THIS MORNING, MEET FOUR TRULY
AMAZING KIDS FINDING A WAY
FORWARD.
>> Reporter: A STAGGERING NUMBER
OF KIDS HAVE LOST A PARENT OR
PRIMARY CAREGIVER TO COVID.
ESTIMATED 200,000 AND GROWING.
MOST ARE UNDER 13.
SOME HAVE A SURVIVING PARENT.
BUT IN MANY FAMILIES, ONLY THE
CHILDREN REMAIN.
>> SOME DAYS I'M PERFECTLY FINE.
AND THEN OTHERS JUST WANT TO
HIDE UNDER A BLANKET.
>> Reporter: 15 YEAR OLD ZOEY
AND HER THREE SIBLINGS LOST
THEIR SINGLE MOTHER IN AUGUST.
JENNY IS 24.
YOU HAVE GONE FROM A BIG SISTER,
TO, WELL DO YOU THINK OF
YOURSELF AS A MOTHER.
>> I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER SAY
THAT.
BUT I'M MORE OF A PARENTAL
FIGURE.
BUT MOM, I DON'T THINKY PUT THAT
ON MY SHOULDERS YET.
>> Reporter: BROTHER TREY IS 20
AND HELPS IN EVERY WAY HE CAN.
CONTRIBUTING HIS FULL-TIME
SALARY WHILE HE GOES TO SCHOOL
AT NIGHT.
>> HOW IS LIFE WITH THREE WOMEN?
>> CERTAINLY NOT EASY.
SOMETIMES YOU NEED A BREAK FROM,
CAN YOU HELP ME DO MY HAIR,
STUFF LIKE THAT.
>> Reporter: IS HE ANY GOOD AT
THAT BY THE WAY?
>> NO.
>> Reporter: BUT IT IS JENNY WHO
PUT HER OWN SCHOOL ON HOLD AND
WORKS AS A DENTAL ASSISTANT AND
SHOULDERS THE GREATEST
RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I KNOW ONE OF THE FIRST
PRIORITIES WAS MAKING SURE YOU
GOT GUARDIANSHIP OF YOUR LITTLE
SISTERS.
>> DEFINITELY.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE
OF LOSING THEM.
>> Reporter: SEPARATED IN THE
FOSTER CARE SYSTEM OR SOMETHING.
>> OH MY GOSH.
I DON'T EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT
THAT.
>> Reporter: HOW ARE THESE TWO
DOING? HAVE THEY BEEN STEPPING UP.
HAVE THEY BEEN STEPPING UP.
>> SHE'S IMPRESSED ME ACTUALLY.
I WASN'T EXPECTING.
>> Reporter: TELL ME WHY.
>> SHE GIVES LIKE A MOTHERRY
VIBE ALL THE TIME NOW.
>> AWE.
>> LIKE SHE'S FILLING IN THAT
LITTLE HOLE OF WANTING A MOTHER
NOW BUT SHE'S LIKE THERE.
SO I'M LIKE THANK YOU.
>> OH MY GOSH.
I NEVER HEARD THAT.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> Reporter: THEIR MOTHER CINDY
DAWKINS WORKED TWO JOBS.
THE KIDS WERE EVERYTHING TO HER.
SIERRA IS ONLY 12 AND STILL
DESPERATELY MISSES HER.
>> I ALWAYS USED TO SLEEP IN HER
ROOM.
>> JU JUST LIKE BEING WITH HER?
SHE MADE YOU FEEL SAFE.
AFTER CINDY'S DEATH, THEY HAD NO
IDEA WHAT TO DO.
SO THEY CALLED A MOM FROM TREY'S
HIGH SCHOOL WHO HELPED THEM IN
THE PAST.
>> I'M LOOKING AT THESE TWO KIDS
WHO ARE LIKE DEER IN HEADLIGHTS
AND ALL THEY SAID WAS WE JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE STAY
TOGETHER.
>> Reporter: THEY STEPPED?
TO HELP PAY THE RENT THE NEXT
SIX MONTHS.
>> SAFETY NET.
>> YEAH.
NOT EASY BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT
WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.
>> Reporter: ANYONE FROM THE
HOSPITAL EVER CALL YOU GUYS AND
SAY HEY YOUR MOTHER DIED, WHAT
CAN WE DO?
>> NO.
>> ANYBODY FROM TOWN?
>> NO.
>> NOBODY.
>> IF IT WASN'T FOR MISS JANIE.
WE WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AT
ALL.
THERE IS NO ONE CALLING AND
SAYING OKAY THIS IS WHAT AGENCY
YOU SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH.
>> WE WERE LIKE, HOW ABOUT FOOD?
I SAID OH MY GOSH, DO THE GIRLS
HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE?
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO TO THE
DOCTORS AND.
SO I MADE A LIST.
>> I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE GO FROM
HERE.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE
FEMA FUNERAL ASSISTANCE.
AND IT STILL SAYS PENDING.
TO THINK THAT TWO YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO NAVIGATE THIS BY
THEMSELVES.
THAT'S -- I'VE BARELY BEEN ABLE
TO NAVIGATE IT.
>> Reporter: SADLY THERE ARE
MANY FAMILIES LIKE THEIRS.
IN MY LINE IT IS A NATIONAL
HEALTH EMERGENCY.
>> DR. CHARLES NELSON WAS AMONG
THE FIRST TO STUDY THESE DEATHS
FROM COVID.
>> IF A CHILD LOST A PARENT,
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO BE THERE RIGHT
AWAY.
THE.
>> AND THERE IS NO SYSTEM FOR
THAT RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
>> THIS LOSS IS OUR LOSS.
THESE CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE IN
POSITIONS OF RESPONSIBILITY
OUGHT TO START ACTING LIKE IT.
>> Reporter: HE CO-CHAIRS A
COALITION THAT'S URGED THE WHITE
HOUSE TO MAKE THESE KIDS A
PRIORITY.
>> THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
THAT ARE GOING UNUTILIZED.
BUT THERE IS SO LITTLE
TRANSPARENCY AND CLARITY ABOUT
HOW TO ACCESS THOSE PROGRAMS
THAT THEY MIGHT AS WELL NOT
EXIST.
>> Reporter: MISS JANIE KNOWS
THAT IS TRUE.
SHE FOUND IT SO HARD TO ACCESS
SERVICES FOR THE KIDS, SHE WAS RELIEVED.
SHE CREATED A GOFUNDME PAGE.
>> THEY NEVER SAY WHY ME.
AND THESE FOUR KIDS GET UP EVERY
DAY WITH WHATEVER CHALLENGE IS
AHEAD OF THEM AND STILL DO IT.
>> Reporter: A TRULY REMARKABLE
FAMILY.
AND AS JENNY SAID TO ME.
EVERY FAMILY NEEDS A MISS JANIE.
AND ONE OTHER THING.
WE REACHED OUT TO FEMA ABOUT
THAT BENEFIT JENNY APPLIED FOR.
AND THEY SAID THEY HAD MADE A
MISTAKE.
THEY APOLOGIZED.
THEY TOLD US THEY ARE SENDING
THE MONEY TO THE FAMILY.
AND AS OF THIS MORNING, THE
COVID COLLABORATIVE IS LAUNCHING
A FIRST OF ITS KIND CLEARING
HOUSE, INCLUDING DIRECT LINKS TO
SERVICES LIKE THAT FEMA BENEFIT.
AND THAT SHOULD HELP.
FOR MORE INFO GO TO OUR WEBSITE
AT TODAY.COM.
>> THE FACT THAT MONEY WAS
SITTING ON THE TABLE THESE
PEOPLE NEED GOING UNUSED WAS
UNBELIEVABLE.
>> IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE HELP
WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING THE
HELP?
>> -- NEED AN ADVOCATE TO HELP
THEM.
>> -- KIDS REMARKABLE.
>> WHAT A FAMILY.
AND MOST OF THESE KIDS ARE UNDER
13.
THEY NEED SOMEONE TO BE THEIR
VOICE.
>> AND YOU STARTED WITH THAT
PIECE WITH 200,000 CHILDREN.
I HAD NO IDEA.
>> AND GROWING.
AND HERE IS THE THING.
WE NOPE THE NUMBER.
WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE THEY ARE.