SUNBURY — Money is tight for today’s Needy Family Fund recipients, who live in the city on disability payments and Social Security income.

Jerry, who is legally blind, and Missy, who uses a wheelchair, saw no increase in the amounts they receive, as the inflation rate those payments are tied to showed only a negligible increase this year.

Jerry thus counts 2009 as one of the tougher years he’s endured since leaving the workforce in 1991.

He said, “When you’re on a limited income, and learn you’re not going to get any help because they’re not going to have a cost-of-living increase this year, we’re left with working with what little we have.”

Jerry, a retired craftsman, put woven seats on chairs for the Blind Association, now known as Central Susquehanna Sight Services, for 21 years. His wife lost a leg to cancer. They hope to host their great-niece at a holiday dinner this year.

Jerry said they’ve applied for help from the Needy Family Fund before, but chose not to during better times .

He said, “If we get years when we can manage, that we don’t have to have that help, we’ll go ahead and do without. That way, somebody else can have that (help), who maybe needs it more than we do.”

Recent donations to the fund were as follows: Curtis L. and Eveyn M. Grimm, Herndon, $50; St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Shamokin Dam, $100; Theresa Berg, Mount Pleasant Mills, $25; Spencer and Shirley Boyer, Mifflinburg, $50; M. Lee Eberhart, Winfield. $100; Josephine E. Duke, Mifflinburg, $30; Margaret J. Osman, in memory of twin sister Mary, Shamokin Dam, $100; Barbara Wasilewski, in memory of Tony Wasilewski, Elysburg, $100;

Also, Ronald and Judith Robbins, in memory of Annie Robbins and John Viau, Milton, $50; William and Phyllis Burns Jr., Middleburg, $100; Robert and Connie Clark, Selinsgrove, $100; Mary Gilbert, Freeburg, $25; Mary Farrell, Selinsgrove, $50; Robert and Evelyn O’Connell, in honor of Robert E. O’Connell, Milton, $100; Alma Moyer, Mifflinburg, $20; Mildred Hommel, Selinsgrove, $25; Michael Krehel, Northumberland, $50; Seth Rohrbach, Northumberland, $25; Roger and Barbara Allison, Winfield, $100; Eli and Kathryn Dehart, Danville, $500; and anonymous donations, $245.72.

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Needy Family Fund

Donations go to buy food, clothing and gifts for the less fortunate in the Valley. Contributions are tax-deductible. The fund is sponsored by The Daily Item, Sunbury Broadcasting Corp. and Susquehanna Bank. Contributions may be taken to any Susquehanna Bank office or mailed to:

Needy Family Fund