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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
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The idealistic image of your senior years is
often one of relaxation. With age should come a greater sense of freedom; no
more restraints of a job and a carefree lifestyle. Everyone wants to “enjoy
their old age.” But for many of the seniors in our Senior Citizens Project,
with the dawn of each new day comes another reason to worry; declining
health, trips to the doctor, the deaths of family and friends, and the
stress caused by the conditions of poverty. 71 year old Barbara, who is new
to the program, has experienced all of these in just the past few years.
Barbara, like many people her age, simply wants to feel a sense of relief
from one of her burdens. Barbara said, “It is nice to know that there are
people working with HSP that provide this service. It allows me to feel so
much more at ease.”
As you are well
aware, our mission is to help seniors in poverty throughout DuPage and Kane
counties. Here at HSP we see the first hand effects of crushing poverty
every day. Whenever we talk to one of our 115 seniors, many of them share
what’s been going on in their lives. Some being good and some being very
sad. Our hearts always go out to them. Many times we wonder just how they
can get by with so many illnesses and financial troubles creating
frustration and worry which always takes a high toll on them. For too many,
sharing their stress of not being able to purchase the things they need is
compounded simply by being old. Despite these challenges, some of our
seniors always seem to find something cheery to talk about in their lives.
Many are very strong and courageous. They face each day with a smile,
feeling grateful and counting the few blessings they have. It is an
inspiration for us to see their warm spirits remain positive in the face of
difficult adversities.
Barbara was raised
with her 3 brothers near Oak Park in Chicago. She married at the age of 23
and moved with her new husband to Addison. She gave birth to 3 children, 2
daughters and a son, but after 18 years the marriage ended in divorce. Only
one of her brothers is still living; she lost her father in 1962, her mother
25 years ago, and recently her other 2 brothers within 8 months of each
other. Barbara has a close relationship with and occasionally sees her
remaining brother, who is one year older and lives in southern Illinois.
Visits with her daughters in California and Florida occur once a year when
they are able to purchase a plane ticket for Barbara and those trips are the
only times that she gets to see her 4 granddaughters. Barbara’s only son
lives in Streamwood, but their relationship is, in Barbara’s words, “not the
best.” Aside from the annual plane tickets, Barbara’s children have not been
in a position to provide her with any financial support.
Barbara likes to keep
herself busy making phone calls to her friends and finding light
housekeeping projects around her apartment. She has a group of friends,
including her niece, that live in her building that she enjoys visiting
with, “catching up over a cup of coffee.” When she stays in, Barbara reads
non-fiction books, especially biographies, and watches game shows and the
history and discovery channels.
Some years ago, Barbara
had to go on disability when she suffered a fractured vertebra. For years
she has struggled walking down the aisles at the grocery store and has had
to lean on a shopping cart for support. In addition, Barbara has rheumatoid
arthritis in both her hands and knees and has weakened bones from
osteoporosis. She takes medications for both of those conditions, as well as
for her high blood pressure. Barbara also had her thyroid destroyed by
exposure to radioactive iodine and must take medications to regulate what
the thyroid would normally do. Every month she is required to go to the
doctor for blood tests and relies on the kindness of friends and a county
provided housekeeper to drive her to her appointments.
Barbara has a monthly
income of $623. Her rent is $159 each month and she pays a small fee for her
medications. So not only has Barbara struggled through the physical pain of
grocery shopping, but also the mental anguish of not being able to afford
the nutrition that she needs to stay healthy. She loves all of the fresh
produce (especially grapes, pears, and bananas) that is delivered each month
and said that she is overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the items
that she receives. Because of your support, Barbara is able to enjoy this
consistent supply of nutritious foods without the worry of how she could
afford to purchase it. We are happy to have Barbara in the HSP family and we
are confident that, together, we can help her get through these difficult
times in her life!
Things to Remember about Barbara:
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Her birthday is May 22, 1935; she turns 72 in
2007
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Her monthly income is $623
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Her favorite flower is the Lilly of the Valley
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Her favorite colors are blue and green
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