Mary "Sandra" Sugden and her husband, Joe, have always donated to the Rhea County United Way each month. Little did they know that someday they would need help from the United Way, and the Neediest Cases Fund, themselves.
Sugden and her husband, who live in Dayton, Tennessee, have been married for six years and have a blended family of six children, with most of them grown and one still at home.
Joe works at Suburban Manufacturing in Dayton, a factory job that requires him to use his hands. Because of gout, which led to amputation of a finger, he was out of work for a while.
"My husband is the breadwinner and he was out of work. We just thought that we should try and ask," Sugden said.
Photo by Rebecca Hazen / Mary "Sandra" Sugden, left, is shown with Christine Ralph, executive director at Rhea County United Way. Ralph helped Sugden pay her electric bill through the Neediest Cases Fund.
Her husband did eventually return to work, but the electric bill was due and they needed help making the payment of $434.99.
Christine Ralph, executive director of the Rhea County United Way, has worked closely with the United Way of Greater Chattanooga and was aware of the Neediest Cases Fund.
"In Rhea County, our funding is so limited. What we are finding is that more people are coming through our doors with these one-time emergencies. I don't know if we could have helped without Neediest Cases," Ralph said.
The Neediest Cases Fund was started in 1914 by Adolph Ochs, founder of the New York Times, and the Chattanooga Times.
The fund is meant to help area citizens with one-time donations to get them back on their feet. The United Way of Greater Chattanooga manages the fund.
"We are very thankful that they were able to help us. I can't even say how thankful we were. They were truly a godsend," Sugden said.
Ralph noted that, along with the two United Way agencies working together, the city of Dayton also helped out the Sugdens by giving them a couple of days of grace to get the bill paid.
"It was a whole bunch of people working together," Ralph said. "It's a blessing to be able to help when it's needed."
Both Sugden and Ralph said they enjoy each other's friendship now.
Sugden said she and her husband plan on paying it forward by continuing their donations to the Rhea County United Way, and she hopes to start volunteering for the nonprofit in the future.
"Before I knew Joe was giving, I was the one budgeting money. I said, 'What? You give that much?' At first, I thought we were giving too much. Well, open mouth, insert foot," she laughed.
Ralph added, "We find that those who need us the most are the ones who will give, because they know how the money helps."
Donations are being accepted through December for the Neediest Cases Fund and can be made online at timesfreepress.com/ neediestcases.
Contact Rebecca Hazen at news@timesfreepress.com.