Hope Amid Hardship: One Families Journey in the Aftermath of COVID-19
By Nick Pruitt
From the desk of Nick Pruitt
As our society gradually returns to a semblance of normalcy after the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, PICCA remains steadfast in its dedication to aiding families across Pickaway County who continue to face unforeseen financial struggles. Most recently, we had the privilege of assisting a family grappling with the enduring effects of COVID-19 on their lives.
Before the pandemic, this family relied on a single income, with one parent serving as the income provider while the other cared for their children at home due to the unavailability of affordable childcare in our area. However, COVID-19 altered their circumstances drastically. The working parent contracted the virus, and their workplace closed, leaving the family without any income. They depleted their savings and tax returns just to make ends meet.
Despite securing new employment, the working parent’s health complications stemming from COVID-19 forced them to take an unforeseen leave of absence. Unfortunately, their tenure at the new job was too brief to qualify them for short-term benefits, plunging the family into financial uncertainty once again, with no savings left to fall back on.
The parents were forced to switch roles, the formerly employed parent caring for the children at home and the other parent entering the workplace, but limited work experience made it challenging to find a job that could adequately support the family's needs, especially with mounting medical expenses.
Fortunately, the family discovered that PICCA still offered assistance through the ARPA-HRG program, providing rental and utility aid to families facing similar predicaments. After collaborating with our ARPA-HRG case manager and furnishing the requisite documentation, PICCA stepped in to settle all outstanding utility bills, cover past due rent, and ensure rent through June, easing the family's burden as the father recuperates and they strive to regain stability.
Without the lifeline of ARPA-HRG and the dedicated support of our staff, this family might have faced the grim prospect of homelessness, particularly in a region where securing alternative housing is increasingly challenging. To date, PICCA has stabilized over 1,300 households in Pickaway County confronting pandemic-induced financial hardships. Since 2020, our six programs have disbursed $2.5 million to alleviate expenses related to rent, mortgage, utilities, and housing stability.