Help us help Bob

My name is Leigh Eldridge of Lockport, NY. On Wednesday, June 8th, 2023, I was in the Burger King drive-thru when I noticed a gentleman sitting slumped over on his walker with two plastic bags at his feet. My first thought was that he was just resting. I rolled my window down and asked him if he was okay and if he needed anything, to which he replied that he was okay and he didn't need anything. Then I asked if he needed a ride home. He smiled a kind smile with his icy blue eyes, extended his arms, and said, 'This is my home.' I got out of the car, gave him some cash for food, and told him that I live in the area and will continue to check on him.

As soon as I left, I knew there was more to be done. He sat heavily in my heart until the next day when I went back to visit him. I found him in the same spot, sitting on his walker by Burger King. I sat and spoke with him for two hours, during which he told me about the circumstances that led to losing his housing in January. His name is Robert, though he introduced himself as Bob. He's a sober 79-year-old man. He's been in and out of shelters since January, thinking he would eventually find a permanent place to call home again, but that has proven to be much more difficult than anticipated.

On top of being homeless, Bob also has a heart condition, COPD, and diabetes. He has medications that he is still able to have filled through Medicare, but he needs a comfortable place to take care of his health, most importantly, somewhere to lay where he can elevate his feet as his legs are extremely swollen.

From what I've gathered, Bob is a very nice guy. Rough around the edges with the appearance of a man who has stories to tell.

During our time sitting on the curb, there were a handful of people who stopped to check on Bob, knowing him by name. Including Fred of Fred's Pizza in Pendleton. Fred spent about an hour with us on the curb after leaving and returning with a fresh cup of Tim Hortons coffee for Bob. He even had a pizza delivered to Bob at the hotel room we ended up getting him for the night.

Another person I have been in communication with is a woman named Heather of Lockport. Heather helps Bob in any way she can. He has two sets of clothes left (after losing all of his belongings recently after being hospitalized), which she takes home and washes for him so he has clean clothes to wear. She picks up his medications, makes countless phone calls, trying to find him help and housing to no avail.

We have booked him one week in a hotel with a goal of finding him a more permanent housing solution. $1,000+ a week in a hotel is a temporary solution to only one of the problems Bob is facing. He does have social security as well as SNAP benefits, but with nowhere to store fresh food, he is dependent on his walker to get to the grocery stores to eat when Heather is not available to provide transportation.

One of the things I told Bob is that some people are under the impression that he doesn't want help. His response was, 'Why wouldn't I want help?'

BOB NEEDS AND WANTS OUR HELP!

Our goal is to raise funds to secure housing for Bob that is suitable for his health conditions and provides him with the stability and care he desperately needs. These funds will be utilized to cover essential expenses such as:

Help us help Bob regain his dignity, health, and security.