Helping a family laid low by coronavirus
By MARCELA SLADE
Jenny (*not her real name) learned that the Neighbor2Neighbor / VecinoAVecino program could help her pay bills. She got in touch with me and Abundance NC arranged to pay a bill for her. Later she called to ask for help with another matter.
Jenny told me her family had a medical bill to pay related to COVID-19. She and her parents had each gotten extremely ill with the coronavirus; her mother lost her memory and her father couldn’t breathe. They cannot speak English fluently, are undocumented immigrants and were part of the workforce in Chatham working at a bakery and landscaping businesses before the pandemic.
They reached out to the Chatham County Health Department and were told they could only be “seen” by phone. Jenny’s parents were in critical condition at this point so she made the decision to take her parents where they would see them in person immediately. She was afraid they were dying.
At Pine Ridge Urgent Care in Sanford, they explained their situation both economically and about their sickness through a nephew who could speak English. They were charged $300 up front. Shortly after examining them and giving the mother an IV for dehydration, they were told they could not keep them there because of their critical condition. An ambulance which then took the couple to Central Carolina Hospital in Sanford. They were admitted at the hospital after several examinations. Both tested positive for COVID-19. The mother stayed at the hospital for two days, the father for four.
They later received a bill from Pine Ridge Urgent Care for $2,014 and Central Carolina Hospital for $1,988. Total owed, including the up-front billing and $524 owed to UNC Hospitals: $4,564.
Jenny reached out to me because, thanks to the panedmic, only one of her family members has a part-time job right now. They want to pay the bills, but are worried they will not be able to before they are delinquent.
Abundance NC, through the Neighbor2Neighbor/VecinoAVecino Program, is helping Jenny and her family overcome this situation. The Urgent Care facility doesn’t have a Financial Assistance Program, but the hospital does. With the help of El Vinculo Hispano of Siler City, we are getting the documents together to apply for assistance and help this family.
It breaks my heart that people are struggling to survive economically because of the lack of work due to a worldwide pandemic. Then on top of that, they get the sickness and its adds more of an economic burden to their lives.
Jenny is the first case we have come across with this situation but there are many more. Your contribution could help Jenny or the next case similar to hers! Together, we can get through this! If you can help this matter in any way, please reach out to us. If you can help by donating, write a check to Abundance NC and mail to: Abundance NC / Neighbor2Neighbor, 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro, NC 27312 or use this GOFUNDME fundraiser to donate online: www.gf.me/u/x4xj2c. Once we receive and process, you will receive a tax deductible receipt.
If you have time and/or resources to help a neighbor or need help, please join our program by completing this form:
• English version: https://bit.ly/ChathamNeighbor2Neighbor
• Spanish version: https://bit.ly/ChathamVecinoAVecino
*Names in this story have been changed to protect our clients.
