A Family in Need

I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Holiday.  Below is an email that I received this week from one of our members.

This is a family that has seen a lot of tragedy.  There are 5 children in the home.  The oldest is at college, on a basketball scholarship.  There is a set of twin girls, in 8th grade. There are 2 younger boys, in 7th and 5th grades.  When the children were really young, their father died.  I am not sure exactly when or how.  When the girls were still in elementary school, their mother was in a car accident and has been in a home in a vegetative state ever since.  Their grandmother took all of them in.  She is suffering from cancer and goes through periods of better health and worse health.  She also suffers from diabetes.  The grandmother has barely been holding the family together through two part time jobs, at the local community center.  She just found out that her job as the receptionist will end in the middle of December, as the funding has been exhausted.  She is extremely worried about how she will support this family when that job is gone.  They already live in assisted housing and still don't always have enough for even basic food for the house.

Any help that can be given to this family would be so helpful.  If you need their name, I will call and get the grandmother's permission and then give it to you.  Thank you so much for thinking of them.

I am posting this for the reason that I feel it is important for you to know where your contributions are being donated.  We received numerous nominations like this one and for the previous thirteen years, through the help of your dues, FfF has been able to respond. 

Save the date:
February 14, 2009 Trivia Night @ O’Hara, tickets will be on sale soon. 

Friends for Friends member Kevin Barr is director of Saint John’s Hospice in center city Philly.  SJH feeds hundreds and clothes dozens of homeless men every day.  During the early winter holidays winter clothing donations come pouring in but are almost gone by early Feb.

At the Friends for Friends social on Feb 14th, please consider bringing any of your men’s winter clothing that you can spare.  Thick socks, used walking boots, winter coats, sweatshirts and sweaters, pants and blankets are always in demand.  New underwear and toiletries are also items that the men desperately need.  Boxes/canisters will be placed at the doorway to the Social. If you’d like to learn more about Saint John’s Hospice and their ministry to the homeless visit their website www.saintjohnshospice.org!

Thanks for being a member and making a difference!

Bob Carroll
President of FfF