A family with a four-year-old daughter battling brain tumor is facing another struggle when the charity they thought would assist them turns them down for a reason the family cannot accept, KRGV reports.
Jolynn Garcia was diagnosed with cancer, and her parents wanted her to get well so badly that they are willing to spend everything they can for her medication. The child has gone through several rounds of chemotherapy until the family was tight financially. Thus, Joe and Evelyn Garcia, Jolynn's parents, decided to seek the assistance of Ronald McDonald House of Houston.
According to Yahoo Parenting, the family revealed that Ronald McDonald House in Houston, Texas offered them assistance in Corpus Christi last February when Jolynn underwent brain surgery, but the same charity is reluctant to extend the same support in Houston, where the child has to go through medication in the next three weeks.
The family was disheartened when they were denied to stay at Ronald McDonald House in Houston, due to Joe's records of misdemeanor six years ago. Joe disclosed, via KRVG, that the institution's decision is irrevocable and they were not up for negotiation.
Joe said that the charity told them their application will not be approved. His multiple misdemeanor crimes include DWI, domestic violence, and assault that happened over a decade ago, Yahoo reports.
Joe admitted that he was aggressive when he was younger and was involved in trouble. However, he said that he is now a grown up man and has not been involved in any trouble. Jolynn's father stressed that he served his probation, faced the punishment for his misbehavior, went to college, got a job and took good care of his children.
He felt bad that her ill daughter has to pay his misdeeds; he said, "It's not about me, It's about her. "
In response to the family's concern, a representative from Ronald McDonald House Charities reached out to Yahoo Parenting and confirmed that they practice a board-approved policy. The representative clearly said that they do not provide service to families whose members have criminal records.
This stand was explained by the charity's spokesperson, Sarah Stanley, who said, "Given the communal living environment and out of an abundance of caution, chapters may elect to do background checks on all families referred for accommodation."
She added," If a background check reveals conviction for assault, crimes against children or family violence, as well as other violent criminal activity, then in the best interest of all families staying in the House the family would be asked to work with their hospital social worker to find other accommodations."
For those who wanted to extend financial support to the family, they have a GoFundMe page created by Jolynn's parents.
