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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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Family can be a very important factor as one
faces the hardships of declining health and poverty. We often hear of
children helping to take care of their aging parents as they struggle
financially and physically to care for themselves. 63 year old Helen did
just that, caring for her mother for more than a decade. But now, when Helen
finds herself in need of assistance, her children are not there for her.
This harsh reality has left her with a feeling of loneliness and despair. We
are thankful and fortunate that you have joined with us to provide Helen
with comfort and support.
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.
Helen, one of
four children, was born and raised in Detroit. Her father passed away 15
years ago and her mother, whom Helen took care of up until she went into a
nursing home, will turn 84 in 2007. She rarely sees and seldom even speaks
with her siblings who live in Michigan, Ohio, and Virginia. Helen has been
married 3 times. Her first two ended in divorce, but her most recent left
her widowed. She has 4 sons, 3 from her first marriage, and one from her
second, but her family has never been close. Two of her sons live in
Chicago, but one has been in and out of jail, so she receives no financial
support from them. Regarding the relationships that she has with her sons
she said, “We are not close and I hate that. It makes me feel very lonely.”
Helen met her most
recent husband when they were both employed with the Park District. She had
been babysitting part-time and he was working in the maintenance department.
Six years ago he passed from complications of diabetes. For Helen, he was
all the family that she had, and her best friend. She said, “I really
haven’t gotten over losing him.”
These days, Helen
finds it difficult to perform many activities, from walking to reading. She
suffers from chronic body pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, and migraines. In
the past year she had to have surgery on her rotator cuff and hand and has
developed a painful pooling of blood in one of her eyes. She also
experienced a recent fall during which she hit the side of her face. The
result of that spill has been intense jaw pain and trouble eating which will
necessitate dental work. Most of the jobs that Helen held over the years
required a lot of lifting and standing, which she said is the cause of much
of her pain today. Helen said that she overworked herself for too many
years, holding as many as 3 jobs at a time and taking care of her mother for
12 years, and that her body is paying the price now.
Most of Helen’s time is
spent alone. She cannot make friends with many of her neighbors, as they do
not speak English, and her family has made little effort to be involved in
her life. She does have one friend, whom she sees occasionally, that does
her best to provide Helen with transportation. She likes to work on large
word search puzzles and watch TV (comedies, game shows, church programming)
even though it is painful and hard on her eyes. She said that the laughter
and joy of TV comedies “keeps me going.”
Helen’s monthly income is
$476 and her rent is $117. She has struggled for many years with her health
and finances but was very much focused on taking care of her mother, who was
also a part of our Senior Citizens Program. Sadly, now that Helen needs
assistance, her children have not been there for her. Before she began
receiving the monthly grocery deliveries she found it nearly impossible to
afford the fresh produce that she loves so much and needs in her diet. As a
recipient of HSP’s monthly deliveries, Helen now enjoys a consistent supply
of fresh produce, frozen meats, bread, non-perishables, paper products, and
personal care items. We are happy to have Helen in the HSP family and we are
confident that, with your sponsorship, we can help her get through these
difficult times in her life!
Things to Remember about Helen:
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Her birthday is November 27, 1943; she turns 64
in 2007
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Her monthly income is $476
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Her favorite colors are orange and yellow
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Her favorite flower is the rose
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