Faces Of Poverty

Client Stories

Valerie

When Valerie first came to volunteer in the Truckloads of Help warehouse, she was so shy she wouldn’t get out of her car.  Valerie had a debilitating social anxiety disorder which required medication to control panic attacks.  When she was finally “coaxed” out of her car and came into the building, staff introduced her to Beth, another ADC recipient volunteering at the Center.  As Valerie became acquainted with Beth and the other volunteers, her true personality began to shine, and she gradually realized medication was no longer necessary to control her social phobias and panic attacks.

Beth

Beth, a single mother receiving ADC payments, came to the Center after years of struggling with substance abuse problems.  At first, Beth was very anxious, withdrawn, and phobic.  She had been isolated for years and was hesitant to participate in any activities.  Finally, Beth came out of her shell and adopted the Center as if it were her long-awaited sanctuary.  She quickly became a mentor to her peers, loved to give tours of the facility, and brightened everyone’s days with her positive outlook and can-do spirit.

Because we were all so impressed with Beth’s capabilities, she was offered a full-time job at the Center.  Beth was thrilled with this new opportunity and couldn’t wait to get started.  Unfortunately, several days later we received the tragic news that Beth had passed away.  Apparently, all her prior years of substance abuse had finally taken its toll.  Beth is still missed by all those at the Center who were privileged to have known and worked with her.