Our names are Debbie and Tom Wencel. Eight years ago, our daughter Jaime passed away shortly after giving birth to her fifth child, Nina. Jaime was unwed, and the father of the children did not have the capability or desire to raise five children; as a result, his parental rights were terminated. We took in all five children immediately after Nina’s birth.

After a grueling and brutal four-year Juvenile Court battle, we adopted all five children—Cara, Paige, Jenna, Cayden, and Nina. In our mid-60s and retired, living on a fixed income, we found ourselves starting all over again. Today, the children are thriving in a Christian-based, stable, family-structured home environment. They are actively involved in church activities, sports programs, and school clubs, while also volunteering in the community.

For the past four years, our family has been diligently working on a second-floor addition to our existing two-bedroom home to create adequate space for our children to grow and to give them the future they deserve. “THE WENCEL FAMILY HOME ADDITION PROJECT,” as it has come to be known, has come a long way. We have been truly blessed with the help of our church, union construction workers, family, friends, and our entire community. The project is now nearing completion.

However, as retirees on a fixed income, we have exhausted all of our savings, and due to the cost of the children’s education—the education Jaime always wanted them to have—our project is temporarily at a standstill. We are hoping to resume work immediately after the holidays. We are in need of assistance with finish trim carpentry, painting, and ceramic tile work.

Caring members of the community have established a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity called “Jaime’s Kids.”

For more information or questions contact TOM at 313-598-5182  /  jaimes5kids@gmail.com