|
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
|
|
Those in need come from all different
backgrounds. In our Senior Citizen Project, we have met many different
people with a great variety of
different personalities and passions. We consider it a
privilege to be able to get to know all of these diverse, wonderful people,
and to help bring solace into their lives when they need it the most. Joyce
is one woman who has not let time dull her enthusiasm for
what she is passionate about. One of the younger seniors in our program, at
65 years old, Joyce is still active in several different creative endeavors.
Sadly, her financial situation and health problems have been taking their
toll on her, making it harder and harder for her to stay involved. We would like to take this opportunity to share some of Joyce’s
history with you.
Joyce grew up in
Logan Square on the Northwest
Side of Chicago. Her father died when she was only 2
years old, leaving her mother to take care of
Joyce and her brother.
Working long hours at a grocery store, Joyce’s mother managed to make ends
meet for the family. Growing up, Joyce learned the value of independence,
and how to take care of herself from this difficult situation. She also
nurtured a passion for the arts, which she found an outlet for in her church
choir.
She met her husband, Harry, through one of the
other members of the choir. The two were married in 1965. Harry
worked as a truck driver while Joyce took care of their two children. When
Joyce had time, she helped pay the bills by painting murals on walls. The
family was never rich, but they were happy. Joyce was heartbroken when Harry
passed away in 1995, two days after Christmas, after his second open-heart
surgery. Since then, she has become
extremely depressed.
Besides
her depression, which
she takes two medications for, Joyce also takes 10 additional medications
for high blood pressure, heart trouble, and epilepsy, which she has suffered
from since she was a child. Arthritis in both of her knees also makes it
extremely difficult for her to walk. Her financial situation is equally
dire. Her Social Security payment is $830 a month, but her mortgage of $750
uses most of her income up right away. Her children both live far away and
have their own problems to deal with. Her son is currently in Iraq, having
been sent over their by his company to work on construction projects, and
her daughter lives in Fresno, California, and has “her own financial problems to deal
with,” according to Joyce. In fact, Joyce reports that she hasn’t seen her
daughter face-to-face in almost a decade.
When we first met Joyce
in 2003, we knew we could be a positive force in her life. She says she loves
receiving food from HSP each month, commenting that boxed meals and grape
jelly are her favorites. She also says that the Secret Pal gifts she
receives are lots of fun! Her current goal is to find a lawnmower. She can’t
mow the lawn herself, but she says she has some neighbors who might be
willing to help her out, but her last lawnmower was stolen. The lawn is
“getting out of control,” she says! Now, Joyce tries to keep herself busy by
continuing with her love of painting. She also still sings in her church
choir, as she has for so many years now. We are thankful to you for helping
us to bring joy into the life of this woman who needs us right now. Together
we believe we can continue to help give Joyce reasons to be happy with her
life.
Things to Remember about Joyce:
• Joyce’s birthday is March 31, 1943.
• Her monthly income is $830.
• She likes to read poetry.
• She enjoys keeping a garden.
• She has a cat.
|
