By Tricia Pursell
SUNBURY — Newly married and raising a baby girl is a lot for anyone to handle.
In addition to that, Matthew, 18, and Ayla Stoner, 19, live in public housing and struggle to meet their bills with the government assistance they receive each month.
They have been married for eight months, and are desperately looking for work.
“It’s tough with the economy,” Ayla said. “Nothing’s been working out. No one calls back.”
“I’m looking for work all over the place,” Matthew added.
He said he goes to the CareerLink each day, searching for any employment opportunities.
Most of the places where he has applied for a job are out of town, he said, but he has no transportation.
“I’m willing to relocate if I had to,” he said, “just to have work. I want to give my daughter what she needs all the time. That’s my main concern — my daughter.”
Their daughter, Majickal, is 4 months old.
They said it was important to them to give her a good first Christmas, so they sought help from the Salvation Army.
“With no income, I wouldn’t be able to have a Christmas for my daughter,” Ayla said, “so I turned to them, and they helped out. I am just really thankful.”
The Salvation Army will provide them with a food basket for Christmas dinner and toys for Majickal.
Recent donations were as follows: William and Nancy Renn, Sunbury, $100; Brian and Jennifer Fritz, Winfield, $100; John and Susan Sidler, Shamokin Dam, $150; Sunbury Kiwanis Foundation, Sunbury, $100; Glenn and Mary Miller, Lewisburg, $1,500; Bette Bodmer, Shamokin Dam, $250; Pastor Ted’s Sunday School Class at Sharon Lutheran Church, Selinsgrove, $100; anonymous donations, $100; total, $28,445.
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Needy Family Fund
Donations go to buy food, clothing and gifts for the less fortunate in the Valley. Contributions are tax-deductible. The fund is sponsored by The Daily Item, Sunbury Broadcasting Corp. and Susquehanna Bank. Contributions may be taken to any Susquehanna Bank office or mailed to:
Needy Family Fund
Susquehanna Bank
400 Market St.
Sunbury, PA 17801
2009 goal: $75,000
