Wouldn’t it be great to have a fairy godmother? To have Whitney Houston (or maybe the new fairy godmother, Billy Porter) suddenly appear with magical solutions to your biggest problems?

Unlike Cinderella, Bright Start client Ellee had problems beyond getting to the royal ball at the palace. When Ellee joined Bright Start, she was 17 weeks pregnant with her first (unexpected) child and single. Her long-time boyfriend had passed away several years prior and during the pandemic her mother died.

“The pandemic made it an especially challenging time to be pregnant and give birth,” wrote Bright Start Nurse Barb Roozen. Ellee’s baby boy arrived in August 2020, so she had little help during recovery and when she brought the baby home.

Problems multiply

“The child’s father wanted to be involved with their son, Noah, but he was often inconsistent,” says Barb. This instability, and issues with childcare, made it difficult for Ellee to work. She and the child’s father ended up in a legal battle to sort out custody; she had to take out a loan to hire a lawyer.

Ellee found a new job with hours that work the childcare center’s open times, but Noah’s father began making additional demands that didn’t fit with her schedule. The situation caused Ellee a great deal of stress and anxiety. The only solution was to again seek legal help, but that meant additional legal fees, which she could not afford.

“Ellee is such a lovely person,” wrote Barb. “She is very kind-hearted and caring. She is a wonderful mother to Noah and always has his best interests at heart. It is very difficult watching all she has had to endure this past year.”

“She is a hard worker and work performance is important to her,” Barb continued.” She is a positive and productive member of society. However, she is in a tough situation with Noah’s father causing anxiety, stress and financial burden.”

Fairy Godmothers bring magical solution

Barb wrote these words on an application for a financial award for Ellee from the Fairy Godmother’s Fund. This is a special fund managed and invested with the South Dakota Community Foundation, earmarked for women in need.

According to a Fairy Godmother’s Fund brochure, “it provides flexible, accessible funds to improve the health and well-being of women with limited resources. Donations directly address immediate, short term and critical needs not met by traditional funding options.”

To Barb’s delight, the Fairy Godmother Fund waved its magic wand and granted the wish! The Fairy Godmother’s Fund board unanimously agreed to help Ellee with $599 to use toward legal fees.

Barb met with Amy (from the Fund's board) at Kenny Anderson Park on the day she had a visit scheduled with Ellee. "Ellee was very surprised, touched and excited!" said Barb. "I am very grateful for the Fairy Godmother program."

Kudos to Barb for advocating on Ellee’s behalf—and to the Fairy Godmother’s Fund for providing magical solutions to big, real-life problems.