MACON, Ga. — At S&S Cafeteria in Macon, you'll find Vickie Parker lending a hand to customers every day.
However, beneath her smile are big challenges.
"I'm just exhausted," she admits.
Parker and her three children currently squeeze into a small hotel room as they search for better housing. She's paying about $350 every two weeks.
Their troubles started last December in Abbeville.
A fire tore through their home as they settled into bed on a cold night. Parker recounts the frightening moment her partner woke her, shouting about the fire.
She quickly grabbed her kids, but then realized her partner was missing.
"I said where is your father? They were like he's in the house. And without even thinking or knowing, I just turned around and went back in the house," she said.
Parker was able to safely rescue him, but their home was not so fortunate.
Their house and belongings were destroyed, and for three months they lived with a relative who lived nearby.
Eventually they made their way to Macon and found shelter with the Salvation Army.
Living in the shelter, Parker completed housing applications but hit a road block when she accidentally destroyed her cellphone, losing all her important information.
Car troubles also added to her struggles. Every weekend, she drives back to Abbeville for childcare because options, she said, are limited in Macon. Her '96 Nissan Maxima needs costly repairs, like bald tires and an oil leak.
Despite these challenges, Parker keeps pushing forward, working long hours and sacrificing for her kids. But she admits it's tough.
"It made me feel like all the parenting that I have been doing with them and for them had just went out of the window," she said.
Right now, she needs help with childcare, her car, and finding a home.
"Even with a day off of work, I'm still trying to fill in the gaps, wash clothes, get groceries," she shared.
Despite the hardships, Parker remains optimistic. She smiles, knowing her kids appreciate her sacrifices.
"I'm stressed and I'm tired, but I've been told I have to continue to make sacrifices or everything is going to fall apart," she said.
She holds onto hope that life will turn around for her and her children.