This is one of a series of stories about the nonprofit agencies that receive money from The Gazette/El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund campaign that runs through the holidays.

Debbie Akers is convinced that without assistance from Tri-Lakes Cares, she and her three children would likely be on out on the street.

“They’ve been there for us,” she said. “They’ve helped pull me out. I have three special needs kids and I’m also in school. They’ve helped with school supplies for me and the kids, with food, with Christmas gifts for the kids. I’m not a low-life, but I couldn’t do it without their help.”

Tri-Lakes Cares offers a range of assistance to families, the mentally and physically disabled and the jobless. It operates a free medical clinic and provides referrals for those in need of acute, physical and mental health services.

Akers is working toward a degree in special education while managing a part-time job working with autistic children in pre-school and being a single parent. Her family has been living in a hotel while looking for long-term housing. Because of her job she doesn’t qualify for many of the low-income housing programs.

“I’m in a catch-22 situation,” she explained. “I make too much for the housing, but not enough to get by on our own.”

She is confident, however, that she has found a place with a six-month lease beginning in December.

“We had been in the same place for four years,” she said. “Then there were some issues with the landlord. Now I’m fighting to get my deposit back.”

Akers adopted her children, ages 13, 10 and 10 (the two are six months apart), after she and her husband divorced several years ago. All three have special needs, mostly related to health concerns.

“My kids come first,” she said. “They’re really good kids and we’re all in this together. Still, I’m tired. I know that without Tri-Lakes we wouldn’t be doing as well as we are.”