5 Facts

 The federal poverty level for a family of four is a mere $23,550 per year.

For many of us, the idea of supporting a family on $23,550 is out of the question.  For some, it would not even be enough money to support a single person.  This number is not as shocking as it might first seem.  In fact, a person living in Chicago making minimum wage ($8.25 an hour), and working full-time without any personal, vacation, or sick days (40 hours a week), will make approximately $16,000-$17,000 in a year. 

Now assume that the person making $16,000-$17,000 a year is not a faceless statistic, but a single mother supporting three children.  Perhaps she left a domestic violence situation and is trying to support her children on her own.  Perhaps her husband hadn’t allowed her to work in the past, and she is happy to have found work for minimum wage and to start her first job.  Perhaps she has found reasonable childcare for her smallest child, has enrolled her older two children in school, and is cautiously optimistic about creating a safe living situation for her family.  For this dedicated mother, a small crisis could turn into an unmanageable situation.

That is why the Emergency Fund exists.  We are here to help when a mother needs to purchase everyday necessities vital to leading a healthy, productive life. The Emergency Fund is here to help when a mother needs to purchase mattresses for her children to sleep on, when her children need book bags for school, or even when one of her children falls ill and she has to take time off work.  

We know that many working mothers are doing all they can to stay afloat. Often the smallest amount of money can be the difference between creating a safe life and returning to a violent one. 

We are thankful that our supporters allow us to provide that difference.