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LUZERNE — A family with five children is new in town and needs help.
Fred and Victoria Johnson recently moved into a rental unit in the borough. They have no furniture and are in need of clothing and food.
Dee Grilli, property manager for Grilli Realty in Wilkes-Barre, was contacted by the family and helped them find the property on Charles Street.
Grilli’s help has gone far beyond her role as property manager. She has helped the Johnsons begin their search for help and will continue to help them until they can get on their feet.
Grilli said when the Johnsons arrived in town, they paid the first month’s rent plus a security deposit.
“Unbeknownst to me, that was pretty much all they had,” Grilli said.
Grilli said the stark reality of the Johnsons’ situation was evident when she visited them for the first time in their new home. Grilli said the family has no furniture, there was no food in the house and clothing was limited, especially given the cold temperatures of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
Add to that the need to register five kids for school and, once enrolled, the need to make sure they are dressed properly according to the dress code at Wyoming Valley West School District.
The Johnsons children are Marianna, 10; Elijah, 9; Nicolas, 8; Nathaniel and Nathan, 6-year-old twins. Victoria said Marianna and Nicolas have been diagnosed as special needs and the other three children have ADD — Attention Deficit Disorder.
Grilli has helped the family with online registration for school and has purchased food for them. She has also taken them to the Commission on Economic Opportunity for direction on where to get help.
“When I took the groceries to the house, I walked in for the first time,” Grilli said. “It was then I saw that they have nothing and need everything.”
So Grilli mobilized her friends, posting information about the family on the Grilli Realty Facebook page.
“There’s been lots coming in,” Grilli said. “People have offered furniture, food, clothing and even to fix the family car.”
Anyone who wants to help the family may call Grilli at 570-970-2522, to discuss what is needed. Grilli said a bank account is being set up at Luzerne Bank and she is looking into establishing a GoFundMe account.
“They don’t want more than they need,” she said.
Grilli said the Johnsons ended up in Luzerne because they were looking for quality health care for the children and for Victoria, who has been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The 28-year-old mother lived with a foster family in Nescopeck before moving to North Carolina. She met Fred, father of Marianna and the twin boys, in Philadelphia. Fred, 58, has been trained in HVAC and is seeking employment.
“This was a leap of faith,” Victoria said. “We weren’t able to get a lot of help for the children in North Carolina, especially when it came to education. We got tired of all the transfers from school to school there.
“Like any parents, we want to do all we can for our children,” she said. “It’s hard to ask for help. But we don’t want a lot. We want our kids to be happy and comfortable and know that they are loved and supported.”
Grilli said she will screen all inquiries and let people know how they can help.
“Mrs. Johnson asked me for a broom or a vacuum cleaner,” she said.
