.

Without The Salvation Army’s assistance, Monica believes Christmas would have been very different the past couple of years.

“My kids wouldn’t have gotten anything, and we would have just had something regular for dinner,” Monica says. “They didn’t have to go through Christmas without anything and that made me happy. I didn’t want them to feel like they were different than other kids.”

“I didn’t want them to feel like they were different than other kids.”

One of Monica’s favorite parts about the whole process was when she came in to receive the gifts. She says The Salvation Army’s staff made her feel special, emphasizing that when she came in, she felt like a human being and not a number.

As Monica prepares to embark on her last college semester, she hopes to give back to the community through her future career in social work.

“I am so grateful to the people in the community who support The Salvation Army,” says Monica. “Without their help, a family like mine would not have a Christmas. I hope to one day be able to help others the way they helped me.”

By Juan Romero