My mom and I volunteered at the Storehouse, and we wanted to look for a family who could really use the $100. I’m sure everyone who went to the Storehouse for food would be in need of $100, but I wanted it to go to people who have had a really hard time, are good people, and still have a positive outlook on life. We got to meet over ten families, and none of them really stuck out to me. It was getting closer to the end of our shift at the Storehouse, so we started to listen to other volunteers’ families.

Then my mom spotted out a couple in the line, and they were blind. She was hoping that we would be the volunteers to help them. But we helped the family before them. It was obvious that they were regulars because the workers went up to the couple and hugged them and talked to them. My mom told me that I need to go talk to them to learn more about them and their struggles. I talked to the husband, and he was completely blind but he was very happy and made jokes about everything. He had a little Tweety Bird keychain tied to his walking stick, and he told me that Tweety goes everywhere with him. That he has been through war with him (joking of course). I asked the husband what he likes to do, and he said he loves to travel to many different places, but he takes the bus because him and his wife are blind. I asked where he travels to; he said all over the city, and that everyday is an adventure because he loves to go to different places. I thought it was so great that even though he barely has any money, and can only travel within the city, but he still thinks it’s the greatest thing. I went back to my mom and said I think this is the family I want to give the $100 to.

She wanted to talk to him as well because I told her that he is funny and likes to joke around. So she asked the volunteer who was helping them if she could help as well, and the volunteer was very thankful because he said it was hard to help them because the wife was blind and he had to help her pick out items, but he couldn’t ask the husband to push the cart because he is blind. So my mom pushed the cart and talked to the husband. He told her that he was shot in the head and that’s why he is blind. She asked what he was doing when this happened, and he said he used to work for the police department. Then later on he told my mom he worked somewhere else. So we believe that the gunshot made him mentally handicap as well. His wife had diabetes, and so her nephew’s wife had to give her a pastry because she was having a sugar reaction.

It came the time where we had to load their groceries into their nephew’s truck, and this was the best time to give them the money. I gave it to the wife because she wasn’t completely blind like the husband, so she could see the envelope a little better. I told her that I was given money from my work, and that I was told to give it to a family in need, so they could have happier holidays. I didn’t tell her how much because there were other families around, and so I was whispering and talking quickly. I told her to hide it, and to share it with her husband. She told me, “Thank you so much, this means a lot to us. I will hide it in my pocket right now.  God Bless You, and I hope you have happy holidays.” She was very grateful, and I hope that she and her husband have great holidays. I am very happy with my decision.

Thank you Payday Inc. for giving me the opportunity to help this couple during the holiday season.