After school, 7-year-old Kamaldeen likes to sit and play with his toys, and often, he wants his mom, Adetokunbo, to join him.
“We play with the toys, use the remote to make the car run around the house,” Adetokunbo says. “He’s been so happy and excited about it.”
But things weren’t always so simple. When Kamaldeen was only a few months old, the pair traveled to Adetokunbo’s home country of Nigeria, where doctors found three holes in Kamaldeen’s heart. They returned to the U.S. for his surgery, which was successful.
“My heart[‘s] desire, my wish for him was [to be] okay,” shares Adetokunbo.
Parenting without the support of family brought on significant challenges. That’s when Adetokunbo was referred to DePelchin’s Family Resource Center. DePelchin staff provided a school uniform, shoes, a bed railing, a bicycle and many toys for Kamaldeen.
“He got everything [he needed]…I cried,” Adetokunbo says. “I did not believe he was ever going to get those things.”
Adetokunbo also received free counseling through DePelchin and was connected with a partner agency who helped provide the financial assistance to help pay her electric bill.
“[DePelchin] actually blessed my life,” Adetokunbo shares. “I’m super, super grateful for every single help I receive from there.”