Hospice of Santa Barbara
Alfonso is the head of a household that includes himself, his wife, Martha, their young adult son, Edgar, and two grandchildren. They are a loving family that has had an incredibly difficult year. Alfonso and Martha have three children. Their eldest died suddenly and unexpectedly this winter, leaving behind young children and great sadness. In addition, Edgar had a congenital condition that was progressing, resulting in several hospitalizations this past year. As a result, both Martha and Alfonso missed many days of work and are now in a position of financial distress. As Edgar’s condition quickly deteriorated and it became clear he would not live for long, Alfonso wanted to be at home with his son, but as a handyman, he does not get paid time off or qualify for Paid Family Leave.
They were behind on paying several household bills and concerned that their car might be repossessed. It was a huge relief to Alfonso when he learned about The Starfish Connection Gap Grant. The Starfish Connection was able to pay the overdue car payments right away and relieve the fear of losing their car. Alfonso felt able to take more time off work to be with his son.
Edgar died a few days later and his dad has the comfort of knowing he was there for his son and wife. A gift that will hopefully help in their healing from this heartbreaking loss.
The financial assistance offered by The Starfish Connection Gap Grant is a unique gift because it can be provided in such a timely manner. Sometimes assistance that takes weeks or months is just not quick enough to meet important needs.