Touching Lives, Gifting Hope
The CHF team is also actively involved in the Grocery Distribution for the differently-abled. Our society is struggling to make it through the pandemic. But hidden among them is the Differently-abled community which is struggling to make ends meet, with mouths to feed at home, it is indeed a heartbreaking sight. CHF is committed to the cause of the Differently-abled people, helping them to overcome this crisis and bring their stories to light The start of the Differently-abled upliftment program was in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu. Slowly we covered areas in other districts of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Andhra, Delhi and Mumbai also. Your donations kept the program going regularly the whole of this year. Before every grocery distribution drive, we conduct surveys in the slums and low-income housing communities and identify families with differently-abled people who are genuinely suffering due to the pandemic. During the survey, our volunteers study the area to identify the differently-abled people who are in need, talk to them and get to know them personally even before we go for the distribution. We found that many were even unable to afford their daily food due to lack of job opportunities.
Each of our Grocery packages consists of rice, pulses, oil, sugar, salt, spices and other provisions needed for a month. Our support does not end with mere grocery distribution. For the people whom we have identified, we also support them with mobility devices, education, health care and have also helped a few covid patients to clear their medical bills.
Like several people who lost their jobs during the lockdown, Shyam Kumar, an enthusiastic man who supported his wife and children with his monthly income of Rs.15,000 as an accountant, had lost his job. He has been affected with polio since childhood and has already overcome many hurdles to be self-sufficient and support his family. We found him in a motorized modified scooter selling tea at Perambur, with much pain and difficulty, working hard for hours together and not earning enough. After speaking to him, we decided to help him by providing him with a new pair of crutches that he requested and said would make it easier for him to commute. He is so grateful for the support and suggested that setting up a small shop would help him more. With our donor’s support in future; we are sure that we will be able to meet this specific need of many differently-abled people.
Our first wheelchair donation at Catherine Hope Foundation!
Shrijan is one of our most beloved special child beneficiaries and the recipient of our wheelchair. When he was small, his mother had to carry him around wherever they needed to go. His mother was thrilled and overjoyed to receive this donation for her son. He can now sit on a playground and watch the kids play while enjoying his evening.
We hosted a program for children with special needs & their families. We talked about life as they know it and they shared heartwarming anecdotes from their everyday lives. Read More
On 3rd December 2021, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Catherine Hope Foundation organised a small program for children with special needs. 12 such children came to our Center at Ennore along with their parents and guardians. We spent quality time with the families, talking to them about their day-to-day life, the struggles and challenges that they face every day.
It was an eye-opener for all of us to hear the mothers speak about their daily life. Every time we meet these children and their families, it always warms our heart to see how the children interact with each other and how they care for each other. If a child is crying or feeling uncomfortable, another child with special needs will make it a point to go and comfort the child. These little gestures of kindness are huge lessons for us to learn from these children. At the end of the day, we sent them home with a month's ration of groceries. What a wonderful way to celebrate 3rd December!!
During our Grocery Distribution Drive in Parrys and Moore Market, we met three vibrant individuals who have been visually challenged since birth and still managed to complete their post-graduation overcoming many hurdles in the course. They are now staying in a cramped and poorly ventilated room in Parrys, Chennai, and are continuously hoping to find a job with their qualification. We were touched by their story and asked them how we could help them. They requested a table fan because of the scorching heat conditions in Chennai and we were able to provide them with a new one along with rations. They now have much better ventilation and are hopeful that they will find a proper job according to their qualifications that will improve their livelihood significantly.