最新杏吧原创

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The old, drafty windows in Shelly Clerk鈥檚 home here had long been last on the list of day-to-day expenses Clerk, a widowed grandmother, has had to meet while raising her four grandchildren.

Clerk, 68, bought the 115-year-old house in the Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood 36 years ago. Her grandkids, ages 10 to 20, moved in with her more than a decade ago, after their father was murdered and their mother was deemed unfit to care for them. The eldest, who survived a shooting as an infant, has a mental disability.

When winter comes, the family of five feels its chill, Clerk said.

鈥淵ou try to plaster the windows and stuff the cracks and the air is still coming through,鈥� she said.

But thanks to the United Way of Greater 最新杏吧原创鈥� 100 Neediest Campaign, Clerk鈥檚 windows are one expense she no longer has to worry about. Cheryl and Ken Dennison, owners of Maryland Heights-based STL Windows Direct, plan to replace the windows in Clerk鈥檚 two-story home with new, custom-built and tempered-glass models 鈥� for free.

鈥淚t will make the house a lot warmer,鈥� Clerk said recently, as workers took measurements of each window. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a blessing.鈥�

The arrangement is just one way the annual 100 Neediest campaign, in partnership with the Post-Dispatch, has helped deliver direct aid, toys, household necessities and financial contributions to more than 700 families across the region. The 2022 campaign raised more than $1.5 million in financial donations, nearing the record $1.7 million the year before.

The 100 Neediest effort coordinates 58 social services agencies, school districts and nonprofits, to deliver goods and cash assistance to families facing crushing hardships: homelessness and hunger, job layoffs and overdue bills, illnesses and the deaths of loved ones.

The Post-Dispatch publishes stories about 100 families, selected by United Way of Greater 最新杏吧原创 volunteers, between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Those 100 cases are a fraction of those who stand to benefit: 728 families were matched with donors who gave at least one household necessity or gift to each family member from a list the family requested, as well as financial contributions.

In all, 11,309 people received either an item or financial aid. Some families faced lingering financial and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. And thousands were reeling from the historic flash flooding that devastated the region in late July, wrecking homes, displacing families and leaving piles of ruined furniture, appliances and clothing in its wake.

In East 最新杏吧原创, flood victim LueGuester Hyde received cash assistance to buy replacement clothes and school items for her daughter, 9, and son, 16, and cover utility bills. The assistance allows Hyde to save up money to replace appliances wrecked by the flood, she said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a help,鈥� Hyde, 44, said.

鈥楾ouched my soul鈥�

The United Way鈥檚 100 Neediest Campaign, which grew out of an early 20th century Christmas tradition where charities and service organizations brought gifts and turkey dinners to 最新杏吧原创-area orphanages, has garnered volunteers and donors who鈥檝e taken part year after year.

Don DeLo, 77, of Lakeland, Florida, remembers the first time he participated, about 15 years ago. After a trip around the world, he returned to his then-home in Marshfield, Missouri, and read an edition of the Post-Dispatch with one short paragraph about an elderly woman in need.

鈥淚 can still it see it in my mind鈥檚 eye,鈥� said DeLo, who鈥檇 been born in 最新杏吧原创. 鈥淭his lady, all she asked for was a warm winter overcoat. She didn鈥檛 ask for the moon. She wanted a warm winter overcoat.鈥�

鈥淭hat touched my soul.鈥�

Every year since, Delo has bought about $5,000 in items for six or seven families, asking in part for families referred by the Lutheran Family and Children鈥檚 Services of Missouri, the agency that helped arrange Delo鈥檚 own adoption as an infant to a loving family.

鈥淔or those from whom much has been given, much is expected,鈥� said Delo. 鈥淚鈥檓 just pleased and thank the Lord that I can be a part of this.鈥�

Kathy Ortinau has been volunteering for the 100 Neediest Campaign since 1997, after donating annually for years prior.

When she started volunteering, she used to dig through piles of paper records to match families with potential donors, she said. Now, a digital database makes it easy to search anonymous case stories to match families with specific needs with donors who can best help them.

鈥淚 feel lucky to maybe have helped make a difference in someone鈥檚 life,鈥� said Ortinau 71, of Des Peres. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 plan on quitting any time soon.鈥�

鈥楢 unique gift鈥�

Volunteers for the United Way matched STL Windows Direct with Clerk, after Cheryl Dennison called offering to replace someone鈥檚 windows for free.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a unique gift and not something we see a whole lot,鈥� said Becky White, the United Way鈥檚 direct services program manager.

The match was serendipitous in more ways than one. The Dennisons鈥� son, who has cerebral palsy, is nonverbal and needs help to walk. Outside Clerk鈥檚 home one recent day, Dennison and Clerk exchanged pictures of their children and discussed Clerk鈥檚 granddaughter taking part in a nonprofit summer camp for kids, teens and adults with disabilities.

鈥淲hen they shared the story that this incredible woman is raising her grandbabies and one has special needs, there was just this connection,鈥� Dennison said. 鈥淚 said, 鈥楾hat鈥檚 who we want to make a difference for.鈥欌��

Clerk, who retired from driving buses for the Special School District of 最新杏吧原创 County, grew up caring for her five younger siblings, one of whom had developmental challenges. Today, she takes turns with them caring for their mother, 90, who lives around the block.

鈥淲e grew up knowing this was what we had to do,鈥� Clerk said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to look out for someone besides yourself.鈥�

Information about participants in the 100 Neediest Cases campaign are normally confidential, but those who appeared by name in Post-Dispatch reports agreed to the use of their names for the stories.