Gonzales family cries out for help

A Gonzales mother of nine is pleading to the public for financial assistance. Pearl Cambridge, 43, said her children are in desperate need of clothes and food. Their ages range between seven to 28 years. “We do not even have a bed or mattress to sleep on,” Cambridge said. “We just lie on the ground, that is how bad things are.” She explained that since she does not have a job, she has to depend solely on her common-law husband’s pension.

“I want to work, but I am above the age limit for most of the jobs that I see being offered,” she said. Cambridge added that two of her children who are over 18 years also want to work, but they neither have clothes to go to an interview nor money to make them. One of her daughters, she said, is also very ill and after months of going to the hospital, the doctors still cannot detect the problem. “Everyday she is complaining about pain all over her body, but I do not have money to take her to a private doctor,” the distraught mother said. Cambridge said that on numerous occasions she has gone into the Social Services Department but claims she is always told that they have no records of her coming in on previous occasions. She added that any financial help that she gets from the public goes to sending her children to school and there is hardly any left over to buy food.

“I am not asking, I am begging for someone to assist us in getting clothes, food and even a bed for the children to sleep on,” the tearful mother pleaded. Cambridge expressed her reluctance to publicise her plight because of her fear of her children being victimised at school. She added, however, that “going public” seems to be the only alternative she has now. Persons who wish to contribute clothes, foodstuff or money to the Cambridge family can contact Pearl Cambridge at 627-6365.