A Young Mom Walked Into My Office Today...

So a young mom walked into my office today. It is not my job to ask people up front how old they are so of course I didn't. She looked to be between 18-20. She had such a look of desperation in her face... and a look of hope... almost a pleading in her eyes. She asked about my book posted in the window. I told her about about it and then asked her to tell me what's going on. She started to cry but tried so much to hold back the tears. She wasn't here for sympathy or for a shouldere to cry on, she was here for information and maybe someone to give her some relief from her hopelessness.
She told me that her baby is 8months old and that she has been receiving food stamps for about 10 months now. The baby's daddy does not pay support and pretty much has dropped out of the picture. He used to work as a stock boy at a groocery store but does not work there anymore and she does not know where to find him. Welfare is not helping. They told her to find him and then they would go after him. (Uh...isn't that supposed to be their job??)
I did my best to console this young woman who did not want to be consoled (but welcomed it), she just wants help.
So what to do for her??? My new book is set for a street and ship release date of Oct 1. I told her to come back next week and that I would sell her a book and the book should help a lot. I told her about our other services which I know she cannot afford and told her that we are waiting on some news on a grant which would possible allow me to service her depending on where she lives. (Whew! I found that she does live within the service area). What if this particular grant does not come? What if it does not come in time for her? She needs help now. What if this $19.98 book that I will sell to her is $19.98 that she needs to buy pampers? What if, what if, what if....
I sit here this afternoon thinking about this young woman and her baby and wondering where daddy was this morning when she was crying in my office in front of a woman she doesn't know at all.