He walked in carrying two paper bags.
Not toys. Not clothes. Just snacks.
It was an ordinary day at the office, phones ringing, clients waiting, staff moving quickly. And then suddenly, there he was. Three years old. Alone.
While we called the authorities, one of our staff members sat with him on the floor. Then another joined. Before long, they were playing tag through the office, small footsteps weaving around desks, a child’s laughter echoing where case files and quiet conversations usually fill the space.
For a moment, the office adjusted around him.
For a moment, he was just a little boy playing.
But every so often, he would stop.
“Susan?” he asked, like a question.
Then again, a little louder, “Susan?”
Waiting.
There was a fear there, quiet but unmistakable.
We don’t know who Susan is.
We don’t know what led to that moment.
We don’t know what had to be true in someone’s life for leaving him at our door to feel like the only option.
As we walked Eric out to the car that had come for him from CPS, he gripped the paper bags, one in each hand, holding on tightly, the crinkle of the bags loud in the quiet.
On the way out, he kept asking for Susan.
Eric made it to us. He was seen. He was safe.
He almost didn’t.
But how many other children never walk through our doors?
In Houston, the pressure on families is real and growing.
- Rent continues to rise faster than wages, and evictions are rising in our community.
- Evictions disrupt schooling, stability, and long-term outcomes for children and families.
- Childcare is out of reach for many.
- Families double up, stretch meals, work long hours, and still come up short.
At ECHOS, we see thousands of families each year, many already one paycheck away from crisis.
For some children, food isn’t just something waiting at home.
It’s something you carry with you, just in case.
Some call out for someone who isn’t coming back.
Some never make it to a place where someone is there to answer.
After Eric left, the office was quieter.
Not the usual end-of-day quiet, but something heavier.
We were unsettled. Emotional.
And eventually, we all just went home.
We never know what a day will bring.
But for too many families, it brings choices no one should have to make.
And that’s why this work matters.
Please stand with families who need a place to turn.
With Gratitude,
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Name and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy.
