A Northwest Arkansas grandmother is sleeping on the porch of her tiny mobile home, after agreeing to adopt her five grandchildren, all under the age of eleven. But her income can't support them.
But now, people across the region are quickly helping these kids, (who are all under the age of eleven) and their grandmother get started as a real family.
It started with one woman, Elm Springs resident Lisa Cabeldue, but now, she says it has become a large community effort, with no limits on age or income. Cabeldue says she heard about the family's plight while visiting a Northwest Arkansas elementary school. She says the grandmother is on social security and food stamps, but wanted her grandchildren to be together in a loving home. "She felt like they had been through so much hardship, with the death of the father, and the incarceration of the mother that it was her mission, her message from god that she needed to take these children in and make a home for them."
Cabeldue says the grandmother willingly adopted the children, but with no income and a tiny mobile home, was struggling to provide. "She has made a space for herself on the front porch, and that's where she sleeps, and with the weather situation and the coming winter, just, when I found out about that it just struck me as an emergency."
Through email, Cabledue says her request for help soon shot through Twitter and other social networking sites. "It has taken off in a way I never could have imagined."
And even in a down economy, she says several businesses are giving a lot. "I think in this economy and the situation people are in now, we all see the need to reach out to one another, even when we are having hard times of our own."
Alex Gonzalez is the manager of Old Navy in Fayetteville. His company is donating $1,000 to the family. "We realized that we really could make a difference in somebody you know? It wasn't just a patch." Now he's pulling in Springdale's Har-Ber High School to help coordinate and fundraise, for this effort. "If we can influence the community to do what we're doing, which is really reach out there to the people in need, then it's worthwhile." One of those volunteers is Har-ber High 11th grader Derek Roetzel. He's helping lead Har-Ber's "East Lab" that helps connect needy people with resources, and he's not letting youth stop him from making a big impact. "We believe that we can help them out, by helping them a little bit they can get back on their feet." And Cabledue says words like that bring her to tears. "That just made me cry. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing." Right now the grandmother is on food stamps and social security, so although family safety concerns keep her from going on camera, officials say she's incredibly grateful for this outpouring of love from Northwest Arkansans.
Volunteers say they're staying connected in this effort through a local non-profit called "The Cobblestone Project."
But now, people across the region are quickly helping these kids, (who are all under the age of eleven) and their grandmother get started as a real family.
It started with one woman, Elm Springs resident Lisa Cabeldue, but now, she says it has become a large community effort, with no limits on age or income. Cabeldue says she heard about the family's plight while visiting a Northwest Arkansas elementary school. She says the grandmother is on social security and food stamps, but wanted her grandchildren to be together in a loving home. "She felt like they had been through so much hardship, with the death of the father, and the incarceration of the mother that it was her mission, her message from god that she needed to take these children in and make a home for them."
Cabeldue says the grandmother willingly adopted the children, but with no income and a tiny mobile home, was struggling to provide. "She has made a space for herself on the front porch, and that's where she sleeps, and with the weather situation and the coming winter, just, when I found out about that it just struck me as an emergency."
Through email, Cabledue says her request for help soon shot through Twitter and other social networking sites. "It has taken off in a way I never could have imagined."
And even in a down economy, she says several businesses are giving a lot. "I think in this economy and the situation people are in now, we all see the need to reach out to one another, even when we are having hard times of our own."
Alex Gonzalez is the manager of Old Navy in Fayetteville. His company is donating $1,000 to the family. "We realized that we really could make a difference in somebody you know? It wasn't just a patch." Now he's pulling in Springdale's Har-Ber High School to help coordinate and fundraise, for this effort. "If we can influence the community to do what we're doing, which is really reach out there to the people in need, then it's worthwhile." One of those volunteers is Har-ber High 11th grader Derek Roetzel. He's helping lead Har-Ber's "East Lab" that helps connect needy people with resources, and he's not letting youth stop him from making a big impact. "We believe that we can help them out, by helping them a little bit they can get back on their feet." And Cabledue says words like that bring her to tears. "That just made me cry. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing." Right now the grandmother is on food stamps and social security, so although family safety concerns keep her from going on camera, officials say she's incredibly grateful for this outpouring of love from Northwest Arkansans.
Volunteers say they're staying connected in this effort through a local non-profit called "The Cobblestone Project."
