Vicky Padmos

Please Help Barbara Perkowski Get Back on the Road to Serve the Unhoused of Pocono Mountains Community. I’m reaching out on behalf of someone whose quiet, consistent service has shaped the Pocono Mountains community for decades. Barbara’s work left such an impression on me that I feel compelled to speak up for her since I'm currently visiting PA. I personally know Barbara, I’ve worked with her, and I’ve seen how many lives she touches. I met Barbara years ago when I worked for Integra Home Counseling in Tannersville PA, through the unhoused outreach program she and her late husband Ray built from the ground up. During the pandemic, my mother and I made hundreds of masks, and many of them went directly to Barbara so she could protect the people she served. She has always been the person who shows up in the woods, in tents, down back roads, wherever someone is struggling and forgotten. For more than 20 years, Barbara has been a lifeline for those who fell through the cracks: veterans, widows, people displaced by accidents or loss, and individuals frozen in fear with no idea where to turn. She brings food, clothing, survival supplies, and most importantly, dignity and understanding. Her own lived experience allows her to connect with people in ways few can. Barbara and Ray, helped establish the county’s first homeless day center, the first emergency cold‑weather shelter, advisory boards, food pantries, and countless outreach efforts. Even now, while disabled and on limited income, she continues helping as much as her body allows. But today, she cannot continue her work, not because she doesn’t want to, but because she simply cannot reach the people who depend on her. Her van full of supplies for people that she has used for years now needs a full engine replacement. Her backup vehicle, a 2003 Jeep she spent all her savings on, unfortunately turned out to be a lemon with major mechanical issues that make it unsafe and unreliable. Without a functioning vehicle, Barbara cannot get to the individuals she checks on weekly, many of whom live deep in the woods and rely on her visits to survive. Barbara used to drive over 50 miles several days a week to reach multiple unhoused individuals. Right now, she can’t reach any of them and the community feels her absence. We are hoping to raise enough funds to either: #1-repair her van using the funds raised and find a mechanic willing to donate their time to repair it or #2- if possible, purchase a reliable used vehicle so she can continue her mission. By helping Barbara, you are directly helping the people she serves, people who would otherwise remain unseen and unsupported. If you cannot donate, please consider sharing this link with friends, local businesses, churches, community groups, or anyone who believes in supporting grassroots outreach. Barbara has spent her life helping others. Although I’m no longer a part of this community, we still keep in touch and I know her concern. Now the community needs our help to get her back on the road. Thank you for caring, sharing, and supporting her mission. A note from Barbara: "Thank you for reading this and your consideration. May unexpected blessings find you when you need them most."