Carmella Mekonis, 79, of Bridgeville wanted to have railings installed outside of her home.
“I hadn’t fallen yet, but I was having trouble getting down to the driveway,” Ms. Mekonis said. “And once the estimates came back I didn’t have the money to cover them being installed.”
That is where the Heart of Gold Fund, operated by Wesley Family Services, stepped into help. Wesley hired a contractor, who donated his services, to install the rail, and the cost of materials was $50 from the fund. As a result, Ms. Mekonis received the railing for free.
The Heart of Gold Fund’s mission is to provide items to help seniors remain comfortable and safe in their own homes. Seniors may be eligible to receive a variety of items such as an outdoor or indoor railing, a a grabber device to reach high objects or those on the floor, grab bars for showers and other places, a microwave, an electric blanket and more.
The fund is primarily supported by the Schenley Shuffle 5K and one-mile fun walk, which took place this past September.