Food gift basket for mom

Food bank, her life are blessings for sick mom

Kelly Willis has nearly died three times and believes her survival from blood clots in her legs and arms to be a "miracle and gift from God."

Besides the blood clots, which could travel to her heart and be fatal, Willis also suffers from a cyst behind her knee, foot problems and may have breast cancer. Doctors have performed numerous surgeries on her, including one to install a filter to block clots.

The 39-year-old single mother of two teenage boys is two months behind on the rent for the lot on which her mobile home rests. Her health problems prevent Willis from working and she is several months from collecting Social Security payments for her disability.

"We don't have a Christmas tree and can't afford presents or a Thanksgiving dinner, so I called Care & Share to get a food basket," Willis said. "I am so thankful for what they did for my family. They were a tremendous help and a real blessing for us."

Willis has relied on friends, neighbors and her church since she receives child support payments from her ex-husband only intermittently. She said she "needs help in everything I do," including paying her utility bills and buying clothes for her children.

Sylvia Caron, agency relations manager for Care & Share, brought Willis a food basket after realizing "it would be a hardship for her to get" to one of the many local social service agencies to which the food bank provides the baskets and other food.

"When I arrived at her home, Kelly was waiting for me in the cold. She struggled to descend the few steps from her trailer and I could see what an enormous effort it took," Caron said. "In light of all she's experienced, she is surprisingly upbeat."

Care & Share is one of 13 agencies receiving contributions from The Gazette/El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund. The group distributed 6.1 million pounds of food valued at $9.2 million to 400 southern Colorado nonprofit organizations in the fiscal year ended June 30, up 11 percent from a year earlier.

HOW TO HELP

If you would like to make a taxdeductible contribution to the Empty Stocking Fund, send a check payable to Gazette Charities-Empty Stocking Fund to P.O. Box 400, Colorado Springs 80901.

Donate online at www.gazette.com or www.coloradosprings.com. Credit card donations can be made by phone, 476-1673.

Donations to the Empty Stocking Fund will be accepted until Jan. 25.