Click HERE for Irene’s video story
Irene’s smile is warm and genuine, and she shares it often. It’s no wonder that she is a favorite at the Black Diamond Senior Center where (pre-Covid) she worked with the seniors who came for lunches. Irene’s part time job helped supplement her social security income and helped her get by. “Even with my part time job and social security, it wasn’t easy. One of my co-workers pointed out that I am below the poverty level. But I don’t focus on that. When you’re on your own, you have to figure out ways to survive and still be happy. And, I’m a happy person,” Irene said, peppering us with her infectious laugh. “I just try to live. I don’t get fancy-dancy or anything.”
Irene explained that she has always shopped the ads and coupons for groceries and is an expert at seeking out the extreme discount racks at clothing stores. She lives in a mobile home, her least expensive option for housing. Last year, when Irene’s furnace went out, she suddenly had to decide between rent, food, or fix the furnace. After some encouragement from a co-worker, Irene met with POM’s Outreach Case Manager who traveled to Black Diamond to meet with people who couldn’t get to Enumclaw. POM was able to help Irene with her rent so she could fix her furnace, and enrolled her in a Federal utility program called LIHEAP which gives Irene a little bit of extra money each month for her utility bill. “I wouldn’t have known about these programs if it wasn’t for POM. Now, instead of setting my thermostat at 55 this winter, I can turn it up to 64!” Irene exclaimed with a huge smile.
But, as with so many living on the edge, Covid disrupted Irene’s ability to manage. The Senior Center had to close and Irene lost her job. “I’m a single gal. I’ve never had jobs that paid a lot, but I’ve worked my whole life,” Irene said. “So, when I told my Case Manager what happened, she said, ‘Irene! We can get you on unemployment!’, and I was so surprised!” Irene and her Case Manager worked together for three months and finally Irene’s unemployment came through. “We talked constantly,” Irene said, holding back tears, “She’s like my friend. I just don’t know what I’d do without her.”
It was hard for Irene to make that first step of coming to POM for help. “In my head I guess, I was afraid I’d get the run around, or that I might not qualify because, at the time, I had a part time job.” But Irene found a very different experience than the one she had in her head. “Here I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel like a second-class citizen. I don’t feel bad now calling for help.”
The very first line in POM’s statement of values, which hangs front and center on our wall, is ‘We value the dignity of all people.’ When Irene heard that she said, “That’s the word! Dignity! Yes…dignity.” We are privileged to help the Irenes in our community and we continue to be humbled by a community that honors that dignity and cares for our neighbors in need through POM.
To hear Irene tell her own story (she’s seriously amazing, you won’t regret spending a few minutes with her) click HERE.