COVINGTON, Ky. -- Veronica Goodloe never imagined she'd be homeless.
She worked her whole life, spending more than 20 years as a fast-food manager. Then her daughter got sick.
Jameera, 6, had heart problems, and Goodloe had to miss work to take care of her. She lost her job and ended up, for a while, in the Salvation Army's homeless shelter.
But things are looking up for Goodloe: The Salvation Army helped her find subsidized housing. It was unfurnished, and Goodloe didn't have a sofa, a table or even beds to put in her new home: Before she went into the shelter, she'd placed all her items in a storage locker.
When she couldn't pay the bill, it all got auctioned off.
"It was tough, tough," she said. "I always had the means to get a car, to have housing. I worked for 23 years, so to lose everything, it was devastating."
The Salvation Army is one of the organizations benefiting from Holiday Toy Team 9. Click here to find out when and where you can donate.
Her daughter, Goodloe said, has given her strength to get back on her feet.
"My little girl is my motivation," she said.
Sometimes, a stranger steps up with a helping hand, too. Bruce Evans heard from 9 On Your Side that Goodloe needed furniture.
"Well, we've got a couple of things -- a table, four chairs and a quilt," he said.
It's more than just a place for a mother and daughter to eat dinner, and dishes to eat it on; for Goodloe, it's a promise of a better tomorrow.
To support the Salvation Army's work in helping people like Goodloe and her daughter, visit www.salvationarmycincinnati.org or call 513-762-5600.
