Hunger Stories
In Doña Ana County, hunger wears many faces. We see it in the worried look of an elderly man whose Social Security check no longer covers his needs. We see it, too, in the faces of a young single mom who's just lost her job, a recently disabled farmworker, a handicapped dad, a woman living in her car...
Socorro
In her seventies and not in the best of health, Socorro takes care of four grandchildren. Their mother, divorced and working at a minimum-wage job, helps as much as she can. But her salary can no longer cover the rent, clothe the kids, and feed six people. So, once a month, Socorro turns to Casa de Peregrinos for help. Although we've always been here for her, like other helping agencies of the area we're experiencing financial challenges.
Ana Maria
For the working poor, life can be a struggle. Ana Maria knows this all too well as a mother of five children ranging in age from 11 to 20 years. She works at minimum wage in a daycare center and, because her hours continue to be cut, her wages drop accordingly. Even so, she visits Casa de Peregrinos only occasionally; although her need is great, she also feels relectant to come in. For personal reasons, doing so makes her uncomfortable.
Psychological problems and diabetes have disabled Ana Maria's husband of 28 years, who therefore cannot work. So Ana Maria tries to find creative ways to feed and clothe her family. Recently, she learned that if she pulls the fuse in her fuse box and only connects it again for a few hours in the evening, she pays much less for her electricity. Rosemary wants this tip passed on to others who are struggling.
Still, the bills continue to pile up, although there's good news as well. The family is on a (long) list to get into subsidized housing at some future date. And one daughter is about to graduate from high school, which is joy to Ana Maria, since her older three children dropped out of school. Her advice to other working poor is, "Don't give up, and don't be afraid to ask for help."
Geneva
A formerly homeless woman in her late-middle years, Geneva is one of Casa's "success stories." For many months, Geneva came to Casa for help on Friday mornings. Eventually she came to the notice of a Casa volunteer, who took an interest in her and tried to give Geneva useful (and interesting) food.
One day, the volunteer ("Sara") encountered Geneva as she was about to drive away. Rolling down her window, Geneva told Sara that at the end of that week she'd be eligible for a "widow's pension" and would thus be moving from her tent to an apartment...after roughly two years out in the elements.
Expressing heartfelt thanks to Sara and to Casa, Geneva then drove away. As we haven't seen her since, we suspect life got better for Geneva. But we were there when she needed us, just as we are for countless others with stories of their own.
