Sandy, a single mom with 3 kids, hopes Lend a Hand can help her get a driver's license

The Patriot Ledger

Editor's note: The following is a profile submitted by Quincy Community Action Programs for The Patriot Ledger's Lend a Hand campaign. The person's name has been changed to protect their privacy.

Sandy, 37, is a hard-working, single mother from Quincy who has three children: Ralph, 10, Charlotte, 8, and Randy, 4, who is enrolled at Quincy Community Action Programs' Head Start program. Her other kids had previously attended. One of her children has developmental disabilities.Sandy has lived in the United States for more than 20 years. Although she originally traveled from El Salvador to help her father and brother, she now has no family in this area. Sandy has partnered with Head Start for many years to help her family and to engage in her children’s education.

Sandy has worked hard to learn English through QCAP's English as a second language classes, and to become a U.S. citizen. She works at a restaurant.

She has received food pantry and fuel assistance, holiday support and other resources.Sandy has never owned a car or had a license. She gets to and from school on foot most days, walking back and forth between Germantown and Quincy Point. When she can, she’ll take an Uber, but the cost is prohibitive.

Sandy always has a smile on her face, despite needing to juggle the schedules of her work and her three children’s schools every day. She is trying to get a driver's permit so she can get a license, but because of financial struggles, she can't afford driver's education classes.

Sandy says she hopes Lend a Hand can help her pay for the classes. Getting her license and working toward car ownership would help help solve her transportation issues and ease the strain on her work schedule.

More: Patricia is recovering from tough times and hopes Lend a Hand can help with back rent

Who does Lend a Hand help?

Donations to Lend a Hand help fund the social services programs and resources for its three partner organizations: the South Shore Community Action Council, Quincy Community Action Programs Inc. and Aspire Health Alliance. Lend a Hand only takes monetary donations, which go to the agencies. We invite you to open your heart and wallet to help your South Shore neighbors.

About Lend a Hand

Lend a Hand, The Patriot Ledger's annual holiday charitable program, began in 1998 and has raised more than $3.3 million for South Shore families and people in need.

How to donate to Lend a Hand

Donating is easy. In the print edition of The Patriot Ledger, look for a coupon to cut out and send with your check or money order. It’s amazing how many people take the time to clip the coupon, fill it out and take it to the post office. It’s very inspiring and the reason why we continue.

There are three ways to give:

  • First, there’s the coupon in the newspaper. Please note the new address (3 Webster Square PMB #467 Marshfield, MA 02050) to send donations to as well as the other instructions on the coupon.

  • You can donate securely online through PayPal. All credit cards are accepted, and you don’t need a PayPal account. Search: Ledger Lend a Hand Foundation.

  • Call our friends at Ansaphone at 617-424-9825 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

If you have questions about The Patriot Ledger's Lend a Hand campaign, email newsroom@patriotledger.com and put "Lend a Hand 2023" in the subject line.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Can you Lend a Hand so Quincy mom can take driver's ed classes?

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