Sheila

Sheila lives in a small home in the Snoqualmie Valley. Like many of our clients, she lives solely on social security and disability payments, which means her income is just over $8000/year. Initially she called Faith in Action for help getting to medical appointments. While she would qualify for Access, Metro's transportation program for the disabled, Access can't serve her because there's no place on her rural road for the van to pull over or turn around.

When Laura, our client services coordinator, did a home visit with her, more needs were uncovered. The wood steps to her home were rotten and needed repair; her deck was covered with slime and was slippery; her garden needed a major clean-up; and she could not keep up with her housework.

Since that initial visit, Faith in Action sent out a volunteer handyman, and her steps are now repaired. A team of volunteers did a deep clean of her home; rearranged some furniture for her, and got started on the yard. The Sammamish Rotary Club will lend Faith in Action a power washer, and now all we need to do is find a volunteer who can use it to de-slime her deck. And, she's gotten those rides to the dentist that she so desperately needed, and is no longer in pain. I just looked on our phone log, and can see that she's finally getting her eyes checked, too, next week.

Sheila's a deeply religious woman. Her interests listed on her intake sheet specify singing hymns and reading her Bible. She has called us several times to thank us and God for the volunteers we have sent her way. "Praise the Lord all day long!" is one of her favorite phrases.

We also thank our volunteers, for their service - and thank you, too, for your support of Faith in Action. Caring people like you, and all our supporters, improve the lives of isolated elders like Sheila.