Please help our dear friend Carla!

Why we all love Carla: Anyone who meets her sees a dependable, strong-willed, and compassionate woman with a laugh that lights up a room. She has always taken the initiative on caring for the people around her, bringing her knack for organization and active listening to both her long-standing career and her personal life. She cares so deeply about people, and has always believed everyone in her community deserves to live in safety and comfort.

Because of those beliefs, she dedicated her life to nonprofit work. She spent 22 years working at Meals On Wheels, helping others in need and making sure her community was fed. She would wake up at 3:00am and arrive at 6:00am every morning to open up the building and greet everyone coming in for the day. She knew every single employee personally, even in other service centers, and was always ready to spring into action whenever someone needed a helping hand in their own job. I have so many fond and funny memories from working alongside her that I still cherish.

But after 22 years, she was recently forced to retire due to debilitating chronic pain. Before, she never even dreamed of retirement. She loved her work, and an unexpected divorce left her with very little savings. But as her health continues to worsen, she had no choice. At 70 years old, she suffers from severe arthritis, making it difficult and painful to walk, type, and even lift her arms. Simple things such as opening doors, reaching for paper supplies, and walking down the office hallway began to wear down her body, to the point where her range of motion quickly deteriorated. It has slowed down after retiring and physical therapy, but there is no going back.

She also has to manage severe diabetes daily, monitoring her diet, blood sugar, and insulin carefully. She works incredibly hard to maintain that delicate balance, between a strict vegetarian diet, gentle exercise routines, and her many life-saving medications. She has also recently suffered multiple fractures, hip replacements, and cataracts, all of which required intensive surgery. Even now, her doctors have recommended shoulder replacement surgery as well.

The problem is: she can’t afford surgery. She can’t afford her medications. She can’t afford retirement. I can’t think of anyone who more deserves a comfortable retirement after how much of her life she poured into helping others. But, as we all have come to realize, the American healthcare system and the worsening economy are failing people like her more and more. Social Security is now her only form of income, and it is only enough to cover the cost of rent in her small apartment. Her savings are nearly gone due to her intensive medical needs and rising cost of living expenses, despite her frugal lifestyle. Our social safety nets should be enough to help support people like her who have done everything they can - but they’re not.

I know so many people who feel completely helpless right now, with the way things are going in the nation and the world. I know I do. I wish there were more ways I could make a difference. If you feel that way too, here is one way you can.

Please consider donating a few dollars towards supporting our dear Carla. Every bit helps her afford what she needs to survive and manage her condition, between living expenses and medications Social Security and Medicare can’t cover. And it’s a little way to say “thank you” for all the years of her life she gave to supporting others.