Helping Ms. V

Ms. V was alone…

Ms. V. was a young woman when she immigrated from Eastern Europe to New York City’s Washington Heights community in the late 1960s.  She married an American citizen, worked as a private duty nurse, and had two children. But when her husband suddenly left her, she raised her two children alone, supporting them single-handedly through college. As Ms. V. grew older and retired, she then took care of her elderly mother, who came to the United States to live with her. A great deal of money was spent supporting her mother. When her mother died, most of Ms. V’s savings had become depleted. She was living on very limited means and was at risk of losing her apartment. One spring day, she wandered into Riverstone’s Senior Center, looking a bit lost and desperate for help.

Riverstone gave Ms. V  the help she needed!

The staff at Riverstone helped Ms. V. feel at home. A social worker helped her obtain a monthly stipend to cover the difference between her limited resources and her rent. Today, Ms. V. lives comfortably in her adopted community, taking advantage of the large Latino population at Riverstone to even learn to speak Spanish! She is a regular volunteer at Riverstone’s Senior Center, and is rarely spotted without a large smile!