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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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We
often hear heartbreaking stories from the low-income seniors in our Senior
Citizen Project. Many of them have been through experiences in their lives
which most of us couldn’t even imagine. Their lives have been riddled with
more than their fair share of hardships and obstacles. It can be difficult
for us to hear all of these tales of woe which our seniors have to tell us,
but it only strengthens our resolve to continue to bring peace into their
lives. One senior who comes to mind is your sponsored senior, Mirella. 69
year old Mirella has been through a great deal in her life, and every day
continues to be a struggle for her. When we first met Mirella in 2002 we
believed we could make a difference in her life. Thanks to your help, we
feel we have. We would like to take this opportunity to share some
information about Mirella with you, so you may get to know her better.
Hailing from Italy,
Mirella arrived on the shores of America with her mother in 1956, when she
was only 17 years old. Her family had been farmers, but she and her mother
had come to the United States to live with Mirella’s aunt in the hopes of
finding a better life. Life wasn’t as easy for Mirella as she had initially
hoped, however. She has been married twice, but both marriages stir up bad
memories. She says that one of her husbands beat her severely and made her
life miserable until she was brave enough to leave him. Mirella never held a
job for very long due to her health problems, and this meant she was unable
to save a great deal for the future.
Suffering from Multiple
Sclerosis has been a huge burden on Mirella. She says that she is constantly
weak and in pain. She has never been able to walk very far. She says that
lately her legs have been hurting a great deal and she becomes tired very
easily. On top of this, depression has taken a hold of Mirella and she has
had great trouble breaking free from it. Each day she takes several
medications, including pills for depression, to try and keep her health
stable. Her limited income of $700 means that she often has to make tough
choices about what she will pay for that month. She says the taxes on her
old home, bills and medication costs run her quite high and she rarely has
money left over for groceries and other day-to-day necessities.
Fortunately, Mirella will
never have to worry about where her next meal will come from. She says she
loves receiving her food delivery each month from HSP and that it is a big
help in making ends meet for her. She also enjoys receiving gifts for around
the house. Most recently she received a new TV/VCR combo when her old TV
broke. We had included her request for a new TV on our senior wishlist and a
parishioner at a church which receives our information was able to donate
one for her. She says she is so glad to be able to watch her favorite TV
shows and movies again! When we hear Mirella tell us how thankful she is for
our service, we couldn’t be happier. We are grateful to you, for making it
possible for us to act as Mirella’s guardians in her time of need.
Things to Remember about Mirella:
• Mirella was born on April 29, 1937.
• She likes to watch the people’s court and the news.
• She never learned to read English, but can speak it fairly well.
• She likes to eat Italian food.
• Her income is $700 a month.
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