Families in Need

An Almoner's Story: A $649 sewing machine makes all the difference.

Doris and Gary have four children, ages 3 to 15. Doris worked cleaning offices at the World Trade Center from 1990 through 2002. After the 9/11 attack, she was assigned to clean-up work at Ground Zero and Trinity Church, where she witnessed human remains being collected for forensic examination as well as terrible suffering all around her.

As a result, she experienced frequent, immobilizing panic attacks, and was finally diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. At the same time, her physical health deteriorated due to her exposure to dust and chemicals, and she developed severe pulmonary disease. Although she wore a mask while she worked, it was not designed to block chemicals such as dioxin, asbestos and lead.  Doris has been too disabled to work for the past ten years.

Her husband Gary holds two jobs: full-time short order cook and part-time messenger. He earns enough to cover the family's rent, utilities, food and incidentals, but there is not enough money left over after these bills have been paid to buy school clothes for the children. As a result, the children have always relied on hand-me-downs from relatives and friends. Their oldest daughter is now in 8^th grade, and is ashamed that her clothing is often ill fitting and worn. Her anxiety about school has hurt her previously excellent academic performance.

After visiting the family several times in their home, I used $649 from my Havens allocation to purchase a sewing machine, fabric, and patterns for Doris, who is a skilled seamstress. Doris now designs and sews most of her children's clothes, and earns extra money sewing and mending for other families. She hopes to start her own home-based business as a seamstress in the future. Her daughter is once again at the head of her 8th grade class.

Note: for confidentiality, names have been changed and photo does not depict the actual people discussed here.