Help for teens hard to come by at Christmas

TO MAKE TULSA A SAFER CITY...AND GROW OUR ECONOMY.WITH MORE FAMILIES CAUGHT IN AFINANCIAL PINCH IN 2020..PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER NEEDEDHELP BEFORE ARE TURNING TOCHARITIES TO BRIGHTEN THEIRKIDS' CHRISTMAS.BUT, FAMILIES WITH OLDERCHILDREN ARE DISCOVERING ADILEMMA..ONE THAT COULD MAKE FOR A SADHOLIDAY IN AN ALREADY HARD YEAR.ITS TONIGHT'S THE REBOUNDGREEN COUNTRY."I do treatment four hours aday."PLAYING GAMES WITH HER SON ANDNIECE HELPS CATHERINE BLAYLOCKENDURE DIALYSIS TREATMENTS.SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEYDISEASE ABOUT A YEAR AGO... JUSTAFTER SHE AND HER SONS MOVED TOPRYOR.SHE'S PRAYING FOR ATRANSPLANT...BUT IN THE MEANTIME..: "I barely make my bills.

I owemedical bills."THE CHRISTMAS TREE IS UP..

BUTTHERE'S NO MONEY FOR PRESENTSFOR HER TWO TEENAGE SONS."It would be nice to have 'em""I just think they deserve it.Cause they've stood by my side.They don't complain because theydon't have the stuff that otherkids have.

They're really goodkids."13-YEAR-OLD KRISTOPHER WOULDLIKE A FISHING POLE... OR.."One thing that I would reallylike and been wanting for awhile is a dirt bike."BUT WHEN CATHERINE TRIED FINDINGA CHARITY TO HELP HER KIDS SHEQUICKLY DISCOVERED...There's not very many placesthat you can get help that withthe kids ages they have to be12, 11 under, you know .":" It can be very difficult forfamilies with teenagers."2-1-1's CALL CENTER SERVES MORETHAN 30-COUNTIES IN GREENCOUNTRY...CONNECTING THOSE IN NEED WITHRESOURCES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.THIS YEAR, IT'S GETTING CALLSFROM FAMILIES THAT HAVE NEVERNEEDED HELP IN THE PAST...SOME ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN MANYPROGRAMS PROVIDING HOLIDAY HELPREQUIRED A SIGN-UP IN OCTOBER ORNOVEMBER...OR, ONLY PROVIDESHELP FOR KIDS 12 AND UNDER."Toys for Tots does serveteenagers but there is a lack ofresources to some degree forthose that are in that teenage."BUT ASHLIE CUSTER WITH 2-1-1SAYS DOESN'T MEAN HELP ISN'TAVAILABLE.Maybe there are services in thecommunity that can fulfill thoseneeds and we just need to beaware of 'em so we can add them"ASHLIE TELLS US 2-1-1- IS ALWAYSUPDATING ITS DATABASE OFAGENCIES OFFERING RESOURCES --AND THEY CAN EVEN CONNECT THOSEIN NEED WITH INDIVIDUALS ORGROUPS LIKE CHURCHES OR SERVICEORGANIZATION OFFERING ONE TIMEHELP...LIKE PROVIDING GIFTS FOR TEENS.HEAD OVER TO THIS STORY ON OURWEBSITE FOR A LIST OFORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADYPROVIDE HELP...AND HOW