ANY size bed in reasonably good condition will do. Table and chairs in good condition on the smaller side would be very helpful - she has neither, just a mattress.
There is a very poor elderly woman in my building. She is too proud to ask for help, and one time, when she asked me for help because her pipes burst and she had a flood in the house, I noticed there were no working ceiling lights in the living room/hallways. I offered to change the lightbulbs for her, but she said it was the fixtures. I brought new fixtures and an electrician who agreed to replace them on a voluntary basis (Micky, from Mar Hashmal - he's that type of guy) and he went with me to knock on her door. She wouldn't open it, yelled at us that she doesn't need charity (she does) and wouldn't speak to me for 6 months afterwards. I thought Micky would be able to persuade her to let us do this, bc he can be charming when he wants and he usually is with older people. But no.
Fast forward to March and she broke her hip or something, was out of the building - YASS! opportunity to force the mitzvah on her while she's out of the house. Her brother and sister-in-law were bringing in a couch (she had no furniture) and we got to talking, they showed me the bathroom - the toilet barely working with no seat at all on it, and the shower/bath non-working and plugged with a thousand plastic bags. The stove/oven didn't work and the fridge door doesn't close (she needs a working refrigerator still too) They applied with her social worker for a government grant for renovations - the bathroom was redone. Micky replaced her circuit board as a volunteer. I reached out to Tnufa Bakehila and they replaced the ceiling lights, outlets and are doing some painting too. Now, the apartment looks almost livable, and the lady herself, having moved from a hospital to a 'novshon' rehab center, is about ready to come home. -ish.
Wouldn't it be great if she had a proper bed? And a small table and chairs to eat on? I know it is hard to fathom, but...this is the stubborn woman who yelled at me when I tried to have Micky replace her light fixtures with working ones. She's been very alone for a long time, and neighbors are wary of befriending her, bc she does yell. But maybe..when she has a nice apartment (she owns it, poor as she is, straight out, and has lived here forever) with working appliances and plumbing and electricity...and maybe some furniture? Just maybe...she'll have a better quality of life and be more willing to socialize with others?
email me at
[email protected] if you can provide the bed or the table and chairs for free - if you can't deliver, her brother and I will try to arrange pickup from your house.
Sooner the better, once she moves back in, our window of opportunity to help may be closed. Please be in touch?
