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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
many of us, hardships come and go. There are times when we must struggle
against adversity, and there are times when we can relax and enjoy life to
its fullest. Many in this world, however, don’t have this luxury. For many,
hardship is not a passing phase, but a way of life. Poverty, illness, and
despair are like a cloud which they have struggled to get out from under for
years. In our Senior Citizen Project, we meet many seniors who face such
insurmountable tribulation that we marvel at their ability to soldier on
each day. One senior who comes to mind is Lisa.
86-year-old Lisa has had an arduous life
filled with tragedies many of us
can’t even imagine. To this day,
her situation continues to become more dire.
A native of Chicago, Lisa
had her first cruel taste of tragedy early in life, when her mother died
while giving birth to Lisa’s younger sister. Lisa was only 2 years old when it
happened, meaning she grew up without a mother. When she was old enough,
Lisa went to work for various drugstores, such as Jewel, but never earned a
great deal of money. Lisa’s husband was a
World War II veteran who drove a truck for
a living. The two were very happy together and had four children. After 47
years of marriage, however, Lisa’s husband passed away of a massive heart
attack.
It would be nice to say
that this was the last time someone close to Lisa passed away, but, sadly,
that’s not the case. Lisa has lost two sons. One son died of cancer. The
other was watching his friend’s bar when a motorcycle gang came in and
murdered him. Lisa still wells up with tears when she remembers their
early
deaths. Lisa’s remaining children are living with various maladies of their
own. Lisa’s surviving son recently had open-heart surgery, and is now
scraping by on disability. Lisa’s daughter is currently trying to obtain
custody of one of Lisa’s granddaughters because the child’s mother is
addicted to drugs, and they are concerned for
the girl's safety.
Lisa’s health problems are also
a constant concern. She has severe pains in
one of her legs, which confine her to a
wheelchair. Her doctor keeps telling her that they will most likely have to
amputate it eventually, but Lisa continues to resist, hoping for a solution.
She is on several medications, including pills for water retention and pain
relief, and has recently had surgery on her gallbladder. Clinical depression
makes her feel more and more hopeless, and she has been rapidly losing
weight. On an income of only $919 a month, with $175 going directly to her
subsidized rent, you can imagine how little money Lisa has left to pay her
medical bills!
Fortunately, Lisa will
never have to worry about where her next meal will come from. When we first
met Lisa, we knew that she sorely needed our assistance. She says
that the
food deliveries are incredibly valuable, and that she shares the bounty with
her grandchildren, whose families are struggling
just as much as she is. Recently,
we were also able to obtain and deliver a new recliner to Lisa, so that she
could stay off of her unhealthy leg. When she saw the recliner, she exclaimed,
“it’s perfect! It even matches the carpet!” We feel privileged to be able to
provide for Lisa, and we are grateful to you for empowering us to do so.
Things to Remember about Lisa:
• Lisa’s birthday is April 15, 1922.
• Her favorite foods are pasta and Italian Bread.
• Her income is $919 a month.
• Her favorite colors are red and powder blue.
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