Nagaveni and Ravikumar were a married couple who were diligently raising two sons. The eldest is Bharath who studies in eighth grade and his younger brother Revanth studies a grade below him. Both of their parents were hard-working people, often doing manual labor jobs to get by. Up until a few years ago, the family was able to get by even with minimal income. They were putting food on the table, and the boys were fortunately able to get an education. However, Ravikumar, their father, developed another relationship and eventually left his family to go and live with the other woman.
As a result, Nagaveni not only lost her husband and was dealing with the pain of a broken relationship, but she became the sole care-giver and provider for her two growing boys. She had to come up with a solution to paying all the bills on her own, putting food on the table, and making sure her children could continue to pursue their education. This left the family devastated and the boys grappled with the fact that their father no longer wanted to be part of their family. They not only lost their main provider of income and stability, but they also lost the emotional connection and love they once felt from their dad.
Nagaveni had to start a new job working as a housekeeper in order to make ends meet, which left her less available to be a mom to her boys. Since Nagaveni worked at houses from the early morning until late in the evening, it was not feasible for her to get back home and feed the boys in the afternoon after they were finished with school. She wished desperately that someone could come alongside her and help her with just being a safe person for her sons to be around. With their dad out of the picture, it became even more necessary for them to have father figures in their life, and even mother figures since Nagaveni was working so many late hours.
Thankfully, the boys had been regularly attending a feeding program at one of The Hope Venture’s local feeding centers where they could play, eat, and learn computer skills. The Hope Venture provided relief for Nagaveni and for the boys, allowing them to eat an afternoon meal and continue their education even after school was out for the day. The boys are now under the supervision of trusted adults at the feeding center, so they are able to feel safe and learn while their mom works. Even though their family is still in the process of being rebuilt, and their financial burden is not completely alleviated, the people at the feeding center are able to provide a meal and a presence. And most of the time, that’s really what people need.