14 days ago
CLINTON, Md. (WUSA) -- Jeanelle Williams receives a Comfort Blanket crocheted by volunteers with All Shades of Pink. They are given to breast cancer patients to help stay warm at their treatment visits. Through its Pink Signature Initiatives, the non profit has provided over 370 comfort blankets free of charge to area hospitals.
But Jeanelle needed much more than a blanket. She was too sick to continue working full time after surgery and had exhausted all her income. Even though she has insurance, she found herself sinking deeper in debt and the stack of bills mounting.
"I was sitting here worrying about how I was going to pay these bills and you know they are very expensive these days," Jeanelle says.
She had a mortgage, private school for her 7-year-old daughter and her utilities.
At just the right time, four days before PEPCO was about to shut off the power, Jeanelle heard about All Shades of Pink's Utility Assistance Program. She called immediately and just as quickly the group came through with a check for $658-dollars. The money took care of her phone bill and PEPCO.
Founder of All Shades of Pink, Denice Whalen White tells us, "We were able to pay that which was overdue since her services were about to be turned off because her bill was overdue and then we were able to pay a little more on it so she wouldn't have worry about it in the next month."
Denice says since the beginning of the year, the Utilities Assistance Program, which has a maximum stipend of 750-dollars, has helped a dozen families in Prince George's County and the surrounding area. The charity focuses on helping with utility bills, but they get request for all types of financial assistance.
The overwhelming need has meant the Prince George's County based charity has had to put a freeze on help to residents outside the county for now.
Times are tough, but in this season of giving, All Shades of Pink got a much needed boost of its own, a $1,500 grant from the WAL MART Foundation and that is on top of a grant from Prince George's County and Target.
"Our whole goal is focused on eliminating stress. And if you're stressing on finances, then it's a little hard to focus on wellness," Denice says.
Besides the Comfort Blankets and the Utility Assistance program, All Shades of Pink is distributing coloring books to help youngsters understand what's happening to mommy or daddy because of breast cancer.
All Shades of Pink would like to help many more families; if you'd like to make a donation, or help crochet blankets, click here to go their website.
