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Volunteer Delivery Drivers |
The Humanitarian Service Project Senior Citizen Project Rose |
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Receiving Groceries Since 2006 |
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Monthly deliveries include: |
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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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Life isn't always as fair as we would like it. Often, very good people must
suffer through ordeals that none of us would wish upon them. That is part of
the reason why we here at HSP feel so strongly about what we do. We feel
that it is our job to bring comfort and support to good people who are
living with poverty. The trappings of poverty can affect anyone, even those
who have worked hard their whole life. Just ask 80 year old Rose, who is new
to our program! She and her husband ran a small mom-and-pop convenience
store for 20 years, but eventually their business went under and since then
Rose has been left with very little. We are thankful to you for your support
of this kind hearted woman, and we would like to take this opportunity to
share some of her story with you.
As mentioned, Rose and her husband worked hard for many years to make their
store work. They were there everyday to put food on the table for their
family of 5 children. They were never rich, but they were able to get by -
until the neighborhood began to change and there was just no room for a
small store like that anymore. Rose has been without her beloved husband for
12 years now. He passed away in 1994 from kidney and bone cancer, but they
were happily married for over 50 years. Rose still misses him daily. She is
happy to say, however, that her siblings have provided her with emotional
support, calling to check up on her and keeping her company.
As mentioned, Rose has 5 children, and according to her caseworker she sees
them very little, just on holidays and they are of no financial help to her
as they have many problems of their own. These days, Rose busies herself by
doing puzzle books, reading autobiographies and the Bible, and listening to
music. She likes big band, classical, and opera music. Rose used to be able
to crochet a great deal. She would knit scarves and hats to donate to
charity, but now, due to her neuropathy, she can no longer participate in
this activity. Nowadays, she spends time nearly every day socializing with
other seniors in her building either playing card games or just chatting,
commenting that she always tries to be a friend to everyone. Rose is even
friends with 2 other seniors in the SCP!
As the years go by, Rose has developed a number of problems in her life. She
has a list of medical problems that range from a hearing loss to
osteoporosis. Rose also suffers from neuropathy, as well as dizzy spells,
which makes it nearly impossible for her to be on her feet for more than a
few minutes at a time. She says that she takes medication for the neuropathy
but it just isn't enough to stop the constant pain in both her hands and
feet. She is still proud to say, however, that despite the pain she does all
of her own cooking! She loves to make traditional Italian dishes. Despite
still being an independent woman, Rose still has to worry about her
financial situation. With only $834 a month coming in from social security,
$183 of which go to her subsidized rent, it can be difficult to make ends
meet. After she pays her utilities, medical and other bills, she often has
very little left over to put towards the necessities of life!
That's where HSP comes in! When asked recently if there was anything HSP
could do to serve her better, Rose said "you already send everything I could
ask for! I'm grateful for all you give me!" Rose says that it is a real
financial burden off of her shoulders to receive fresh fruits and
vegetables, frozen meats, non-perishables, personal care items and other
gifts from around the house delivered each month by friendly volunteers. We
are glad to have Rose join us in our HSP family. Together, we believe that
we can continue to give her everything she could ask for!
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