Sitting in her favorite chair with the afternoon sun peeking through the window, Nancy smiles as she hears the knock on her door.

Not long ago, her many debilitating medical setbacks had left her feeling isolated, scared and with little hope.

But today was different, and thanks to your support, Nancy is much better able to manage her limitations, maintain her independence, and view the future with renewed hope.

“What am I going to do?”

Living alone on a fixed income with chronic medical conditions, 2020 was not kind to Nancy. She fell and broke her hip in February and had to have major abdominal surgery in April. She recalls thinking, ‘I can barely move, no way can I get myself to the doctor’ – I just laid there worried, wondering, ‘what am I going to do?’”

Her situation brightened, however, when she heard about CareGivers, the Catholic Charities NH program that helps older adults like Nancy better live independently and avoid isolation through rides to medical appointments, food delivery, and emotional support services. Caring Rides volunteers helped Nancy get to important medical appointments during her recovery.

But 2021 brought more challenges and heartache. Nancy was the driver in a single-car accident that resulted in her giving up her license.

“They told me afterward that I was legally blind and had to stop driving,” she remembers. “I just thank the Lord that I didn’t hit a child.”

With her physical condition deteriorating, soaring medical bills and limited mobility, Nancy felt alone and desperate.

“I felt very frightened. I sat in my chair and cried,” she says, “But CareGivers saved me before with rides to the doctor and, thankfully, they came into my world once again.”

“What would I do without it?”

Nancy reached the door and opened it. A smiling CareGivers volunteer entered with two large bags full of groceries. Caring Cupboard volunteers make monthly grocery deliveries to homebound older adults in Greater Manchester and Nashua, providing fresh meat, vegetables and dairy, as well as dry goods.

For most like Nancy, these deliveries help ease financial burdens and provide vital nutrition. Without them, she would likely face food insecurity, unsure where her next meal may come from.

“I can now open my refrigerator and see fresh milk, orange juice and eggs,” she marvels. “On the first Thursday of every month, I can count on groceries coming to get me to the next month. What would I do without it?”

Nancy still struggles each day with her medical conditions, but her heart fills with gratitude for the blessings that have kept her going – the rides, the food deliveries, the volunteers, and the donors that make this all possible.

“The volunteers and donors are so kind and give of themselves and keep me going,” she shares. “I give you my deepest, heartfelt thanks.”