Steve (not his real name) was the kind of guy that was doing all the right things, but when he arrived at The Salvation Army Family and Community Services office, things in his life were going all wrong. Steve worked at the same job for the past six years. He and his high school sweetheart married three years ago and had an adorable little 18-month-old boy. They were enjoying life in the rural community of Chatham-Kent, until one month before Christmas.

Their little boy began suffering from seizures. Steve and his wife sought help for him and he was soon admitted to the Children's Hospital in London. They were quickly informed their precious child had an abnormality in his brain. He stayed in hospital for five weeks.

Steve and his wife travelled to London several times a week, taking time off work to attend meetings with doctors. Not only were they overwhelmed by their son's diagnosis, but they faced a number of bills they could not pay.

The morning Steve called The Salvation Army for help he received a disconnection notice for his hydro; his gas bill was far behind and he couldn't see any way of getting it caught up.

'I've never had to ask for help before,' his voice breaking over the phone. Immediately a time was scheduled for him to meet a Family Services worker. He shared his fears about his son, his finances and was desperate to keep things at home as normal as possible.

The Salvation Army assisted Steve with his hydro bill and avoided the disconnection. They also helped with his gas bill, stocked their shelves with groceries that consisted of items they could quickly pack for lunches to take on their London visits.

Two months after Steve's call, The Salvation Army Family and Community Services office received a card from Steve. Their little boy had surgery to have the abnormality removed from his brain. The doctor was optimistic about his prognosis. Below the signatures of Steve and his wife they wrote: 'We don't know what to say. Thank you isn't enough. We will never forget what you did.'

This story has been taken from the case records of The Salvation Army Family and Community Services Chatham-Kent. Although the elements of the story are true, the name has been changed to protect this client's identity.