Unemployed Father Takes In Homeless Family For Christmas
Posted: 12-22-10 05:01 PM
Earlier this month, Gregory Schauer, 50, says he looked around his large, one-bedroom apartment in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and realized that he was barely using his master bedroom. Since he slept on the couch most nights anyway, he decided the best thing he could do with all of his extra space would be to invite in a homeless family for the holidays.
"I wanted to help someone else out by at least providing them a roof for shelter and a Christmas tree," he told HuffPost. "I can just barely cover all my bills, but I know there are people who are worse off than I am right now."
Schauer, who has been collecting unemployment checks since he was laid off from his engineering job in late July, posted an ad on Craigslist offering up his empty bedroom to a needy family. He would take care of rent and utilities, he promised, as long as they could afford to feed themselves. A homeless woman with three young children responded to the ad.
"I took in a mother and her three kids who were living at a shelter," he said. "It's a very nice, cozy apartment where they don't have to worry about bills or going from shelter to shelter. At least I can give them that."
Schauer said his new tenant works at Anthony Wayne Services Foundation, an organization that helps disabled people be more independent, and is on food stamps to supplement her modest income and feed her children. All Schauer does, he says, is keep a roof over their heads.
"I try to give them their space," he said.
Meanwhile, Schauer has five children of his own, all of whom live with their mother. He has been scouring Craigslist for extra work this holiday season to be able to afford presents for them.
"I am unemployed but I want to be able to give my kids a Christmas," he wrote in a Craigslist ad. "I'm very educated and also very handy. Will do just about anything for Christmas money so I can get my kids some presents to open on Christmas morning."
Schauer said he has received no replies to this ad so far, and since he has been paying 50 percent of his unemployment checks to child support, the prospects of buying presents for his kids this year look grim. But despite a disappointing job search, he said he still feels "blessed" to be able to provide Christmas shelter to one other family.
"If it inspires anyone else to open their doors or their hearts to help anyone out, it was all worth it," he said.
Comments section
stoves48
11 hours ago (10:36 AM)
For all of you cold hearted skeptics out there who thought this was a stunt, I wrote to the author to see if I could send this guy some cash and this was the response that was sent from Greg Schauer,
"Please let them know that the best thing they can do is pass it on so to speak. Instead of sending me anything, call a shelter, sponsor a family for Christmas, give to the food pantries, spread the spirit of Christmas to as many people as they can. This would be Truly wonderful. God Bless everyone who wrote such nice things. To me you are wonderful people. The warmth and love in my heart for others has never been greater."
What a fantastic person this guy is. I aspire to be so generous in action and in spirit.
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2 comments:
First he has 9 children not 5. I am his eldest daughter one of the 4 not mentioned in this article. I am 28 years old and my father has already ruined me once financially. I find it disgusting that all of you people on here will take something written with gross negligence as being matter of fact. He is a con man, a liar, and a deadbeat dad. If he wants to do charity, he should first take care of the children he brought into this world and be a real man. He is not a hero, he is not a compassionate human being. If he were, he would have the respect of his family, all of his family, especially his kids. He does not. We kids are supposed to grow up in a loving, nurturing environment, we are supposed to love our parents unconditionally. This man has committed so many wrongs and has been given so many chances, that it is impossible for us to even stomach the things that have been written about him in this article. I was 22 when I left home to start my own life, the only thing my father ever did for me was use my credit cards, max them out, refuse to pay, and lead me to a path of bankruptcy. I am now 28 years old, finishing my Masters. I am not stupid or naive to the damage he is committing to my younger siblings, the youngest being only 7. Please reconsider everything you have written.
I am the ex of this story and there are 9 kids, not 5 children like he states. There are 6 kids he owes over $6,000 child support for at home, 3 of which have some disabilities. He is not a hero, he is a liar who destroyed his family by his selfishness and self serving attitude. He has never put anyone but himself first ever and his children most of all have suffered. The Huffington Post failed to investigate t his story and is now reviewing legal and court records. So before you go praising this man realize there is a whole other side of the story, one that Greg most certainly does not want told.
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