The new year is under way and the holidays are behind us — but there’s still one more chance to help out neighbors in need through the Giving Fund.
Now in its 40th year, the Giving Fund, co-sponsored by Hearst Connecticut Media, Greenwich-based Family Centers and Darien-based Person to Person, tells the stories of local residents in need of a helping hand. The goal is to provide small monetary donations to families striving to cover the cost of necessities, from rent and utilities to transportation costs and medical bills — or even winter clothes and food.
“I think the effects of the COVID pandemic continue to be a challenge for families. The income lost during the height of the pandemic continues to set many people back and they’ve been struggling to climb out of that financial hole,” said Bill Brucker, chief advancement officer for Family Centers. “What’s so great about the Giving Fund is that it directly provides support to local residents when they need it most.”
Each case in the Giving Fund includes an estimated dollar amount that would help a local person or family tackle everyday challenges such as rent payments, child care costs and transportation during this difficult time. Every dollar donated to the Giving Fund goes directly to the people in the stories.
Beginning in November, stories of local residents in need were published twice a week — every Thursday and Sunday — in The Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time and weekly in the Darien Times and New Canaan Advertiser. This column will be the last of the series for this giving season. In all, 236 individuals or families have been featured in the hope that some of their burdens will be lifted by the generosity of the community.
To donate online, use https://helpaneighbor.isecuresites.com/product/GIVING-FUND/General-Giving-Fund?ID=2865
Here are the last few stories of neighbors in need. The names have been changed to protect the participants’ privacy.
Case 230: Alli is a teen survivor of a sex trafficking ring with no family other than her infant child. She has not known many people she can trust in her own short life and is now trying to take care of a new baby alone. A gift of $500 will help with her immediate needs.
Case 231: Milton is a 68-year-old man who has been battling a life-threatening disease for the past five months. A gift of $500 would help curb any out-of-pocket expenses he has incurred because of his illness.
Case 232: Janice is living on a fixed income in senior housing. She has battled cancer several times and is currently fighting it again. On several occasions, Janice has had to choose between life-or-death medicine and everyday necessities. A gift of $500 will help Janice continue with the care she needs.
Case 233: Eudora has had an extremely tough year, losing three family members in a very short time period. At 69 years old, Eudora has many health problems and often must choose between what she treats and what she waits on, since she can’t afford any out-of-pocket expenses. Eudora works part time, although she has trouble standing for as long as she must at work. She always tries to do for others. A gift of $500 will give her some temporary peace of mind.
Case 234: Hillary is a 54-year-old single mother and an immigrant, isolated from her support network of family and friends by thousands of miles. She works so hard to support her 12-year-old son. She is an amazing mother who loves to cook and provide for her boy, but doesn’t make enough in her weekly paychecks to buy the food to cook and eat healthy, as she has been accustomed to while married. Divorce has not been easy on her. A gift of $500 would help her so much with food and items for her son.
Case 235: Shania is a 10th grade student who recently came to the United States from Chile with her mother for a better life. Shania and her mother currently share an apartment with two other families and her mother is struggling to find consistent work to make ends meet. Shania is a bright, resilient student who wants to help her and her mother settle into a better life. Shania is still waiting on documentation that will allow her to work in the U.S. and, while she waits, it has been difficult to make ends meet. A gift of $500 would go a long way to helping them secure their apartment for another month while they continue to look for work.
Case 236: Charlotte is a 9-year-old girl whose father died a few years ago. Charlotte was struggling after the loss, but since her mother signed her up for a swim program, she has been much happier and calmer. Charlotte’s mother knows how much the swimming helps, but is having difficulty keeping up with the cost. A gift of $800 would allow Charlotte to keep swimming all year.
For more information or to make a donation by phone, contact Bill Brucker, chief advancement officer for Family Centers, at 203-869-4848 or email wbrucker@familycenters.org
