“Mary” is independent and energetic. Whenever we speak to her (through our modified phone-only case management) she has a smile in her voice and a brightness to her words. She’s definitely an optimist! She is also an octogenarian. She lives simply on her small social security income. She has no computer or internet; she can’t afford it. She used the library when she needed it, until it closed. To help pay her rent and utilities she has to work part time, or, as she puts it, “I get to work!”. However, like so many others, due to the Corona virus Mary has lost her job. Without the extra income she cannot make ends meet. Already behind by a few weeks, she turned to POM. She is now working with our Outreach Case Manager for seniors and veterans. Mary is not eligible for traditional unemployment as her hours were under the minimum requirement. She will be eligible under the COVID CARE Act, and we will help her apply as soon as the WA State website is completed next week. To keep food on her table, we helped her apply for public food benefits and encouraged her to use our ‘drive-through’ food bank. We walked her through a phone appointment with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to help her with heat. We reached out to a case manager at the Senior Center and were able to get her some extra resources so she could prepare her own applications. She was overjoyed to be able to DO something to help herself! Our case manager tells us that the application process can be difficult for anyone, but for someone who is stressed and in fear, it can be nearly impossible to have the necessary focus to get through it. As we walked along side Mary through all of this, she went from feeling distressed to feeling confident and hopeful. We are so incredibly honored to be able to help Mary during this intensely difficult time. Thank you to everyone in our small but MIGHTY community for supporting us so we can support all the “Mary’s” in our community.