ROGERS, Ark. — Katrina King is a mother of eight raising her kids on her own after her husband unexpectedly died of a heart attack and stroke last October.
On a single income, King was struggling, but the community of 5COUNTRY took notice.
The United Soccer League (USL) started a GoFundMe for the family and that's how locals John and Susan Bakker heard of King's story.
"I was watching your channel on the noon news, and when I heard her story, I started crying. I'm crying now. My heart just went out to her, and I just knew I had to help her," Susan said.
"We just like helping people. We've been very blessed in our lives, and we feel that it's very appropriate to help others that are in need," John added.
USL and the Bakkers have given the King family a housewarming they'll never forget: a U-Haul truck full of furniture to go into their brand-new home.
The Bakkers say they use a warehouse to store furniture, mattresses, and more to donate to those in need.
"It feels amazing to know that we're no longer sleeping on the floor, or on a little bitty couch. So that's a great blessing to know that my kids will get a bed for Christmas," King said.
Not only was the family blessed with the furniture, Chris Martinovic, cofounder of USL Northwest Arkansas, was able to give the King family a gift from the entire community.
"We are now able to supply the family with $5,000, which is just amazing. Especially thinking we're right about two days before Christmas. To be able to do that is a great feeling for all of us. All we did was get the story out, and the community jumped behind it. So it's just an amazing credit to Northwest Arkansas," Martinovic said.
Centro Cristiano Church volunteers came out to move all of the furniture from the Bakker's warehouse and into the new home.
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