A Typical Dilemma

I often recieve heartbreaking phone calls from people who are in desperate need of help while I'm at Red Cross. It is so hard to tell someone you can't help when you know they have no one else to help them. I still remember the first week I started working here, when an older man sent us a letter explaining the massive debt he was in due to the fire in his mobile home. He was severely injured in the fire and disability was his only source of income. He had no family and was in his late 80's. His mobile home had burned down in the fire and he was currently living in an abandoned camper. He had no electricity or running water. He couldn't pay the hospital bills from his injury in the fire. He was scared and worried for his life.

It is so hard to hear these stories, but they are pretty regular when working as a caseworker at Red Cross. You have to be able to tell someone no I'm sorry we can't help you anymore, even though you want to more than anything. I had another call today from a man in a similar situation that we were not able to help. It makes you feel really grateful to have family and friends to fall back on in the event of a disaster. Some of these people are all alone and have no one to help them when times get tough. I just try to think of all the people we are able to help when this happens. However, it really never gets easier having to tell someone no you can't help.