by River Ellis Foundation | Jul 1, 2020 | Sunrise Story, Who We Help
At 22 weeks pregnant, a Newport News mother learned that her baby had Down Syndrome along with heart failure so severe that there was no way he would survive. The mother went on to carry him until 28 weeks and 4 days when she gave birth to her baby boy weighing 1lb...
by River Ellis Foundation | May 5, 2020 | Who We Help
A five-year-old boy ended up in the ICU after he was shot outside of his Portsmouth home. After being recently furloughed due to the COVID-19 crisis, his mother needed help purchasing a cell phone to communicate with family about the child’s condition as only...
by River Ellis Foundation | Apr 7, 2020 | Who We Help
When a Chesapeake mother passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in her sleep, her six year old son went to live with his grandparents. With very limited income, the grandparents required immediate, short-term assistance to cover the costs of caring for their grandson....
by River Ellis Foundation | Feb 5, 2020 | Who We Help
After celebrating their one year anniversary in 2013, a young husband experienced a spinal cord injury resulting in paraplegia. The primary caretaker since the injury occurred, his wife suffered a stroke in December 2019 that left her in the ICU. The husband suddenly...
by River Ellis Foundation | Jan 21, 2020 | Sunrise Story, Who We Help
As a single mother of two young girls, I found myself down on my luck a few months ago. I had just escaped a domestic violence situation that I had been in for years. I had moved to another state and had absolutely nothing, not even a vehicle to get myself and my...
by River Ellis Foundation | Jan 3, 2020 | Who We Help
After being diagnosed with a dangerous pregnancy complication, a Virginia Beach teacher experienced the unthinkable when she suddenly required surgery to terminate her pregnancy due to the threat against her own health. This teacher found herself in the middle of a...
by River Ellis Foundation | Dec 10, 2019 | Who We Help
A mother was forced to flee her home with her two young children due to ongoing domestic violence. Relocating to a new city, the mother and children moved in with her parents so she could save money for rent. Without a vehicle of her own, she required assistance...
by River Ellis Foundation | Nov 4, 2019 | Who We Help
When her daughter began experiencing unexplained medical issues, a Virginia Beach single mother found herself in the midst of unexpected hardship. Over the course of a few weeks, her daughter lost her vision, lost use of her arms and legs, and began having...