Forced into homelessness by injury, woman, 65, seeks help

A 65-year-old woman says her path to homelessness began in March when she suffered multiple fractures in a foot, ankle and lower leg bone. She spent weeks in the hospital, two months in a rehabilitation facility and more than two months in an assisted living facility.

Siblings helped her stay afloat financially, she says, but eventually her insurance coverage ran out. She lost her housing, moved belongings into a storage unit and began sleeping in her car. When weather turned colder, she decided to start staying in a shelter.

While she has past-due bills, she is hoping to begin receiving Social Security benefits soon. In the meantime, she is asking for help paying off bills.

She is among hundreds of area residents seeking help through the Empty Stocking Fund.

The Empty Stocking Fund is a project of The Santa Fe New Mexican. The Santa Fe Community Foundation, Los Alamos National Bank, The Salvation Army, Presbyterian Medical Services and The Life Link donate services to jointly administer the Empty Stocking Fund.

The newspaper will run stories featuring requests for assistance from local residents. The information from the initial application will be verified if the applicant is selected for assistance.

To donate: Make your taxdeductible donation online at www.santafenewmexican.com/ empty_stocking or mail a check to The New Mexican’s Empty Stocking Fund c/o The Santa Fe Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1827, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1827. Donors can request to remain anonymous.

If you can provide a service such as roofing or home repairs, call 505-983-8968.

If you can contribute food, clothing, toys, housewares, furniture, firewood, or other items or services, call 505-988-8054.

If you donate online in honor of a friend or loved one, a custom e-card can be sent from the Empty Stocking Fund to let them know about your contribution, courtesy of the Santa Fe Community Foundation and InSight Foto.

The application process has closed.

Donations

Anonymous (10): $725 Anonymous, in memory of Sen. Edward J. and Elizabeth Anne Lopez: $100 Melanie Barnes: $200 Barbara Klein and CB Bowlds: $150 David Brownlow: $35 City Different Enterprises Inc.: $1,500 Elizabeth Coleman: $100 Lynn Cordahi, in honor of Ellie Gray: $50 Lynn Cordahi, in honor of Dr. Michael Nunnally: $50 Robert Duncan: $100 Eagle Eye Mechanical LLC: $100 George and Kay Eccleston: $250 Jessica Gerber, in honor of Paul Gerber: $20 Linda and Daryl Giddings: $50 Griego Family, in memory of Edward L. Griego: $250 Wayne Lee and A.M. Hernandez: $100 Jeanne Hertz: $1,000 Maureen Hill: $50 Aaryn and Arwen Jackson: $100 Robert and Jan Jahner: $250 Scott and Margaret Jones: $100 Ellen Kleiner: $75 Nancy and Gary Maner: $100 Mary and Timothy Mitchell: $250 Barbara and Mark Mortie: $50 Douglas and Christine Preston: $1,000 Michael Golden and Pamela Schackel: $200 Mellis Schmidt, in memory of Nina Klebanoff: $250 MJoy Ford and Bob Sivinski, in memory of Pat Jahoda: $200 Mr. and Mrs. Doug Tasker: $250 Dan Tellez: $200 Russell Toal: $100 Trouw family, in memory of Alyssa N. Trouw: $500 Trish Vigil, in memory of Frank Browder: $50 Peter Pesic and Ssu Weng: $250 Baron Wolman: $100 Bee Zollo, in memory of Josie Zollo: $25 Total: $8,880 Cumulative Total: $173,756.53