Hoarding Grandmother Receives Help from Volunteers

Barbara Smith has been the sole caregiver for her two granddaughters for years, but their behavior was becoming too much for her to handle. 

Their behavior problems in the classroom prompted the girls’ school to call Boys Town Central Florida. When Family Consultant Erica Vagle made a visit to the Smith home to start In-Home Family Services, she was shocked to find piles and piles of things throughout the home – a very unsafe living environment.  

Barbara had struggled for years with hoarding and was told by local Child Protection officials that if she didn’t clean-up she was in danger of losing custody of her grandchildren. Emotionally overwhelmed and physically disabled, Barbara felt completely hopeless to do what was necessary to keep her granddaughters. Boys Town Central Florida stepped in to help.

“It was clear that the conditions of the home and the grandmother’s helplessness were only escalating the youth’s behaviors,” said Bethany Lacey, Boys Town Central Florida Assistant Coordinator. “Going in and helping the family clean-up was needed in order for care to take place and for change to take place.”

Lacey put together a team of several Boys Town Central Florida staff to facilitate a massive clean-up effort to help the Smith family. Barbara wept throughout the entire process as Boys Town staff provided empathy and encouraged her to keep going. Throughout the entire day, staff kept gently reminding Barbara the real reason she was doing this – to save her family. Eight hours of back-breaking work and over 200 large garbage bags later, major progress in cleaning up the home was made.

Barbara was able to maintain custody of her granddaughters and could not thank Boys Town Central Florida staff enough for their help. “I knew this was going to be hard,” said Barbara. “But when Boys Town said they would come out to help, I knew this was the answer to my prayers.”

*Names have been changed to protect confidentiality.