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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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So many of the seniors in our Senior
Citizens Project struggle daily with the pain of declining health, the
loneliness of separation from family, and the anxiety of a limited income.
But the remarkable thing is that through all of their own problems, most
have a hopeful spirit and giving nature. Despite her own physical and
financial limitations 64 year old Betty, who is new to our program, still
volunteers her time 3 days a week with Meals on Wheels to make sure that her
neighbors are receiving the meals that they need. As extremely grateful as
she is for her much needed monthly grocery deliveries, she knows that she is
not the only person in need of assistance and is happy to help where she
can. We are happy to welcome her to the HSP family and are very thankful and
fortunate that you have decided to join with us by providing her with
comfort and support during this time in her life.
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.
When Betty was only 6 her
family moved from Pennsylvania to Illinois. She, along with her brother and
sister, grew up in Illinois before all going their separate ways. Her
brother now lives in Texas and her sister lives in California. The three
stay in contact by phone and only manage infrequent visits. Betty lost her
parents when they were both in their early 70’s. She is divorced and has two
children as a result of her marriage, but in 2000 lost contact with her
daughter. Her son lives in West Chicago and picks her up every Sunday to
visit her 2 young granddaughters, but is unable to help her financially.
Betty’s list of ailments
seems to be forever growing. Like most people her age she suffers from the
effects of arthritis, hypertension, and high blood pressure. But she also
fights daily with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (causes labored
breathing), Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (which will eventually lead to liver
failure), a degenerative spinal column, brittle bone disease,
hypothyroidism, and is bipolar manic depressive. Each day she takes 14 pills
and uses 3 different inhalers. Betty must use a cane for support when she
walks and moves very slowly because of her trouble breathing. A woman
provided for by the county comes to her apartment to help her with cooking
and cleaning and a county social worker helps her to arrange for
transportation to doctors appointments when necessary.
Despite all of her own
problems, Betty feels impelled to help others. Three days a week she is a
volunteer with Meals on Wheels, setting tables, assembling food packages,
even delivering food to 5 people that live in her building! Betty knows that
even with her labored breathing and need for a cane, there are other people
in worse condition that need her help. It is also an opportunity for her to
share stories and to exchange books and magazines with her neighbors. After
lunch, Betty will return home to relax in front of the TV or a magazine.
Some evenings her volunteer coordinator will take her to dinner or to the
store and on Fridays she goes downstairs to play bingo. Betty loves to work
on word search puzzles, browse catalogs, and read mystery novels to discuss
with her friends.
A monthly income of only
$643 must cover Betty’s rent of $150, medications, groceries, and all of her
utilities. She has faced many months where skipping meals was the only way
to pay all of her bills. But like most seniors, Betty’s health only remains
stable with proper nutrition. Now she looks forward to her monthly
deliveries of 12 varieties of fresh produce, 7 selections of frozen meats, 5
bags of non-perishable items, bread, paper products, and personal care
items, knowing full well that her days of going hungry are over. While
realistically the service saves her $150-200 each month, Betty said, “It’s
worth a million dollars. I thank God every day that I have it. It’s an
absolute blessing.” We are happy to have Betty 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 Betty:
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Her birthday is December 14, 1942; she turns 65
in 2007
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Her monthly income is $643
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Her favorite color is blue
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Her favorite flower is the rose
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