Thursday, July 17, 2025

Thursday - Charity Day

Still getting my act together for Mimi Camp. After my shift in the church office, I headed to the nearby city to get a few speciality items. Despite the first two stores showing frozen cannoli in stock, I had to go to the third to find them. I also picked up some macaroons for our day in Paris and some colored sand for our mosaics.  

And the garden keeps going. I sliced and froze 2 large zucchini, sliced lots and lots of cucumbers for freezer pickles (that I will probably finish in the morning) and used up the counter full of tomatoes and green peppers making my first batch of salsa. 

I am thinking about posting on Facebook looking for a class for retired gentlemen who decided to become gardeners to teach them preserving techniques.  Just sayin'

Meanwhile - no clients all day until the end of my shift and then three in a row so I got a late start on errands. 

The first was a 67 year old gentleman who has minimal social security due to holding minimum wage jobs through out life. An agency helped him a few years ago to get a reduced rate apartment and apply for food stamps. And found him a part time job under a program for those aged 55+ that makes up the difference. He could make it with these benefits and his job but the program (some initials I can't remember) just lost it's federal funding and he had an indefinite furlough letter. He proudly showed me his resume and is taking it around town, but I doubt anyone is going to hire a 67 year old man who is frail and has trouble navigating life. He was in danger of losing his utilities. 

Next was a woman who worked for an agency who handles federal grant money for nineteen years.  She was just laid off due to cutbacks. Her concern is August rent since she has that plan at work where you pay into it with pretax dollars and your medical bills get mailed to it and are paid from it? I can't think of the name. And she is underwater on it right now and her last check will go to the account to pay it off. And it can take six to eight weeks to get unemployment.  

And the third was a withdrawn nineteen year old with blue hair who is unemployed and her unemployed nineteen year old boyfriend who need rent. It was like pulling teeth to find out their bills and what the plan is. Until she announced that she has been hired by our local hospital in food service and has orientation on Monday. She lit up and was telling me how her brother works at the hospital and put in a word for her. And did I know  that she will have medical insurance, too! And after 60 days she will get a raise. And then, maybe in a few months, she can apply for a program where the hospital will pay for her to get her state nurses aide license if she agrees to work for them. And then she can bid on jobs at the hospital!  

Whew. I was so excited for her and told her my mom had worked for the hospital for many years. And they have a "special fund" where you can start putting money in deducted from your check, even $10 to start and when you retire, you get a bonus check (you know, a pension).  I congratulated her and she was beaming. 

And it turned out after all that she was only $140 short on her rent, her other expenses were paid before Wendy's let her go.  I do hope it all works out for her.  He, I am afraid, will remain on the couch playing video games. He claims to be job seeking, but his phone is shut off (we don't do phone bills) so I am not sure how he thinks they will contact him.  .  . 

6 comments:

  1. Your Grandma Camp is going to be so fun for all of the kids and I know they must be excited for it. I know I am. I can't wait to hear all about it. Meanwhile I will be "real" camping and will follow along with you.
    Good for you in trying to help everyone. I hope they can all get the help that they need wherever they find it. Good for that girl, it sounds like she has a plan. (Except getting rid of the lazy boyfriend.) She needs to think about her future with someone like that. Although, I know it's easy for me to say, I don't know their circumstances at all.
    Take care my friend.
    Blessings and hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. That salsa photo looks amazing! These 3 stories, the first man broke my heart... thank you for ending this on such a happy and encouraging one Miss Merry 😊

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  3. Goodness, so it begins the cruelty to elderly people and poor folks. I can be in that situation at some point in my life also.

    Cut off funding and watch them be in pain.

    I do hope you have a great time at Mimi Camp.

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  4. Your salsa looks good! Helping all stages of life...hope the young gal sticks with the job:)

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  5. I see the lazy couch potato boyfriend needing to find a new couch perhaps in the near future. You grandma camp sounds fun. I know I'd enjoy it! You saw two results of our new governmental policies regarding those who need help.

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  6. That's a tough job in your charity work but that young woman has some potential and I suspect as she gets settled in her new job he may be asked to settle somewhere else. It's especially hard seeing this happen to those aging out of the job market.

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