‘Prayer keeps me going:’ Unemployed Kissimmee woman with $20 to her name raises grandson on food stamps

Single grandmother who lost hotel service job March 30 still has no jobless benefits

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – With just $20 in her bank account, Lupe Zavala is starting to feel the pressure of being unemployed in the COVID-19 economy.

“I’ve never been through this,” Zavala told News 6 Wednesday. "I would at least like to get back to work, that’s my biggest challenge.”

Zavala and her 15- year-old grandson, Matthew, have been surviving on food stamps and a Kissimmee landlord’s kindness.

Zavala said her landlord is willing to give her extra time to pay the rent.

Her grandson turns 16 next month and wants to get a job to help her make ends meet.

“I’m his grandma but he calls me mom,” she said. “I’ve always taught him our needs are first, our wants are last.”

Zavala has raised Matthew since he was a toddler and is driven to keep a roof over his head.

She lost her house keeping job with Star Island Resort in Kissimmee on March 30 due to the coronavirus pandemic and at this point, has not been able to get through on the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s website.

“I’m up early to call," she said. “I only get the machine (voice recording). It’s in process, it’s in review. Prayer keeps me going.”

Zavala said she is hopeful this entire coronavirus chapter ends soon, begging the question everyone is asking: When do we reopen the economy?

Congressman Darren Soto said he wants testing and tracking before the economy is given a reboot.

“This has to be done by science,” Soto said. “If we reopen and we’re not ready, we’re going to get back from where we started from and we’re going to have to do this all over.”

If you want to help families struggling during the COVID-19 economic downturn, email Mike Holfeld at mholfeld@wkmg.com.


About the Author:

News 6’s Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter Mike Holfeld has made Central Florida history with major investigations that have led to new policies, legislative proposals and even -- state and national laws. If you have an issue or story idea, call Mike's office at 407-521-1322.

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