March 2, 2021
Amparo Torres would cook her own meals if she could. “But my doctor told me to stay away from the stove,” she says. That’s because Ms. Torres, who has a heart condition, is on oxygen 24-hours a day, and it’s not safe for her to be near an open flame.
So, the 77-year-old Austin native relies on our home-delivered meals to help get the nourishment she needs. And before the pandemic, she relied on daily visits from the volunteers who delivered the food. “They’re friendly and we would get to socializing,” she recalls.
Because we modified our delivery schedule to prevent the spread of COVID-19, nowadays, more of the socializing is done by phone. Ms. Torres receives weekly phone calls from friendly volunteers through our Care Calls program. “They mean a lot,” she says of the phone visits. “[The volunteers] are still in contact.”
At the same time, her beloved dogs, Frosty and Cindy, also bring her joy. Our PALS (Pets Assisting the Lives of Seniors) program helps her care for her pets by providing them with basic veterinary care graciously donated by North Austin Animal Hospital as part of our partnership with the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation.
And our Home Repair program has transformed Ms. Torre’s North Austin house into a safer place to live. Ms. Torres uses a walker, and the home’s carpeting made it difficult and dangerous for her to maneuver. Workers removed the rug and replaced it with laminate tile, making it much easier for her to navigate her home. They also installed a new smoke alarm system.
Ms. Torres appreciates the continued assistance she receives from MOWCTX. “Yes, I really do. They’re not going to leave me,” she says.
This story was featured in our 2020 Impact Report. Read the full report here.