Recently, at an event hosted by the Broad Street United Methodist Church
in Columbus, where volunteers gave away nearly 900 boxes of food for holiday
meals, we had the opportunity to really get to know some of the people we were
attempting to help. It is through these interactions that we can perform one of
our most important roles as benefit counselors, namely that of lending an ear
to our clients and taking the opportunity to listen to their stories.
For me one of the most memorable moments at this event was a
conversation with a woman who, while waiting for her ticket to be called,
stopped over to see just what The Ohio Benefit Bank was all about. This
strong-willed woman was trying to raise two grandchildren on an income that was
extremely limited. She was already enrolled in SSDI, but she expressed a strong
desire to find some sort of work, and a frustration that she had been unable to
do so due to the injury that had disabled her.
It was because of her desire to contribute more that she was
initially so excited about the Senior Community Service Employment Program, but
she was unfortunately a few years shy of the minimum age to qualify. However,
there were a few other ways in which we could try to alleviate some of the
pressures in her life. We were able to help her apply for a Golden Buckeye card
for herself and for entrance into the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for her
grandchildren!
Thanks to Broad Street United Methodist Church for inviting us out
to such a great event!
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