Erin Harrison is a mom to twin daughters, and some time ago they the three of them found themselves in a difficult situation they wouldn’t have been able to overcome if it hadn’t been for their generous community.
Walled Lake, Michigan. Sergeant Heather Kolke was on patrol around the city, when, approaching the local elementary school, a woman came up to her and asked if it was legal for her and her daughters to sleep in their car for the night.
“I asked her if it was illegal to sleep in a car and to see just in case if we did have to,” Harrison said.
Kolke was caught by surprise by this question and she wanted to know more about the family. So, she started asking questions about their situation and why they were planning to spend the night in the car instead of their house. Then she found out that Harrison and her daughters had been renting a place, but after a rise in the rent she couldn’t afford to pay it anymore, and the landlord had evicted them from the house.
Although Erin had been working at the local McDonald’s for about four years, her salary wasn’t enough for her to afford a place to live and cover for the girls’ needs. So, she was planning to stay in the car until she had saved enough money to support her family. Interestingly enough, the car was parked at the parking lot of Walled Lake Elementary School, so Harrison could easily take the girls to school the next morning.
When Kolke heard this story, she was so moved that she decided to do something to help this family in need.
“As a mom, I knew I had to get her a place to stay,” Kolke said.
So, she started calling family members, friends, and fellow officers, asking them if they could help Harrison and the twins. Eventually, she managed to raise enough money to guarantee a safe stay at a hotel room for the family of three, at least temporarily, until they could afford a more permanent place to live. Moreover, Walled Lake Mayor didn’t remain unaffected by the touching story. She soon started collecting donations to help with housing and clothes for the children. One person even offered to take the twins, Abbigale and Hayden, on a $1,000 shopping spree.
But, that was not all. The next day it was Hayden and Abbigale’s ninth birthday, and they had already been told by their mother that she couldn’t afford to throw a party for them. But the community was there for them once more.
“Balloons donated by Party City, a cake from Buttercream Bakery. They said their favorite food was Pizza Hut. They donated pizza,” Kolke explained.
The girls had the time of their life and their mother couldn’t have been more thankful and grateful to anyone who had contributed to this.
This inspiring story serves as a reminder that when a community is united, then they act as a family to anyone who needs them. It certainly made our day and we hope it made yours, too.
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