Thread by @HarvestHillsYYC

Earlier today we were in downtown #yyc handing out water & gatorade and fruit, when we decided to stop & have a break by the Cat Cafe...when we came upon a senior lady rummaging through the city's garbage bins.

#Yyccc #Calgary #Alberta #Canada #SeniorLiving #seniorcare #Seniors

We thought she was looking for bottles to turn in for money but we were wrong. She was looking for both bottles & she was also taking food out of the bins & putting it in her cart.

As soon as we saw that we went over to offer her our help.

#Help #Community #Compassion #BeKind

We went over, asked if we could get her a cold drink & a snack & asked her if she'd like to join us on our break.

She accepted. We went into the coffee shop across from the Cat Cafe (Forgot Name), grabbed some drinks & snacks and sat down in the shade across the street. #Hope

We are angry/mad & frustrated to see seniors, people that are responsible for us being here are being treated the way they are.

She said she lives in an apartment for seniors here in #DowntownCalgary She is on a fixed income/pension that barely covers her rent/food & meds. #YYC

She went on to say that she walks the streets during the day looking for bottles & people to offer change because she struggles to make ends meet at the end of the month.

So that is why we saw her taking food/bottles out of the bins.

#abhealth #yyccc #yyclife #CalgaryLiving

She is ashamed to have to do that but she decided to start early this month so she would have enough to eat & pay for issues if any come up.

She also collects bottles/food for others in her building that don't get out as much as she.

#CareIsEssential #community #compassion #yyc

She asked us what we were doing here in downtown Calgary when it is so hot out. We said we were out handing water/snacks & fruit to anyone who needed it without asking anything in return.
#truth #yyc #yyccc #yycliving #yycnow #yyclocal #calgary #calgarylife #calgaryalberta #YEG

We then told her that we would love to help her with a food hamper as well as offer our help to anyone else in her building.

She said she knew of a gentleman that is in worse need than she is. She said he was surviving on eating cornflakes and plain noodles.

#calgaryevents #yyc

She said she would love it if we could help him before we helped her...when we said "How about we help both of you and as many others as we can in your building too?"

She looked at us with tears in her eyes and said really? You'd do that for us?

We said "Yes, Why Wouldn't we?"

She started to cry.(😊We really need to pack kleenex with us😊) She said thank you a million times.

We decided to end our afternoon, head to her apartment so she could introduce us to the gentleman.

#donate #raiseawareness #Love #charity #help #EmergencyHelp #Emergency #Yeg

We got to her building, she went in and introduced us to Gerry.

All of us went and sat down on a bench by the entrance and we chatted about what the needs of everyone living there were, what was most needed, and what other help we could offer everyone in the building.

#giveback

For the next 2 hours, we sat & listened to every struggle they went through every month for the last 2 years. Just to simply SURVIVE!

We listened to them list their problems they had while just surviving on their old age pension.

They all said that Pension Poverty is real! #YYC

A few people stopped by and asked what we were doing, so we told them and we soon had a group of 6 seniors that had no qualms about telling us just how bleak some of their lives were.

#Giveback #Poverty #TimeToHelp #Humanity #Food #Help #Aid #Donate #Hope #Community #EndHunger

Many of the seniors living there face harsh choices between paying rent and eating, or they are forced to work or beg for money just to be able to make ends meet every month.

#SocialGood #Funding #Fundraiser #TeamWork #Volunteering #Events #thursdayvibes #ThursdaySoLoveMG #love

We took down everyone's information & told them that we are committed to helping them by at the very least providing everyone there with a food hamper that they know included items they could eat & not have to throw out.

Everyone was glad that we stopped to help *Miss V* out!

So this is what we need everyone's help with.

We would like to do a food donation drive for specific items that have been requested by these seniors.

We also need funds so we're able to purchase items they requested as well as fill some medication prescriptions too. #calgary

Please DM us for more information or if you would like to volunteer for this specific item food donation drive.

Our donation info is as follows:

Etransfers

[e-mail]

PayPal

HarvestHillsCaresCalgary.Ca

GoFundMe

GoFund.Me/4436e202

#Help #Seniors

A list of specific items will be posted in a comment on this twitter thread

If you can #Share, #Retweet or #Tag a friend or business please do!

@Crackmacs @CaptCanuck6 @Jodie11649884 @IAmJodiHughes @CTVNews @CTVCRoebuck @CTVCalgary @ABdoc4patients @RileyinAlberta @von_elizabeth

@CalgaryCtzn @Kerry87183816 @IwroteIT @SavageYyc @DanielleLarivee @YycNDPNe @VirginiaCTV @kevinwittak @phyland58 @TerrencePaul5 @paul_yyc @BuckleyTeri @ArleneDickinson @bifnaked @DrJayDrNo @Oh_Pfff @maxfawcett @REMAXCompleteSE @servicerotties @VancityReynolds @QueerNativeYYC

Here are a list of some of the problems that seniors here in Calgary face daily:

1.) Senior women, single seniors, and ethnic minorities struggle the most. It's especially hard if you live far away from family & have been isolated from your friends because of the pandemic. #yyc

2.) Pensioner Poverty is real...and that's wrong! Failing support systems, underlying trends in rent and housing and pensions....just means that the poverty level for seniors is just going to continue to rise even higher as the pandemic rages forward.

#Calgary #Alberta #Canada

3.) In this building alone, the group we sat with figured that one out of every five seniors that live here are either at the poverty line, below the poverty line or are struggling in silence because they feel ashamed.

#Poverty #PovertyLine #RentRelief #FoodSecurity #Community

We here @HarvestHillsYYC believe that everyone should have a dignified life. With so many seniors here in #Calgary living just barely above the poverty line, below the poverty line, or are struggling in silence for fear of being ridiculed.

#Compassion #StickTogether #Humanity

This isn't the kind of society we want! We need to take care of everyone! As we live longer lives, there needs to be targeted action taken to reduce poverty among not only seniors, but among every facet of society! NO MATTER THE DEMOGRAPHIC!

Because in the end we are all HUMAN!

Items needed:

-Easy to prepare meals
-Kraft Dinner
-Ichiban noodle cups
-Canned Soup
-Canned Vegetables
-Olive Oil
-Grocery Store Gift Cards (To Purchase Fresh Fruit & Vegetables)

Please DM if you can help with these items and we will arrange pick up or drop off.