A Success Story: "Maria Vargas"

Maria Vargas, 91, and her daughter, Jenny, got caught up in a bureaucratic tangle with the Social Security Administration. Speaking through the interpretive services of CARIE's Hispanic representative Mayra Palencia, Maria related this story:

"I have been in this country for 17 years. My daughter and I went back to Colombia to visit our family. I came down with bronchitis and my doctor advised me not to fly due to my age and frail health. We had to stay longer than planned. When we returned I asked the Social Security office to reinstate my survivor's benefits check. They told me my benefits had been reduced from $500 to $350 and that I should consider myself lucky to be receiving even that. They would not provide someone who speaks Spanish.

"I called several agencies who referred me to CARIE because they advocate for the elderly. CARIE contacted the Social Security Administration to have my checks reinstated at the original level they should have been, plus retroactive payments of $1,700.

"Once that was settled, we realized I could get more benefits if I were a citizen. CARIE helped my daughter and me to start the process. We became citizens in 2003. I was able to vote in this past election.

"CARIE also helped me obtain my hearing aids. Then they guided me through the process of getting an apartment.

"I feel more secure and happy being an American citizen. I'm very proud of it. I admire CARIE because they treated us with respect and didn't treat us less because we are immigrants. I can communicate with them in my own language. Muy contenta!"

DONORS WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Philadelphia Foundation, The Barra Foundation and The Lawrence Saunders Fund, and our generous individual donors

*reprinted with permission from The Philadelphia Foundation