Ms. Dee
This week our highlighted “Case of the Week” is from our Lexington, KY office as written by our Regional Manager Donna Lillis.
I will call her Ms. Dee. She is one of our homeless veterans. She is one of the nicest people I have met, very humble lady. She was in the Army almost 6 years. Afterward she got married and had one son. Her husband left her and she was forced to get a divorce. Struggling she did manage to work and raise her son. Then he moved from NC to Lexington KY. She decided to move here to be close to her son last year. She tried to find work and it didn’t work out to stay with her son.
She found her self homeless for the first time in her life. She came into the office to see if we could help her. She didn’t have rent or utility bills, nor a place to cook food. She did find a woman’s shelter that accepted her. They tried to find her a job. On one of her visits here she picked out some work clothes from our clothes donations. I told her they were free and she said I don’t have any money but I can help straighten the clothes for you. She spent about 3 hours sorting the clothes neatly.
Every time she came in she had a large tote bag that held all of her belongings, couldn’t leave anything at the shelter. She had no transportation so she had to take the Lex-Tran Bus to and from the shelter. She was so excited she had gotten a job at Wal-Mart. We had become friends and she couldn’t wait to share the good news. She picked a few more clothes, tooth paste, tooth brush, shampoo, soap, lotion and few other things. I am glad we were able to help her out. She had overheard me talking about my brother who has been in ICU for over 2 months. She asked me his name and said she would be praying daily for him.
A few days later she stopped in to ask about my brother. I said how is the job going? She hung her head and shaking no. It didn’t work out. I said now what are you going to do Ms. Dee? She said I want to go back to NC where my church and friends are. I do not belong here. I am not a person that can live homeless. I will have to stay until I get work to buy a bus ticket. I ask her how much and she had checked on it at the library on line. I said when do you want to go? She said as soon as possible. I called Bob and ask him if Veterans’ Outreach can send her to NC. He agreed and I printed her ticket off to leave the following day. Tears from both of us flowed. Ms. Dee said I can never thank you and Veterans’ Outreach enough. I’ll be praying your brother, you and veterans Outreach. She had a 25-hour bus drive ahead of her.
Monday morning, I received a nice email from a library in NC (she had no phone)
Hello Mrs. Donna,
How are you and your brother doing? I just want to thank you and Veterans’ Outreach again and let you know I made it safely to NC.
Praying,
Ms. Dee