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Clover wrote these words:
“Most of you know that I returned to Jamaica in January 2018 in part because of an immigration dilemma. I was born an orphan in Jamaica and moved to the US on a Visa when I was 18. I currently live with an elderly lady who I help out in exchange for a small room. I am able to communicate by email when I can link to a neighbor’s wifi when there is electricity. My three children are still in the United States. The youngest had contracted Covid and was on a ventilator, she is out of the hospital but is still battling the effects of the virus. My other two children are jobless because of Covid. None of my children can afford to help me at this time. Regardless of the health challenges I face I am determined to live the message I gave to others when I ministered to anyone I could reach when I was in America, "Don’t give up no matter what the circumstances". In March 2019, with the help of Janice Abert I was able to open a small grocery store in my neighborhood; it is the only store in a ten mile radius and has the availability of cheaper staple food that is mainly consumed by the poorer folks who cannot afford to shop in other stores. This store is inspired from the voices of senior citizens who couldn't walk to a farther store because of their frailty and couldn't afford to travel a hour to the city to access food! They were so excited for the needed store so I serve them and developed a great relationship among my senior citizens friends! The store was also my source of survival getting into the normalcy of financial independence. Unfortunately this past March Covid-19 affected all of our lives and put a full stop to others. I am now 62 and am considered a senior so when the virus entered Jamaica, the government closed the country down with a daily curfew 6am-9pm. I was asked to stay home and so my small store was slowly going out of business. I had to give away most of the goods because of spoilage and eventually had to temporarily close the store because there was nothing left to sell. Jamaica is a third world country and depends on tourism to survive, and now without tourists the island has been severely affected. Jamaica has been in a long drawn out spike with Covid, which now shows signs toward a curve. Another factor are the tropical depressions and storms that are frequent resulting in heavy flooding that sadly washes people and things away. I have had many losses due to flooding, hopefully the hurricane season will be over by the end of November. Fortunately the government has now announced that businesses can now reopen. My desire is to reopen my small store and continue to serve the senior citizens with kindness helping them to purchase the food they can afford. Asking for help is the hardest part for me, you all know I am a giver and it's not easy for me to ask for help. But I am desperate to start over making a life on my own. My hope is that you can help me to a have a meaningful life during my retiring years. Your name was penned on my prayer list the day I met you. I have been praying for you, and will continue to pray for goodwill for you and your family. With your help, my goal is to be able to re-open my little store the week between Christmas and the New Year. During this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hope that you will think of me and the many memories we shared doing God’s work.”
My sincere thanks, God bless and keep you!
Clover
Note from Janice and Audra - Fundraiser Coordinators:
Janice Abert and Audra Kruk have offered to help Clover reach out to people who know and appreciate her. Our hope is that you will remember all the LOVE Clover spread to the children and families living in the Travers Projects in Port Chester. We have such fond memories of participating in the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations at Traverse. Over the years so many of you helped with these events and know how good it felt to GIVE to those less fortunate. We have all witnessed how Clover did so many good works that blessed people around her because of her strong faith. To help Clover is to help her community, because she is always giving what little she has.
At this time Clover has no savings and Janice has been sending her money to live. Jamaica is truly an extremely poor third world country with a living standard American’s find hard to understand. Clover now finds herself being grateful to share a shack with an elderly woman that floods badly and has intermittent electricity during the four month Hurricane season. She has no access to running water. In Jamaica an average person would need $700 US monthly to cover basic living expenses and the average monthly household income is $162 to $651 US. Clover is 62, with failing eyesight and lives in a rural area with no real employment opportunities. To help Clover establish an income, in 2019 Janice gave Clover money to renovate and stock a little kiosk type of store in her rural area. Unfortunately, it has been shut down all year due to Covid.
Clover’s monthly fixed expenses are $350 to pay for: $150 food, $75 medicine and $100 medical care for her glaucoma. She will need approximately $500 to restock her store and then approximately $200 a month to replenish inventory as she builds up profits and savings. Her store rent is $45 a month and her monthly transportation costs to go to market to buy food and products is $80. With your generosity she can build a nest egg and try to help sustain herself financially with store profits.
Janice and Audra will be responsible for sending to her the funds raised through GoFundMe, which she can keep safe in a Jamaica bank account and use prudently to pay her living expenses and inventory expenses for her little store which will give her purpose and hopefully can help her establish financial independence. Our hope is that you will find it in your hearts to think of Clover as part of your family and help her live a life of dignity by helping to raise $7,000 to cover living expenses, store operating expenses anticipated for 2021 and to start saving retirement funds.
“Most of you know that I returned to Jamaica in January 2018 in part because of an immigration dilemma. I was born an orphan in Jamaica and moved to the US on a Visa when I was 18. I currently live with an elderly lady who I help out in exchange for a small room. I am able to communicate by email when I can link to a neighbor’s wifi when there is electricity. My three children are still in the United States. The youngest had contracted Covid and was on a ventilator, she is out of the hospital but is still battling the effects of the virus. My other two children are jobless because of Covid. None of my children can afford to help me at this time. Regardless of the health challenges I face I am determined to live the message I gave to others when I ministered to anyone I could reach when I was in America, "Don’t give up no matter what the circumstances". In March 2019, with the help of Janice Abert I was able to open a small grocery store in my neighborhood; it is the only store in a ten mile radius and has the availability of cheaper staple food that is mainly consumed by the poorer folks who cannot afford to shop in other stores. This store is inspired from the voices of senior citizens who couldn't walk to a farther store because of their frailty and couldn't afford to travel a hour to the city to access food! They were so excited for the needed store so I serve them and developed a great relationship among my senior citizens friends! The store was also my source of survival getting into the normalcy of financial independence. Unfortunately this past March Covid-19 affected all of our lives and put a full stop to others. I am now 62 and am considered a senior so when the virus entered Jamaica, the government closed the country down with a daily curfew 6am-9pm. I was asked to stay home and so my small store was slowly going out of business. I had to give away most of the goods because of spoilage and eventually had to temporarily close the store because there was nothing left to sell. Jamaica is a third world country and depends on tourism to survive, and now without tourists the island has been severely affected. Jamaica has been in a long drawn out spike with Covid, which now shows signs toward a curve. Another factor are the tropical depressions and storms that are frequent resulting in heavy flooding that sadly washes people and things away. I have had many losses due to flooding, hopefully the hurricane season will be over by the end of November. Fortunately the government has now announced that businesses can now reopen. My desire is to reopen my small store and continue to serve the senior citizens with kindness helping them to purchase the food they can afford. Asking for help is the hardest part for me, you all know I am a giver and it's not easy for me to ask for help. But I am desperate to start over making a life on my own. My hope is that you can help me to a have a meaningful life during my retiring years. Your name was penned on my prayer list the day I met you. I have been praying for you, and will continue to pray for goodwill for you and your family. With your help, my goal is to be able to re-open my little store the week between Christmas and the New Year. During this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I hope that you will think of me and the many memories we shared doing God’s work.”
My sincere thanks, God bless and keep you!
Clover
Note from Janice and Audra - Fundraiser Coordinators:
Janice Abert and Audra Kruk have offered to help Clover reach out to people who know and appreciate her. Our hope is that you will remember all the LOVE Clover spread to the children and families living in the Travers Projects in Port Chester. We have such fond memories of participating in the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations at Traverse. Over the years so many of you helped with these events and know how good it felt to GIVE to those less fortunate. We have all witnessed how Clover did so many good works that blessed people around her because of her strong faith. To help Clover is to help her community, because she is always giving what little she has.
At this time Clover has no savings and Janice has been sending her money to live. Jamaica is truly an extremely poor third world country with a living standard American’s find hard to understand. Clover now finds herself being grateful to share a shack with an elderly woman that floods badly and has intermittent electricity during the four month Hurricane season. She has no access to running water. In Jamaica an average person would need $700 US monthly to cover basic living expenses and the average monthly household income is $162 to $651 US. Clover is 62, with failing eyesight and lives in a rural area with no real employment opportunities. To help Clover establish an income, in 2019 Janice gave Clover money to renovate and stock a little kiosk type of store in her rural area. Unfortunately, it has been shut down all year due to Covid.
Clover’s monthly fixed expenses are $350 to pay for: $150 food, $75 medicine and $100 medical care for her glaucoma. She will need approximately $500 to restock her store and then approximately $200 a month to replenish inventory as she builds up profits and savings. Her store rent is $45 a month and her monthly transportation costs to go to market to buy food and products is $80. With your generosity she can build a nest egg and try to help sustain herself financially with store profits.
Janice and Audra will be responsible for sending to her the funds raised through GoFundMe, which she can keep safe in a Jamaica bank account and use prudently to pay her living expenses and inventory expenses for her little store which will give her purpose and hopefully can help her establish financial independence. Our hope is that you will find it in your hearts to think of Clover as part of your family and help her live a life of dignity by helping to raise $7,000 to cover living expenses, store operating expenses anticipated for 2021 and to start saving retirement funds.