The Suffolk community witnesses over and over again how members of our community come together to help each other.

It happened once again recently after a Suffolk Public Schools bus aide, Faith Holliman, lost everything in a fire at her Carolina Road apartment. She actually learned of the fire while working but was able to hold it together long enough to complete her route and then drive home.

Holliman’s first decision was to trust God. After that, everything fell into place.

Multiple others donated clothing, household goods, furniture, food, money and more. They even loaded and delivered everything to her.

Due to the nature of their jobs, bus drivers and bus aides might be coworkers but don’t see each other all that much, as they’re on their own buses doing their own runs. But many of them still stepped up and helped in the aftermath of Holliman’s fire.

“They’ve been doing this forever,” said Director of Transportation Keba Baldwin, proud of the camaraderie that exists in his department.

Others who helped included students and staff members of Mack Benn Jr. and Creekside elementary schools and neighbors in the Burbage Grant community, who know Holliman due to her work.

Holliman was overwhelmed and humbled by the response from her coworkers and the community.

“When you do right by God, when you’re serving God, He will just blow your mind, and they really blew my mind,” she said.

We couldn’t be more pleased to see this kind of community in the community we serve, and we are so happy to be able to tell good stories like this almost on a daily basis. This, among many other things, makes us proud to be Suffolkians.