Lillian & Mary: Two new clients who are using their vehicles to invest in their neighbors*

Lillian:

Lillian, our 52nd client, plays in incredibly important role in our community; connecting with and caring for elderly citizens and those who may be homebound. After retiring from a long career at the Dallas Morning News, Lillian became a Senior Companion volunteer with The Senior Source, an organization that seeks to enhance the quality of life for older adults in greater Dallas. Lillian visits with folks who do not have many visitors and helps fight against one of the most difficult aspects of old age: loneliness.

When her last vehicle completely broke down over a year ago, Lillian’s ability to meet with her clients slowly began to drop. On top of that, her own ability to get to the doctor, the grocery store, go to church, or visit family members also continued to wane. Being in her 70s herself, Lillian’s ability to afford a new vehicle was out of the question, and her ability to walk to these places became more and more difficult.

Lillian received a donated Toyota Camry, and with it she now has the freedom to continue filling a vital role in our city while also keeping herself healthy, active, and connected!

Mary*:

Mary, our 53rd client, also plays a significant role in caring for her neighbors! Not only is Mary a single mother of 2, but she has been volunteering with her advocate’s organization, KicRoc, for the past year. At KicRoc, Mary has helped serve her neighbors with food assistance, raised money for mental health support through walk-a-thons, and has helped create a welcoming place for Christian community. Her advocate, Ty, said that despite the hurdles of not having a car, Mary consistently shows up to care for those around her.

One of the things that stuck out to us in Mary’s interview was her drive to “figure it out.” Whether it was organizing rides for herself and her children to get around town, working long hours to provide for her family, or just going the extra mile in order to stay connected with a healthy community, Mary has persevered many obstacles to get where she is today. We could not be more proud of her and honored to get to be a part of her story by gifting her this beautiful Scion Xb!

“Mary” is an alias to help protect this clients' identity.