Donations in Action: Apologies, big bills, insulin
Many of the people The Salvation Army serves are in the middle of crazy circumstances. Their stories can be heartbreaking, uplifting and everything in between.
Here are some of those stories, submitted by Salvation Army social workers and caseworkers from across Minnesota and North Dakota. Out of respect for the people involved, we are retelling these stories without using names.
If you’ve ever wondered how The Salvation Army uses your donations, here’s your answer:
Quick thinking
A diabetic homeless man came by my office looking for help with his prescription copays. Although we were out of funding for medical expenses, I did have several grocery gift cards on hand.
The gift cards were intended for food assistance, but it seemed more important that this man get his insulin, so I gave him one. He was able to have his meds transferred to a local grocery store pharmacy, using the gift card to purchase them.
I also gave the man some sunscreen that had been donated to our office. He was badly sunburnt from staying outside at all hours.
The man continues to stop by our office for snacks and water, and for a safe place to rest during the day. He recently said he would soon have housing through another agency.
Spread thin
A very sick woman called in need of help with her electric bill and rent. She and her daughter had recently moved to Minnesota because her daughter’s dad was having brain surgery. The daughter had become spread thin: She was the personal care attendant (PCA) for her mom, but she also wanted be near her ailing dad, too.
The PCA company the daughter worked for was willing to transfer her and her mom to Minnesota. However, once they arrived, the daughter learned she was not eligible to work as many hours as before, and there was a delay with her first paycheck. Suddenly, the daughter and mother were behind on their bills and virtually out of money.
Thankfully, The Salvation Army was able to help pay their electric bill and a portion of their rent to get them caught up. The woman and her daughter were beyond appreciative.
Making amends
A husband and wife came into my office for food and information about housing. Their landlord had given them notice to vacate their home after they had lived there for more than five years.
Considering how chaotic their lives had become, they also wanted prayer. I took them to our prayer room.
Before I started praying, the husband said he was sorry for his bad behavior when I first started my job several years ago. He reminded me that he was rude to me and cussed at me. He said he always wanted to apologize to me, but that we was not man enough to do so. I accepted his apology and commenced with our prayer.
After I prayed, the husband told me he had never felt better. He and his wife then said they would like a Bible. I gave them one, along with a daily devotional book. They were quite content.
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