Success Stories

• Support Smyrna partnered with the Square Church and handed out Kroger gift cards with back-to-school supplies for over 100 Smyrna students and families in need. This event occurred during a torrential rainstorm, and it was amazing to see the church members work together with Support Smyrna to deliveries aid to so many families in need.  

• Support Smyrna paid the school lunch balance for a Smyrna student in need.  The family had fallen behind and could not afford to pay off the balance.  They no longer have to worry about this issue because of Support Smyrna assistance. 

•  Support Smyrna helped a local, single mother with 4 children who had recently been displaced from their apartment. Because she was denied after making a deposit on another apartment and did not receive that money back, the family was living in a temporary lodge. The mother also had car repairs which further complicated their financial situation. She contacted the school for Christmas assistance, but all of the community providers had unfortunately closed their request windows. This is where Support Smyrna was able to step in and assist with Christmas for her children, and provide grocery assistance. 

•  Support Smyrna received the opportunity to help a family in need by purchasing noise canceling headphones for an autistic child. This will greatly improve the quality of life for this child and Support Smyrna was glad to help!  (Pictured)  

•  Support Smyrna helped a single mom raising her 1st grade son with little family support. Already working two jobs, the mother was having difficulty making ends meet and needed after-school-program assistance for safe and reliable childcare. Support Smyrna paid for the program for the remainder of the year.   

Support Smyrna was able to help a single mother who could not afford the additional costs for medicine for her asthmatic child, which was resulting in the child missing school every morning when symptoms were noticeable. We provided support for medicine for the remainder of the school to assist this Smyrna family.  

Working with local school social workers, Support Smyrna was able to connect with a Smyrna family who could not afford school clothes for their three elementary school children. Through community partnerships, our organization was able to step up and help fill this need for their family.  

•  Support Smyrna helped a widow raising her 15 year old son pay for his driver’s certification course. The mother shared: “My son has managed to get through my husband/his father’s death, get his grades back on track and begin working towards a mechanics certifications at CITA, and he stays out of trouble. He is a football player, and he also plays golf. He’s a pretty good kid and I try to support him in any way that I can but I have been researching the prices of the driver’s course (30/6 Joshua’s law course & in car instruction) that he would like to take in order to get his license, and we could not afford the cost and continue to pay on things in our everyday living requirements."

• Support Smyrna helped a 6 year old child at Green Acres Elementary who needed to be seen by an eye care provider who specializes in special needs children. The school provided a VSP voucher for the exam but due to the extent of her needs, VSP would not accept the voucher due to the medical coding. The child’s family did not have access to medical insurance and is on a very low income. Support Smyrna paid this obligation for the family.  

•  Support Smyrna assisted the grandmother and legal guardian of 3 Green Acres students. With her limited income, she did not have enough money to provide much Christmas for the children (4th grade granddaughter, 1st grade granddaughter, and 3rd grade grandson). Support Smyrna provided a good Christmas for the children and assisted with groceries. 

• Support Smyrna had the opportunity to help a family with 4 children (ages 15, 7, 6, infant), as well as their father who recently experienced a significant health issue. The heat in their home was not working, and our partner social worker discovered the situation because the kids wanted blankets for Christmas to stay warm. The father does contract work and had been saving income to eventually repair the heat, but living on limited income; they had not been able to afford the repairs. Support Smyrna contacted local builder Joel Powell, who personally visited the site with his contractors. They were able to both install a new furnace (which was no easy task) and also an A/C component for the hot months. Support Smyrna paid for the installation and also provided grocery assistance to the family. This story is heartwarming because through local partnerships, this family received access to heating right before a cold storm. Support from sponsors like this, is what makes our mission possible, and we are grateful to Joel and his team.

• Support Smyrna strives to provide for those who sacrificed so much in service. We were honored to have the opportunity to visit with a veteran named Sam to not only hear his story, but to provide assistance to a Smyrna hero.

• Support Smyrna was able to help five Smyrna Post 160 veterans and their families with needs ranging from food, medication, housing and repairs. We are so glad to help those who have given so much for us.  

• Support Smyrna helped a mother who had recently been approved for an apartment in Smyrna, but needed assistance paying for a short-term hotel as she had to use her funds to hold her apartment, while social workers tried to get her security deposit funds. Support Smyrna paid for the family to stay at a local hotel until she could move into the apartment.  

• Support Smyrna helped a local newly employed dialysis patient who needed financial help to pay past water/sewer bills. The water had been cut off, but Support Smyrna paid the outstanding balance and the water was turned back on. 

•  Support Smyrna helped a single mother of 2 (4 year old and a newborn). She works but makes barely enough for bills. Support Smyrna provided grocery assistance for this family. 

•  Support Smyrna helped a citizen waiting for disability and unemployment checks to stay in her home. Support Smyrna provided rental assistance and she was able to avoid eviction.  

• Support Smyrna helped a single mother of 5 who was on short term disability. She had been on leave from a local elementary school from complications from contracting Covid twice last year. She takes medication for anxiety and depression and had been out of work without pay. Her 5 children attend Smyrna schools. Support Smyrna provided a good Christmas for the children and assisted with groceries, and also helped with rental assistance.  

•  Support Smyrna was contacted by a single mother who had just moved into an apartment from a shelter and who was requesting assistance to get a Christmas tree and decorations, toys, clothes, or shoes for 5-year-old boy and 11-year-old girl.  Support Smyrna provided a good Christmas for the children and assisted with groceries and is in touch with the family to help with future needs to get on their feet. 

•  Support Smyrna helped a citizen who was faced with eviction and needed assistance. She was two months behind on rent after being recently released from the hospital following surgery. Support Smyrna took care of her burden with rental assistance and paid for utilities, and she was able to avoid eviction and remain in her home. 

•  Support Smyrna assisted the grandmother and legal guardian of 3 Green Acres students. With her limited income, she did not have enough money to provide much Christmas for the children (4th grade granddaughter, 1st grade granddaughter, 3rd grade grandson).  Support Smyrna provided a good Christmas for the children and assisted with groceries.