Disaster Recovery- Elders, San Antonio Puerto Rico

The participants income are basically from the Social Security or other governmental aid for food so they don't have enough money to buy articles for their basic needs.   For this reason they frequently need items like:  soap, shampoo, deodorant, tooth brush, tooth paste, towels, blue paths, disposable diapers and hand sanitizer.  For those who has diabetes we give them alcohol, gauze sponges and insulin syringes.  As their income is very low they usually do not buy their medication and this impacts their health.  In some cases we gave them clothes, shoes, pijamas and/or slippers for those who are going to be hospitalized.  Our organization helps them because of their economic limitation. As soon as we identify their needs we prepare a small kit for distribution.  We are grateful to our donors who support our elderly program and who  help us to continue providing our services.

 Participant# 1 - He lives with his brother and both are participants, they need help with personal hygiene.  When he received his basic need kit he said:  "I'm very happy with these items."  He got shampoo, soap, deodorant, shaving foam, tooth paste and brush. 

Participant# 2 -  He is a blind person who lives with his brother and said "Appreciate these items".  His kit contains shaving foam, tooth paste, alcohol pads and soap.

Participant# 3 -  "Just  what I need, I was getting short of these items and don't have enough money to buy them this week" was the expression of this participant who lives alone. 

Besides the basic need items kit distribution we continue with the meal distribution during the weekends and the nurse realizes regular visits to follow up the participants health.