The boy in the story helped his family in the Great Depression by selling newspapers with his friend Jacob.  
In the story it says the boy got home and searched the basement for anything with wheels. The boy only found boxes and a torn suitcase.  Just before the boy went back upstairs he saw Mrs. Johnson pushing her baby carriage. “Can I borrow that?”the boy asked.  Mrs. Johnson asked the boy, “Why? You don’t have a baby.” The boy told her about the newspapers. “I suppose so”, Mrs. Johnson said thinking, but this will have to be a business arrangement with my carriage.  You will make more money. I should make some too. Mrs. Johnson offered to rent the carriage 10 cents an afternoon. The boy agreed. The author wants me to know that the boy is doing everything he can to help his family.
In the story it says the boy saw his dad selling apples like the others, but he did not tell his mother. I think the author is telling me that the boy his trying to keep his family together. 
Lastly, in the story it says the boy knew he and his dad were a team too. They were both working together to get the family through hard times. 
This shows that the boy did help his family through hard times.
 This reminds me of when I sold candy for my school to help get things fixed the bathrooms and everything else just like the boy helped his family not to become poor.