Volunteer Delivery Drivers

The Humanitarian Service Project

Senior Citizen Project

Anna

Receiving Groceries Since 2000

Monthly deliveries include:

7 selections of fresh vegetables

6 selections of fresh fruits

7 varieties of frozen meats

5 bags of non-perishables

1 bag of paper products and personal care items

Gifts from a Secret Pal

           We here at HSP feel truly fortunate to be able to meet so many different seniors through our Senior Citizen Program. We meet seniors with all different personalities, from the demure and reserved to the gregarious and witty, and all points in between. We delight in hearing their stories and we enjoy getting to know each and every one. One senior, however, stands out for her tranquil and philosophical nature. That senior is Anna, who has been with us since the year 2000. We are so grateful to you for your support of Anna, and we wanted to share some added information on this woman, who seems so at peace with herself.

          The third of eight children, Anna grew up in a working class Chicago neighborhood. She was born with her eyes crossed and this made her self-conscious of the way she looked in her youth. She was able to overcome her anxiety, however, and become a trial lawyer. For forty-six years she defended her clients with everything she had. Anna believes strongly that everyone is entitled to a fair shot at freedom and remembers fighting tooth and nail with a particular judge to get her client a trial by jury even though the judge was adamant against it. Her legs became frostbitten in the winter as she walked to the courthouse each morning in a skirt, because women were not allowed to wear pants at the time. This didn’t matter to Anna, though. She knew she was making a difference and that’s what she was concerned with.

          Anna never married and has no children or grandchildren, but she knows what it’s like to be responsible for someone else. Anna took care of Lorraine, another senior who used to be in our program. Anna and Lorraine were friends, but Lorraine suffered from Alzheimer’s disease. Anna lived with Lorraine and took care of her as long as she could. She sadly recalls Lorraine’s inevitable trip to a nursing home. Anna visited Lorraine a mere two hours before Lorraine died in the Fall of 2002. Since then, Anna has lived alone in her small home, where she has been for 44 years.

          Anna has kept herself busy over the years with many hobbies. In her younger days she was a concert violinist. She misses being able to play for people, but has replaced music with a new artistic passion. Now Anna spends her days drawing and painting. She also loves to read the stories of Charles Dickens. She has his entire body of work and reads through it again and again. She is truly a woman of the arts!

          Despite the many hobbies she has to keep her happy, Anna also has many problems to face. Bipolar disorder runs in her family and she takes lithium to deal with it. The lithium makes her sleepy and gives her body aches. She also has arthritis. Her meager income of $500 a month is often not enough to cover her medical expenses, her bills and the upkeep on her house which she says is in horrible disrepair. Anna remains philosophical about her condition, however, commenting that everyone has their problems to deal with. We are confident, however, that one problem Anna will never have to worry about is where her next meal is coming from. She enjoys receiving deliveries of groceries and personal care items each month. She still loves to cook for herself, so it is a treat to receive nutritious food. We are privileged to have met this wonderful woman who is so lucid and artistic, and with your help we can together bring comfort and compassion to her winter years, as she did for her friend Lorraine.
 

Things to Remember about Anna:

• Anna’s birthday is September 9, 1928
• Her monthly income is $500
• She likes hot dogs, liver sausage, strawberries, and hot cocoa
• Her favorite color is purple