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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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For
those of us who are lucky, old age is not something we have to fear. We have
the ability to save money to sustain ourselves when we grow older. Our
fading health will be well taken care of and our increasingly limited
mobility will not be such a huge burden as to keep us from enjoying our
winter years. For the low-income seniors in our Senior Citizen Project,
however, life has not turned out so rosy. With dried up savings and the
constant burden of illness they have much to contend with each day. When we
hear their stories, however, it only strengthens our resolve to continue to
bring comfort and peace into their lives. Your sponsored senior, Verna, has
been through a great deal in her life. Together with your help, however, we
continue to be the best ally we can be to her in her fight against poverty
and sickness. We are thankful to you for your help in this. We would like to
take this opportunity to share some information on Verna so that you may get
to know her better.
A native of Chicago’s
south side, Verna has never had it easy. Her husband passed away in 1969
when her six children were still very young. Verna is proud to say that she
tightened her belt and raised them herself. Sadly, despite Verna’s
dedication to her family the cost of raising so many children by herself was
quite high and Verna was never able to save up enough money to send any of
her children to college. Now, they continue the cycle of poverty, struggling
to make ends meet for their own families.
As Verna grew older her
life grew no less stressful. She has a great deal of health problems. In
fact, the last time we talked to her she said “I feel like a walking pill
bottle.” Verna is an insulin dependent diabetic and was rendered blind in
one eye by a bad fall a few years ago. She also has a pain in her back and
problems with her equilibrium which make it very difficult for her to walk.
Overall she has to take 10 different medications for which, although they
are subsidized, she still has to contribute on average $250 a month. That’s
still a fairly hefty sum, however, considering that Verna’s income is a mere
$711 a month, with $158 going out the door to rent. You can understand how
little that leaves for Verna to purchase the necessities of life.
When we met Verna we
believed we could make a difference in her life. We knew we were right when
she excitedly told us “I really don’t think here’s anything else you could
do for me!” She loves getting a monthly delivery of non-perishables, hygiene
products and fresh produce, commenting “every time I’m running out of
something you show up with it the next time without me even having to say
anything!” We are so glad to hear that together we have been able to make a
difference in Verna’s life. Thanks to you, we can continue to make sure that
Verna knows there are people out there doing all they can for her.
Things to Remember about Verna:
• Verna’s birthday is May 30, 1928.
• Her monthly income is $711.
• She enjoys instrumental and choral music.
• Oranges and bananas are her favorite fruits.
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