(Child in picture is not the child in this fundraiser)

I have created this fundraiser for a wonderful, loving family who have helped me and many others without hesitation.  Although all 3 of the children in this family have ADHD, one in particular's educational and emotional needs have been systematically neglected by his school for at least 6 years.  Despite having a disability, and being held back one year, the school failed to provide an IEP until this past January! Even with the IEP, his behavior struggles were never addressed according to Federal Laws! Instead, the school engaged in targeted harrassment.  Even worse, as a rising 7th grader, his achievement scores were on the 2nd and 3rd grade levels, yet he was never tested for a learning disability or provided the remediation he needed to catch up to his peers and succeed in school.

Once his parents learned of their Federal Civil Rights, they fought diligently to address the issues. The school refused to help.  Therefore, they had no choice but to attain a lawyer literate in the Special Education field.  The lawyer has helped force the school, and system, to provide the Free Appropriate Public Education and Civil Rights required by Federal law!!! 

The reason I am asking you to help this family is because the cost of the lawyer is devastating to them.  They already live paycheck to paycheck.  The school system would only agree to pay 20% of the fees.  During this, their hot water heater broke and they have been boiling water for baths and dishes for over a month. In order to make the payments to the lawyer, they have been unable to replace the water heater, and don't know when they will be able to, and are losing a car because they cannot make both payments.  The father is working overtime as much as he can, and side jobs during the weekends, and the mother has taken on a second job even though she really needs to be at home with her 3 children after school.  Even with these extra efforts, it will take at least 10 more months to pay the bill in full.  The goal is to raise enough to cover the cost of a hot water heater, and the lawyer fees not covered by the school system who created all of this in the first place. 

Many parents are able to trust that their children are having their educational and emotional needs met while at school.  I am discovering how fortunate children in the CMS system are, compared to many children in rural Appalachia! Please donate any amount you are able to for this family, and show this child there is a kind world who supports his success! Even $8.00 will allow this mother to be home one more hour to support all of her children after school.  

Thank you SO VERY MUCH!!!!!!!

Effie