Life
Garbage company saves elderly woman after tip-off that she hasn’t put out trash in weeks
She told him she had no family and he said "you do now." 💘
Melissa Leventhal
02.09.21

For over two weeks in Louisville, Kentucky, an elderly woman hadn’t set her trash out by her local garbage collection company, Hometown Hauling. Jake Bland, an employee from Hometown Hauling had noticed what was happening and what he found out was absolutely heartbreaking.

He knew he couldn’t ignore what he saw and knew he had to act.

WDRB
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WDRB

The coronavirus pandemic has ultimately changed the way we go about our lives. We canceled school for students across the country and shut down businesses, leaving people wondering where their income will come from. Not only were people struggling for income, but the vulnerable population would be wondering how to get their next meal.

Senior citizen centers serving hot meals to the elderly population were forced to shut down due to them being considered in the high-risk category for coronavirus.

Flickr/crayolarabbit
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Flickr/crayolarabbit

There are programs like Meals on Wheels which provide food to seniors. Since the pandemic, they’ve struggled to provide nourishment due to volunteers’ concerns about getting sick or being possibly asymptomatic and spreading it to the seniors in their care.

This 90-year-old woman hadn’t put out her trash because she had no trash to get rid of, since she had no food.

Everyone was heartbroken to hear this reason.

Facebook/Hometown Hauling Company
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Facebook/Hometown Hauling Company

Jake, the company’s operations manager, asked his company’s dispatch to contact the elderly customer.

Employee Bernice Arthur phoned the woman who shared her personal story as to what had happened.

“She just didn’t have nothing to eat and that’s why she had no trash to put out there.”

WDRB
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WDRB

For over two weeks, this elderly woman had no way to leave her home or even to pick up groceries because of the coronavirus pandemic. She eventually ran out of all her food.

She was all alone and starving

Flickr/Justin Sorensen
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Flickr/Justin Sorensen

Hometown Hauling employees couldn’t believe what she told them. It broke everyone’s hearts to discover that she had no way to get out and buy food so she could survive during the traumatic pandemic.

“She has no family, nobody. I said, ‘You do have a family now.’”

Flickr/The National Guard
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Flickr/The National Guard

Jake helped the elderly woman compile a list of groceries.

Then he headed to the grocery store to do her shopping and delivered the groceries that he paid for himself to the elderly woman’s home.

“It was even in a nice neighborhood. You never know what’s going on in your neighbor’s house.”

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Flickr-Stu_Spivak

The elderly woman’s heartbreaking plight illustrates how critical it is to check on senior neighbors and relatives regularly, especially during a global pandemic like the one that has caused such unsettling times due to the coronavirus.

“Had we not reached out to her — she wasn’t reaching out to anyone. It taught me, regardless, check on them. Put something on their porch. Let them know.”

Flickr/Paul Irish
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Flickr/Paul Irish

According to CNN, there are numerous organizations spanning the country that are offering meal support to children, families, and seniors. Sometimes all it takes is a phone call to secure the help that’s desperately needed. A few of them are listed below:

Convoy of Hope delivers meals through partners, churches, and community organizations located across the U.S. They have received requests for assistance from more than 40 states.

Flickr/The National Guard
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Flickr/The National Guard

Operation Blessing has expanded its distribution of food and supplies during the coronavirus after seeing a surge for help of almost 40 percent.

WhyHunger created a Covid-19 Rapid Response Fund to help those considered to be food insecure and launched a crowd sourced map to connect individuals with free meal sites.

Flickr/Assemblies Unlimited Inc.
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Flickr/Assemblies Unlimited Inc.

Chef José Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen. This chef has converted kitchens in some of his restaurants into spaces for community kitchens offering free-to-go lunches for those in need.

People like this bring communities closer in these uncertain times. Make sure to check in on your elders and neighbors, you never know what they could be struggling with.

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