Page 11 - HFA Dateline 2021 Q3 Fall

federal unemployment benefits offered through the apartment. He lived in a tent while trying to find a lead on
American Rescue Plan Act expired September 4. Eviction a new job or get approved for the Supplemental Security
moratoriums are only in effect in a handful of states. Income program.
And families still have bleeds, hospitalizations, births and
deaths, unexpected financial emergencies. The “typical” LaToya* cares for her son who uses a wheelchair because
emergencies are layered on to the ongoing emergency of of joint issues. Their SNAP food benefits randomly stopped
the pandemic. Here are a few examples of the situations eight months ago, but she is so overwhelmed with the
our community members face: health and work issues that she hasn’t been able to make
the phone calls to get the administrative issue resolved.
Robert* and Kanti* had a
newborn who experienced The financial need in our

bleeding issues right after birth. community is persistent. The
Robert had to miss work to care NEED virus is relentless. The flow of
for their other children while referrals to our programs is
Kanti and the baby were in the continuous.
hospital. The missed paychecks
left them without enough HELP? I do not know how long it
money for rent. will take for these beloved
community members to
Diane’s* daughter has recover—financially and
hemophilia A. Two family To learn more about Helping Hands otherwise—from the effects
members temporarily moved programs, visit www.hemophiliafed. of COVID-19. All of us are still
in with them to escape a org/helpinghands. living in a pandemic while
hurricane, adding to expenses. simultaneously trying to cope
Then the house was infested Visit our Patient Assistance Portal with and heal from its impacts.
with bedbugs and Diane could for resources about financial
not afford to replace her assistance, financial planning, What I do know is that
daughter’s bed. manufacturer assistance for Gavin and Nieve received
HFA Emergency Assistance,
medications, mental health and
With diabetes and a history of more at www.hemophiliafed.org/ COVID-19 Relief, and Disaster
heart trouble, Shane*, who has patientassistanceportal. Assistance to cope with the
von Willebrand disease, was multifaceted emergencies
at high risk for COVID-19. Plus, Learn about employment rights they faced over 18 months.
schooling for their children and career planning in the “Planning All the community members
went virtual, so they decided to Office” on Learning Central at in situations like the ones
leave their job and stay home www.hfalearning.org. above spoke with a Helping
to avoid the risk of death from Hands staff person who cared
COVID-19 and help the children For mental health resources about them, and all received
with online school. As a single and tips, see https://bit.ly/ assistance from Helping Hands
parent, Shane needed help to HFAMentalHealthResources or www. in one form or another.
pay the rent until they could hemophiliafed.org/recursos-de-
figure out a new plan. salud-mental. If you are in crisis, text Helping Hands must continue
to provide help, and hope, to
“HOME” to 741-741 to reach a trained
Francesca* has a rare platelet our community. We must ensure
disorder. She cleans houses crisis counselor. that funding flows to keep pace
for a living and lost a lot of with the flow of referrals. We
work because people did not must be relentlessly generous
want visitors in their homes during the pandemic. She is and persistently compassionate. 2022 will mark 25 years
undocumented so she was not eligible for most benefits. since the Helping Hands program began. We have stood
Her water bill was two months overdue and at risk of beside families who endured the HIV crisis, stock market
disconnection. and housing market crashes, hurricanes, global recessions
and now a pandemic. With your support, we will continue
Will*, who has hemophilia B, lost his mother and to stand with families, whatever may come.
grandmother to COVID-19. In his depression and without
their financial help, he lost his job, his car and his Donate to Helping Hands at
www.hemophiliafed.org/donate.
* Names and some details were changed to preserve anonymity. FALL 2021 11