Giving the Gift of Hope
Dear Friends,
How many bridges have you crossed recently? While driving around the beautiful areas of Dare and Currituck mainland and the beaches that range from Carova to Hatteras, we cross many bridges. Eugene Sullivan is no stranger to bridges: a 68-year-old navy veteran, Eugene has lived in Buxton for 40 years. After leaving the navy, he worked as a ship fitter, electrician, plumber whatever it took to make ends meet. Multiple health issues and a non-working truck prevented Eugene from crossing several bridges to keep medical appointments.
“I miss working and always enjoyed it. It has never been my thing to ask for help; it is not easy for me to ask; however I have gotten to the age that I have realized that I do need help.” After speaking with Eugene and with the generous donation of a used truck. I was able to meet Eugene at the DMV and hand him the kevs. “I told her she’s my angel. And I don’t forget people who help me. If I ever win the lottery, I am going to give back to the ICO to help others.
What would you do if an unimaginable crisis happened to you and your family? Who might help you bridge that gap and lift you forward? Stacey and Adam found themselves in a financial crisis with an urgent need for assistance. Stacey, age 50, was going through treatment for lung cancer when her husband Adam, age 41, had a heart attack and required bypass surgery. Adam was hesitant to ask for help but eventually reached out to ICO. ICO worked with his familv and was able to help with bills through our Outreach Program and transportation reimbursement through the Cancer Program. His advice to anyone going through a crisis is “don’t hesitate to call. It’s stressful enough and if it wasn’t for Interfaith Community Outreach, we would have lost our home and our vehicles. ICO has amazing people who were willing to step up. It felt like I was talking with people I’ve known my whole life.”
As we enter this Holiday Season, ICO would like to thank you for any past support that helped us assist when members of our community needed help crossing a few bridges as they faced difficult circumstances. To continue our outreach we need your ongoing support. All gifts big and small are needed so that ICO may honor our vision of Bridging The Gap when neighbors find themselves in need of a helping hand. Thank you for your generosity and compassion.
In gratitude,
Jennifer Albanese,
Executive Director
