Because we feel it is important that you know how and where your donations to Helping Hands are spent, here is what was done in the past week:

Electric                4 families        $     756.60

Water                   3 families        $  1,185.55

Rent                    28 families       $28,209.00

Medical                 1 family         $  1,670.00

TOTAL            $31,821.1

The poor are often stereotyped as “lower-class, uneducated” people who have lived their entire lives in poverty and know no other lifestyle. And while that may be true in many cases, there are we meet who move us deeply.

Susan is a 58-year-old, attractive, poised, nicely dressed woman. To look at her you would expect her to be driving an expensive and dining at the country club.

But she is financially destitute and is forced to turn to Helping Hands for assistance – she did soon the advice of one of her physicians.

Several months ago she began experiencing seizures. Doctors determined that she suffered from an aggressive form of epilepsy, and while she began a regimen of medications, the seizures did not go away. She could no longer work at her job at a bank, nor could she be allowed to drive. She has applied for Social Security disability benefits however it takes months, even with a lawyer, to get results. Her savings were quickly depleted as she struggled to pay medical bills (she is taking a minimum of 14 prescription pills each day), utilities (thankfully her house was paid for) and care for her mother.

Her only relative is her 84-year-old mother, who is in a nearby nursing home. The mother cannot understand why her daughter can’t bring her home and take care of her, and she makes Susan feel bad. Her mother does not understand that Susan can no longer even take care of herself.

When she meets with our caseworker Susan neatly and carefully lays out the bills that she owes, but her hands shake as she does so. She whispers that she never expected to be doing this…she had always been able to take care of herself and her mother. So poised…so elegant…yet so broken. Her eyes glaze over with tears as she manages a gracious smile and thanks us for our help.

Those who once had so much just have that much farther to fall.  Please pray for Susan.

HUGE PURSE SALE

Wednesday, Aug. 5 and Saturday, Aug. 8

All purses on the wall $10 each.

Name brands such as Michael Kors, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, The Sake, Fossil and many more.  Now is your chance to stock up!