Ex-addict seeks help with bills
A man who says he has been struggling with homelessness and drug addiction for the last three years is undergoing treatment with suboxone and is proud to say he hasn’t used heroin for more than six months.
“For the first time in three years, I am really getting my life together and maintaining sobriety,” he wrote.
He has been doing construction work and receiving assistance through a local shelter. He managed to save enough to buy a used car that gets him to his job and to medical appointments. However, work slowed with the arrival of winter and the clutch and brakes on his car are beginning to fail. He is hoping for help paying for those repairs.
In another case, a single unemployed father says he needs help covering his rent while he looks for a job. He also needs a new set of tires for the vehicle he uses to take his children to and from school and day care.
They are among hundreds of area residents asking for 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 875041827. 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.