Guest Commentary | Turning summer into a season of connection
When most families think of summer, they picture pool days, vacations and kids playing outside in the sun. But for many families across the country this year, summer did not feel like a break — it felt like a breakdown.
For parents, school offers much-needed structure. It helps children stay on a routine, get enough sleep, finish their homework and still have time to play. For some, it is the one place their child receives a consistent meal. All of that stability disappeared the moment the last school bell rang.
Support during the summer was especially hard to come by for single mothers, struggling parents and families already in crisis. What should have been a season of joy turned into a time of overwhelming need and deep isolation.
As the CEO of Better Together, I see this reality every day in the families we serve. Moms working multiple jobs still cannot meet their children’s basic needs. Grandparents are stepping in to raise grandchildren. Fathers feel ashamed to ask for help. I have four children of my own, but over the years, our family has opened our home to host 25 children while their parents worked to get back on their feet.
We were never meant to do life alone. As humans, we’re wired for community, not isolation. If you’ve been blessed with strong relationships and a supportive village, we encourage you to consider widening your family circle. There are parents out there who have no one. You can be the safety net — a steady, healthy lifeline — for moms and dads who are on the verge of losing hope.
It’s easy to feel empathy for what others are going through, but what our community truly needs is action driven by compassion. Strong families build strong communities, and we can’t have strong families when parents are isolated and lack the relationships and tools they need to thrive. Parents are the change agents. If we can help them help themselves, everyone wins.
Thanks to the generosity of volunteers who said yes and chose to live with purpose, we’ve helped strengthen the lives of over 12,000 children. Ninety-eight percent of those families remain together, without the state stepping in. Because of people like you, children were spared the trauma of separation, families stayed intact and our community is stronger because of it.
You might be reading this and wondering how you can help. Whether you are a snowbird, retired, single or a busy parent, there is a role for everyone, big or small.
You can prepare a meal or take just an hour out of your week to drop off essential items for children entering temporary care, many of whom arrive with very little. You can help someone find a job or mentor a parent who simply needs a coach. You can even open your home to host children for a short time, serving together as a family and teaching your own children empathy and compassion while giving parents the gift of time to get back on their feet.
These are parents who may be homeless, living in their cars, working hard to save money and secure stable housing. Some need medical treatment but cannot seek it without a safe place for their children. Others just need a day for job interviews to build a better future for their families.
Sometimes it is just one day. Sometimes it is 41, which is our average. That is all it takes to set a family on a stronger path.
If you are reading this and feeling isolated or overwhelmed, know this: You are not alone. Reach out. Ask for help. We are here to walk alongside you, connect you with a caring volunteer family and guide you to the resources you need to move forward.
Better Together exists to strengthen families, not to judge, but to help them flourish with the support of a community that cares.
Learn more about Better Together and how you can get involved or receive support or call 239-470-2733.
Megan Rose is the CEO of Better Together, a nonprofit organization that helps parents in crisis address the root causes of their struggle, find work, and keep their children out of foster care. Learn more about Better Together.
To reach MEGAN ROSE, please email news@breezenewspapers.com