Sentinel staff report–
A single mom in Citrus Heights faced with losing her home before Christmas was able to pay her rent in full this weekend, thanks to the help of dozens of residents and strangers.
As a last resort to pay rent and not lose her house, 42-year-old April Koontz held a garage sale on Friday and Saturday, planning to sell most of her belongings while feeling it would still be impossible to raise enough funds.
But after hearing about the yard sale and learning of Koontz’s situation, local residents and total strangers came to her aid over the weekend, many of whom dropped off checks or cash rather than buying items from her yard sale. She said one man paid her for an almost new lawn mower she had purchased in the summer and was selling, but he then turned around and told her to keep the mower as well as the money he had given her for it.
Another man, Ted Wilson, dropped off a new grill and said she could sell it at her yard sale and keep the money from it. “There’s a guy by the name of Jesus, and when you do unto one, it’s like you’re doing it unto Him,” he said while dropping off the gift, referencing a phrase in the Bible from Matthew 25:40 about taking care of those in need.
“I’m shocked, I’m absolutely shocked, and amazed,” Koontz told The Sentinel near the close of her yard sale on Friday. Later that day, she received a personal note from her labor union, along with a check of support.
By Saturday evening, with offers of help still coming in by phone, Koontz said she wanted people to know her needs have been met.
“Nobody needs to donate to me anymore because I’ve already met my goal and I don’t want to take anymore, but thank you so much,” she said in an interview on Saturday, referencing those who had helped her over the past two days. “We’re good now. We’re more than good. We’re going to be okay.”
Looking ahead, she plans to return a donation box to a neighbor who loaned it to her for the yard sale. She also plans to “pay it forward” to help others in need, and is grateful for connections and new friends made with those who had stopped by to help her.
The good deeds of the day were not without controversy, however. Following the publication of a story about the yard sale, The Sentinel was contacted by the stepmother involved who claimed that child support payments were current, while Koontz had said the payments had lapsed.
The stepmother was able to provide documentation for payments made through August, but as of Saturday night said she was still looking for documentation showing any payments were made in September, October or November.
Child Support Services would not confirm any payment information with The Sentinel, as it does not disclose to third parties. However, Koontz provided The Sentinel with evidence that payments had lapsed for three months, with the last child support payment posted on Aug. 2.
As previously reported, Koontz said she fell on hard times after child support payments stopped coming in, her hours dropped at work, and a vehicle break-in left her without enough to pay rent this month.
The Sentinel previously verified that a police report was filed about her vehicle break-in and that she had to be out of the house before Christmas if she couldn’t make rent.