SVDP IN ACTION
Below are a couple of examples of the work we have done by pooling our resources with others in the community.
An 84-year-old woman adopted her 4-year-old GREAT grandson 9 years ago. His mother abandoned him, and his father sexually abused him. We initially helped with rent & utilities in 2014. We have stayed in contact with them, offering emotional support, especially as her health declined. We celebrated birthdays with her great-grandson & reached out to the community for additional help with transportation & other needs. We’ve also supplied them with furniture, clothing & other in-kind necessities over the years. We have watched her great-grandson grow into a middle-school honor student who plays in the band and participates in sports.
Another elderly client & her 50-year-old mentally challenged son had been living in their family home without water for three months. Her yard had weed growth 6 ft. high & was full of trash. They relied on rainwater to do laundry & flush the toilet. They live on $800/month. We delivered water daily while hiring a plumber to repair the burst pipe. We negotiated with the water company for a payment plan & reached out to a local foundation to help pay her $7000 bill. Our Vincentians cut all the debris in the yard & hauled a roll-off & 6 truckloads to the landfill. We continued to deliver water and food during the repairs & signed them up for food stamps & helped her get title to her house which was still in her deceased mother’s name.