Stories of Impact
By The Numbers
When Elizabeth, 82, was assaulted by her daughter, responding police found there was no heat or food in her home and referred her to CARIE.
Our Advocate learned that Elizabeth owed money to the gas company and had been threatened with eviction. Although Elizabeth had applied for assistance to pay her gas bill, bureaucratic errors and misplaced paperwork prevented her from getting the help she needed.
We worked with Elizabeth to collect the necessary documents and then made sure her applications for assistance moved forward. We helped Elizabeth file for victim’s compensation and a Protection from Abuse order. Her landlord agreed to withdraw a threatened eviction while Elizabeth received housing counseling and developed a plan to pay what she owed.
With CARIE’s help Elizabeth’s heat was restored, eviction was averted, and she received emergency assistance to help her through the crisis. Now, Elizabeth could enjoy something most of us take for granted, warmth in winter.
Ensuring that Elizabeth was able to be safe and secure in her home required multiple staff, fifty-five phone calls, six office visits and more than twenty hours of staff time. This is what makes CARIE different and so essential. Older adults can come to CARIE with any challenge(s) and we will help work through them. At no cost.
By providing advocacy, information and assistance CARIE supports elders’ ability to live with dignity and the greatest independence and well-being possible. Frontline knowledge of gaps in services and the barriers that elders confront in seeking needed resources that we learn of by helping individuals like Elizabeth informs our systems advocacy for programs and policies that better serve all older adults. This is CARIE’s unique “case-to-cause” model of advocacy.
We know that the older population is growing while the safety net that protects their health, economic security and quality of life is increasingly threatened. As we approach the end of our fiscal year, we are asking you to help ensure that CARIE can continue to be a strong advocate for all the older adults and caregivers who need us. Thank you so much for supporting CARIE!
