"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."--Aesop

CHARLESTON, W.Va. --Betty lost her husband, Clyde, to a sudden heart attack, just months after he retired from work at a plant.

A housewife and mother for most of their lives, now Betty's only source of income is survivor's benefits from her husband. No matter how hard she tries, she struggles to pay bills.

To make ends meet, her friends suggested that Betty downsize. She bought a smaller house, but later found out its windows were in bad shape and need to be replaced.

Without replacing them, she would not have been able to afford her heating bill during winter months.

A friend told Betty she should call Union Mission.

A volunteer worker visited her home to assess her situation. The worker determined if all of her eight windows were replaced, she could stay at her home comfortably during the winter and afford the heating bill. She also needed repairs for her shower and kitchen floor.

Replacing the eight windows in her home cost about $1,600. To repair the shower and kitchen floor cost an additional $200.

To help cases like Betty's, consider making a donation to the Gazette Charities Fund.

When you make a donation to the Gazette Charities Fund, every penny goes to the agencies and people who need help.

The Gazette covers the administrative costs of the fund. All donations to Gazette Charities are tax deductible.

To donate online, go to wvgazette.com and click on the Gazette Charities Christmas Fund logo.

To find out more about Union Mission, contact Eddie Carper at 304-925-0366 ext. 136 or ed...@wefeedpeople.com.

Reach Lori Kersey at lori.ker...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1240.