People come in all shapes and sizes to River City Community Services, but one of our latest arrivals stood out. Wearing a clean, bright summer dress, this elderly woman - we'll call her Libby -- carried her suitcase up the stairs to our midtown office. Her story unfolded slowly, as she fished out her out-of-state identification card and told me that she had no food, and no place to stay.
Apparently this 85-year-old woman had traveled from Idaho to live with one of her children in Pioneer, a small town about 10 miles northeast of Jackson, in the Gold Country. What happened there she wouldn't discuss, but it was clearly unpleasant enough to cause her to strike out on her own for Sacramento, without any support. Elder abuse came to mind, but she was reticent to share details.
After Libby turned up at the Hart Senior Center, staff there suggested that she come to River City Community Services and ask about motel vouchers. We were able to giver her vouchers through a small rental assistance program funded by a grant from Episcopal Community Services. We also gave her food that she could microwave in the motel's kitchenette.
After taking her to the motel, I drove her by a subsidized senior housing community operated by Ray Stone Inc., just across from the Capitol. I pointed out the bus stop that she could take from the motel to see about permanent housing at Park Place Apartment Homes.
The next morning, I drove by the motel, and there Libby was, ready to board the bus that would take her to meet Juanita at Park Place.
P.S. A week later, Libby was settled in at Park Place, and beginning to establish herself in her new city.
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Eileen Thomas