Pam's landlord called her in the hospital, where she spent several weeks recovering from surgery for pancreatic cancer, to tell her she and her teenage son had to be out of their apartment in four days because rent was late.

"She said, ‘I understand you have cancer, but cancer has nothing to do with rent,'" Pam said.

It was the first month Pam was late with rent. She hadn't worked long enough at her new job to qualify for disability and didn't have money for rent.

With no local family, she called several agencies looking for help

"My son told his school guidance counselor that his mom was in the hospital and he was going to be homeless," Pam said.

Only her first name is being used to protect her privacy.

A friend suggested she try Catholic Charities of Colorado Springs, which offers emergency and transition services to people in need, so she called the agency from her hospital bed to tell them her story.

"Within 24 hours, they had found an apartment for us and paid the deposit and first month's rent," Pam said. "They called me that Saturday morning about 7:30 and told me to tell my son they'd be there at 9 a.m. to move us. They moved our whole apartment while I was in the hospital. My son hadn't even met them until they showed up at the door."

Some of Catholic Charities' staff showed up with family to help with the move. They asked Pam's son if there was anything he needed before they left. He said he'd like a haircut but didn't have money for one.

"They came back later and cut his hair and put some money in his pocket for dinner," Pam said.

Catholic Charities is one of 14 area charities receiving grants from The Gazette-El Pomar Empty Stocking Fund. The agency also runs the Marian House Soup Kitchen, which serves up to 600 people each day.

Pam got out of the hospital a few days later and is undergoing chemotherapy and still is not able to work until her doctor gives her the OK.

Catholic Charities has been checking in with her about three times a week, once to ask how she was going to get to chemo treatments - her car was repossessed while she was in the hospital.

"They called me back two hours later and said they were working on getting me a car," Pam said.

"They've been a godsend. I couldn't ask for a better charity to help us."

TO DONATE

Make a secure donation at fillanemptystocking.org. Call 476-1673 to make a credit card or stock donation over the phone. Checks can be made payable to the Empty Stocking Fund and mailed to P.O. Box 400, Colorado Springs, CO 80901.