Colorado Family Receives Moving Assistance from Jett Foundation

July 26, 2022

“We moved to Colorado four months ago because my husband got a job with housing on a ranch. Then we were told the ranch was being sold, and we had only a few days to move,” says Gail Neal.

Gail and her husband Shawn have two boys living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Brothers Dusty (9) and Ty (7) are both non-ambulatory. While her husband is at work, Gail is their primary caregiver. Dusty uses a power wheelchair but Ty was recently denied one and has to settle with a manual wheelchair. 

Dusty and Ty love living on the ranch. “One of their favorite things to do is driving in the side-by-side [tractor] and seeing all the cows,” says Gail.

After finding out that the ranch they lived on was being sold, Gail was offered a teaching job in Montana. The job comes with housing, but Gail says, “we spent all our money to get here [Colorado] only four months ago.”

“If we use my husband’s last paycheck to move and cover the first month of rent, we will have no food or gas money until I receive my first paycheck,” she added. 

Gail reached out to Jett Foundation in hopes of receiving rental assistance. “I was like ‘Why would they give us assistance?’ I emailed the foundation asking if they help with moving assistance and they suggested that I apply. It was worth it,” she says.

“Now, I’ll be able to accept the job and my first paycheck won’t be to pay deposits,” Gail says. “Before, we couldn’t move, and had to stay here and hope for the best.”

For this family, moving to Montana means having a roof over their heads. They are happy that Dusty and Ty can receive treatment at Billings Clinic Hospital.

Gail says when her boys were diagnosed with Duchenne, they received treatment every six months for five years with a full clinic and saw 5 doctors every visit.

“We tried to receive care while in Colorado, but Medicaid in the state has to have paperwork before we can even go to an appointment,” says Gail. “At Billings, we are able to be seen as soon as we can and hope to get back on a cycle for every three months.”

To other families who need assistance, Gail says, “Don’t give up, there is hope.”

You can help us to support more families! Donate today or learn more about becoming a sponsor of our direct service programs by emailing maura@jettfoundation.org.

The Emergency Fund is an extension of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund. Established in 2017, Jett Giving Fund has helped transform the lives of many families across the country with over $1.8 million worth of accessible equipment and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, Sarepta Therapeutics, FibroGen, the Flatley Foundation, and the Killian Family.To learn more about the Emergency Fund and to read frequently asked questions related to our Jett Giving Fund program, please read more here.

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