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Elderly living on fixed incomes at risk - what we did to help.
A lot of the elderly are living on fixed incomes and sadly stories of decision are being between shelter, food and medications are becoming more and more common. There are many who are falling through the cracks in the safety nets. There are many reasons for this, ignorance of available help, pride and inability to reach out for help in cases of dementia. The safety nets are also showing signs of strain as food pantries run out or low on supplies or close completely.
A while back I put together one of those Rubber Maid like bins with food for about a month for one individual. This was presented to one of the older members of my family. This person lives alone on a fixed income and has enough to get by but not a lot for "extras" if you know what I mean? I love this person dearly but they did not want to hear about any potential emergencies that might happen or take any action to prepare for them. Pride was involved and feelings could have easily been hurt. So I broached this in the light of that it would really ease my mind if they would please do me the favor of just keeping this for me just in case it would be needed for me or my family sometime in the future should something unforeseeable happen. Would they please keep it for our children just in case? I have decades of Catholic guilt training from experts and I laid it on thick while trying to look as innocent as a 6 year old making an argument for an ice cream cone!
Last week we stopped in for a visit and I peaked in the bin. All the canned meats, nut spreads, canned fruit and jars of homemade jam were gone. The bin food had been used to "extend" the pantry when there was more month than there was money to cover expenses. Next visit will be an opportunity to restock.
Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes.
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Our church keeps a bin for canned food donations. When the bin is full it's contents are delivered to a local food pantry or shelter. The bin is then returned to its corner to be refilled.
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Our church also tithes 10% of its collecction to the local food pantry as part of its community out reach programs.
*****
A lot of the elderly are living on fixed incomes and sadly stories of decision are being between shelter, food and medications are becoming more and more common. There are many who are falling through the cracks in the safety nets. There are many reasons for this, ignorance of available help, pride and inability to reach out for help in cases of dementia. The safety nets are also showing signs of strain as food pantries run out or low on supplies or close completely.
A while back I put together one of those Rubber Maid like bins with food for about a month for one individual. This was presented to one of the older members of my family. This person lives alone on a fixed income and has enough to get by but not a lot for "extras" if you know what I mean? I love this person dearly but they did not want to hear about any potential emergencies that might happen or take any action to prepare for them. Pride was involved and feelings could have easily been hurt. So I broached this in the light of that it would really ease my mind if they would please do me the favor of just keeping this for me just in case it would be needed for me or my family sometime in the future should something unforeseeable happen. Would they please keep it for our children just in case? I have decades of Catholic guilt training from experts and I laid it on thick while trying to look as innocent as a 6 year old making an argument for an ice cream cone!
Last week we stopped in for a visit and I peaked in the bin. All the canned meats, nut spreads, canned fruit and jars of homemade jam were gone. The bin food had been used to "extend" the pantry when there was more month than there was money to cover expenses. Next visit will be an opportunity to restock.
Emergencies come in all shapes and sizes.
*****
Our church keeps a bin for canned food donations. When the bin is full it's contents are delivered to a local food pantry or shelter. The bin is then returned to its corner to be refilled.
*****
Our church also tithes 10% of its collecction to the local food pantry as part of its community out reach programs.
*****