CASE 10 • At 18, Q is juggling more than most adults could handle. The high school senior lives with his aunt, who has stage 4 colon cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. With medical bills piling up, Q took a job working 12-hour shifts three nights a week. Even with those responsibilities, he has managed to maintain his grades and keep his spot on his school’s football and basketball teams. Both Q and his aunt could use clothing and household items. Assistance with rent and car repairs would take some of the weight off Q’s shoulders.

CASE 11 • Ms. D has always been one to step up to meet the needs of her community — volunteering to help clean a church, working with a nonprofit child care agency and helping to organize an annual fall gathering. Now, Ms. D, 59, is the one who needs a hand. Her apartment and all of her belongings became infested with bed bugs, forcing her to discard everything and move. She continues to work hard and has maintained a positive spirit, but she could use furniture, clothing and household goods to help get back on her feet.

CASE 12 • R is a determined 11-year-old who suffers with a rare genetic condition and other medical issues including seizures, autism, visual impairment, Crohn’s disease and developmental delays. This year, her seizures have been growing stronger and more frequent. R is mostly nonverbal, but uses a few words, facial expressions and body language to convey how she’s feeling. R has a team of therapists and doctors, and her mother, Ms. C, works hard to help her daughter. In order to be with her daughter when she gets sick and to take her to her many appointments, Ms. C works part time. She keeps a careful budget and relatives sometimes pitch in, but money is always tight. On top of that, Ms. C suffered a fractured jaw in an accident and now needs surgery.

Case profiles by Colleen Schrappen, Cathy Hensley and Rachel Rice of the Post-Dispatch.