Hope for the holidays

Dec 22, 2020

As a single mom of two boys with special needs, Tameka Goclowski knows what it means to be a full-time mom, caregiver and teacher. 

“My oldest son is blind and autistic and my younger son is autistic, and with being home and home schooling, both of them need my support.”

Strapped by their circumstances this year, Goclowski said Christmas decorations and gifts just felt out of reach. So when she saw a story on the news about Lowe’s giving away $1 million worth of Christmas trees this holiday season, she knew she had to ask. She sent a message to a Lowe’s associate, asking if her family would qualify for one of the donated trees. 

“She responded back very quickly and let me know that those Christmas trees were spoken for and they were already all gone,” Goclowski said. “But she told me she’ll keep my contact information for anything further.” 

Goclowsi thanked her for looking into it and never gave it another thought. 

Until…

“I get another email and she said, ‘I did some more digging and I was able to get your Christmas tree.’ Then it turned into more and more and it was just an amazing blessing!”

Lowe’s reached out to Goclowski’s local store in Worcester, Massachusetts to see if they could help coordinate the donation and delivery of one additional tree. The store leadership team didn’t hesitate.

“I said, you know we could [give] a tree, but not just a tree. We’d like to give some decorations for the tree and then a couple of gifts for the kids and something for Tameka herself, just to try to help out,” said store manager Sean Brady. 

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Much to Goclowski’s surprise, Lowe’s associates showed up at her home with a new Christmas tree, decorations, stuffed animals for her boys, an air fryer for her along with a gift card. 

“I definitely wasn’t expecting that,” Goclowski said. “This is amazing. I’m surprised and thankful.”

And, she wasn’t the only one. 

“My son loves the tree,” she laughed. “He keeps walking up to it, feels it and is like ‘wow, that’s a beautiful tree. Look how big it is!’ And my younger son, he likes to turn the tree on using the button on the bottom.”