Dodd said members of the action council once commented that “they wished they could clone us” — and that stirred the book club to want to reach out to other clubs in Howard County. She became ineligible to personally solicit donations in 2010 when she was first elected to a four-year term as a judge with the Howard County Orphans’ Court, a position she still retains.
Linda Blakeslee, a retired Centennial High School teacher and Hopewell Book Club member who handles the group’s annual newsletter, said CAC conducted a survey of clients that was helpful in understanding how their contributions make a difference.
“This survey gave us feedback as to whether [our one-time payments] take care of their needs,” she said.
The case of parents of a 4-year-old son with autism was outlined in the September 2015 mailing. The parents were taking turns missing work to stay home with the child, who had been throwing aggressive tantrums. The mother eventually was fired. She found a new job, but the family fell behind on rent.
The one-time payment they received kept them from losing their home.
Blakeslee said the parents remain employed and still live in the same housing with their son.
Dodd and Parrish said it’s heartbreaking to learn of the anxiety-filled lifestyle some hard-working residents are forced to lead.
“It’s amazing how working really hard doesn’t equate to success,” Dodd said.
To learn more about the One Month’s Rent Initiative, go to onemonthsrent.org. To learn more about the Community Action Council, go to cac-hc.org.