Deep Well Project client stories

 

• KC is 32-years old and works full time in the food and beverage industry.  He works hard, but he lives paycheck to paycheck, largely dependent on tips.  Even though Hurricane Florence missed our island in fall 2018, it did take a toll on the working poor due to many businesses closing down during that week of uncertainty.  KC had $500 towards his rent, but he was coming up short on the balance due because of days missed at work.  Deep Well confirmed with his employer that the restaurant was closed for four full days and that KC received no compensation for those days and then sent his landlord the balance due for his rent, keeping him safe in his home.

 

• Dina is 58-years old and battling a second round with cancer.  The treatments are debilitating and affect every corner of her life, from what foods she’s able to eat, to her ability to parent her teenage son.  Getting through every day is a huge challenge for Dina.  During this crisis, Deep Well helped her with food from our Wellness Pantry, including easy-to-digest, protein-rich shakes to help fortify her in between chemotherapy treatments.  Deep Well also assisted with an electric bill and a rent payment to help her get her feet under her.

 

• Ella has Spina Bifida and her home needed some critical repairs.  Her roof was leaking, and only two rooms in her home had air conditioning — and it was the middle of hot, sultry July.  Deep Well’s Livable Housing team partnered with a roofing company to fix the roof and install a large, combo A/C and heating unit to fully cool/heat her whole living space.  Ella has so many challenges, but Deep Well was able to improve her life in the most fundamental of ways, providing a safe and more comfortable home.

 

• Fred is an elderly resident of Daufuskie who has been battling cancer for over a year and continues to have regular doctor appointments for his treatment.  But Fred needed transportation help, so Deep Well stepped in.  Fred caught the ferry from Daufuskie to Hilton Head, where a Deep Well volunteer picked him up at the dock, got him to his doctor, then returned him to the dock to catch his return ferry home to Daufuskie. 

 

• Gloria and Jorge and their five children are usually self-sufficient, but Jorge injured his foot badly, putting him out of work temporarily from his construction job.  When they showed up at Deep Well’s offices, a coordinated plan emerged to keep the family safe — Deep Well provided groceries so the family didn’t go hungry; Volunteers in Medicine (VIM) treated Jorge’s injury, and Gloria was referred to The Literacy Center for English classes to improve her language skills.

 

• Lisa is 80 years old and doesn’t like to ask anyone for help, but she had lost her glasses and was really struggling to do simple household tasks with limited vision.  She lives very frugally and is proud to keep up with all her monthly bills.  But, a cold snap in January and a heat wave in August bumped her electric bill much higher than normal, leaving her in a tight spot.  Lisa paid the power company the amount of her usual monthly bill, and Deep Well covered the balance of the bill by sending the payment directly to the power company, and then coordinated with the Lion’s Club to get her new glasses. 

 

• Edith is 70 years old, suffers from sickle cell disease and is unable to work.  She was getting by on her $700/month social security check, until the HVAC system in her home died.  Deep Well’s Livable Housing program assessed the home situation and its Board opted to fully gift Edith with a new HVAC system so she could remain in her home, surrounded by neighbors and her church family, who help look after her.   If she hadn’t been able to remain in her home, she might have had to move away from her caring and supportive network, which would have devastated Edith.

 

• When Renee’s marriage ended, both spouses suffered financial stress. Renee worked at a local preschool to support her three children. This past winter, the preschool was closed during the holidays and during our unusual stretch of January “snow days,” leaving Renee with no money for her electric bill. Deep Well paid the bill and also invited her to shop in our pantry for groceries to ensure Renee and the children had food every day while she caught up the household finances.

 

• April came to Deep Well after she received an eviction notice. She is 65 years old and had many medical problems that prevented her from working for a few weeks at the job she had for over six years. April was delaying social security until she was 66, which was a wise long-term decision, but it was putting her in a bind short term. After we confirmed her employment and the missed work, Deep Well paid a full month’s rent for April to bridge the gap.

 

• Tammy is a single mom with four children, whose ages range from 15 down to six.  Her husband deserted the family a few years ago, leaving Tammy as the sole provider.  Because her hours were reduced at her housekeeping job due to the off-season, she was coming up short on her rent payment.  Deep Well validated with her employer that Tammy was an excellent and reliable worker and that the company simply didn’t have more work for her at that time.  So, Deep Well stepped in to cover the short term shortfall, keeping Tammy and her children safe in their home.

 

• Terry lives in her grandmother’s small home, which she inherited when her grandmother passed a decade ago.  Like many older homes, it needs a lot of TLC to keep it up and, with Terry and her partner working full-time, it was difficult to keep up with it all.  It was also difficult to find extra money needed for repairs.  Terry called Deep Well to report that they had no hot water.  After an assessment from our Livable Housing team, Deep Well purchased and installed a new hot water heater to replace the ancient, broken unit.

 

• Kim and Andy came to Hilton Head from Alabama because they heard jobs were plentiful and a “friend of a friend” said they could bunk at his apartment until they found their own place.   They quickly found jobs, but realized that housing costs were still out of their reach, especially once security and utility deposits were factored in.  In two short months, they ran through all their savings and their “friend of a friend” kicked them out, so they were now homeless and visiting Deep Well to do their laundry and use our shower facility.  After confirming that family in Alabama would welcome them home, Deep Well gave Kim and Andy gas cards and food for the trip to get them home where they had a network of help.

 

• Bessie is 92 years old and has Alzheimer's.  One of her devoted daughters lives and cares for Bessie, along with her two grandchildren in their modest home.  When the HVAC system went out this fall, the family called on Deep Well for help, as the $4000 price tag to replace the system was outside their resources.  After assessing the situation, the family pooled resources for a down payment and agreed to a small monthly loan repayment amount, while Deep Well gifted almost half the cost of the equipment and installation to the family.   Finding good solutions in a time of crises is at the core of Deep Well’s mission.

 

• Laura works full time as a housekeeper in a local hotel, and her adult son, Luke, works at a local restaurant.  They live in a trailer with Luke’s two children.  Due to a leak in their laundry room from their ancient washing machine, the Deep Well Livable Housing team came in to fix the leak and repair damaged flooring, while the Deep Well furniture program got them a voucher for a “new to them” washing machine.  Now, this four-person household is in much better shape thanks to programs at Deep Well.

 

• Jan works full time and has custody of her teenage daughter, who, after a tick bite, has been battling a series of serious health issues due to Lyme’s Disease.  While the family does have health insurance, all of the deductibles and many of the doctor-prescribed treatments are not covered by their plan.  Jan and her daughter have traveled to Georgia and Florida to see specialists for her condition.  Deep Well has paid some of the medical bills not covered by insurance and has provided gas cards to help with medical appointment travel expenses for the family.

 

• Harry lives on St. Helena Island and hadn’t been able to eat solid food for several years because he needed dentures.  After visits to the Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Dental Clinic, a treatment plan was created.  But even with the sliding scale income discount offered by the clinic, the cost of upper and lower dentures was out of reach for Harry on his tiny social security income.   Deep Well stepped in and helped fund the cost of the dentures for Harry, and he can now enjoy solid food, including the wonderful fresh vegetables grown on St. Helena.