Community helping woman clean yard to save family

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A Cherokee County widow and mother of three may lose her children if she doesn't fix up her home.
 
Heaps of garbage litter the yard of the trailer, which is home to Kim Williams and her three kids.
 
Williams said her problems started when her husband died eight years ago. Her two part-time jobs aren't enough to keep up.
 
Last week, animal control and the police came to the home to handle a complaint about the family's eight dogs. When they saw the mess, they called the Department of Family and Children Services.
 
"He was like, 'This place ain't fit for a dog to live,'" Williams said. "He told me that if I didn't get everything fixed up he would see personally that he would go to the judge and take my kids."
 
DFCS sent her daughter and youngest son, who has Down syndrome to live with Williams' mother. She's been told she may lose custody.
 
Williams said the garbage had been scattered across the property because she said she simply didn't have money to collect the garbage.
 
"That rats come in because of the trash outside," Williams said.
 
Williams has one more week to make repairs. The community and church groups are stepping in to help making some quick fixes to buy time.
 
"It was rotten. We had to put new floors down because some of it was rotten and we had to put in new sheet rock because most of it was rotten," Williams said.
 
Williams knows she will need to do more to convince DFCS she should keep her kids.
 
"I need it to be 10 times better for my kids," Williams said.
 
Volunteers are stepping into help but it will take a lot of them, and plenty of money.

“They've lost hope and due to everything they've gone through. They really need a break, just a second chance and that’s what we're here for,” said volunteer Amanda Beckman. "The family is trying. They are working night and day, the mom is not living off the state she works. This is not a family that's just waiting sitting for somebody to save them."

Volunteers are hoping they could get a new trailer donated or maybe even down the road a Habitat for Humanity home.

“We really want to give the family the opportunity to rebuild their lives,” Beckman said.

You can help by emailing the family at Thepeachprojectgeorgia@gmail.com or joining their Facebook group here.

WSBTV