Clients
The population of Hilton Head Island was reported as 37,000 in the 2010 Census Data, While the island boasts a median income 40% above the national average, there are also:
7% of our population, some 2,600 islanders, living below the poverty line.
Thousands more work at lower level jobs that often provide for day to day living, but do not allow for any misfortune, such as sickness or injury. They have no safety net.
Island Packet - November 22, 2011
Needs for Deep Well --
and its clients -- increase again this year -
By ALLISON STICE
Most of the people who turn to The Deep Well Project for help don't
have tragic stories to tell, executive director Betsy Doughtie said.
Instead, they're families on tight budgets for whom an unexpected
expense -- a car repair, for example -- means they can't pay this
month's electricity bill or afford this week's groceries. The most
common story Deep Well volunteers hear during the holiday season is
from workers whose hours have been cut. "Those little daily
disasters make all the difference," Doughtie said.
The nonprofit organization has helped 2,497 people so far in 2011.
That's an increase from 1,784 people who requested assistance during
the same period last year.
Read more:
http://www.islandpacket.com/2011/11/22/1872773/needs-for-deep-well-and-its-clients.html
A Recent Need
Deep Well provides a hand up, not a hand out, to those temporarily unable to make ends meet. Even water can present a problem when you have a small income.
Being in the circumstance of mounting debt can be a tragedy in many
ways. Many elderly and disabled people are caught in such a bind
when their small fixed incomes are not enough to cover the
unexpected increased cost of a necessity.
Such was the case with
Ellen, a native Islander living on the slim income of $600 per
month. She called Deep Well for assistance when her water bill has
climbed to $383. The Water Company, by request, sent Deep Well her
payment and charges history and she had been paying something on her
bill every single month. She had a leak last year which greatly
increased her bill and she could never seem to get paid off or get
ahead. Also, the downside of replacement of her septic tank with a
new sewer line was that she now had to pay monthly sewer charges.
The increased fees plus the cost of the leak meant she was so far
behind, she would never be able to get caught up with her small
fixed income.
Thanks to our generous
donors, Deep Well was able to pay a significant portion of Ellen’s
bill.
Such
generosity
will continue to help many islanders to have
the basic necessities of life, such as food, water and shelter and
to help them through their time of need. On behalf of our
clients and the Board of Directors, thank you.
Deep Well reaches deep for islanders in need. When they find themselves in a helpless position due to no fault of their own, it is our community responsibility to help them with those basic needs.
Statistics from the 2010 Census Data, and the 2006 Census Data Estimates. While names have been changed in this story to protect the beneficiary's identity, this is one of our real cases and his story is true.