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D.C. Group Checks In On Homebound Elderly During Blizzard

December 20, 2009
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By Mana Rabiee

With snow piled high, volunteers of one Northeast D.C. non-profit continue to look in on elderly residents who are homebound.

A year into her retirement, Mimi Chesslin was diagnosed with cancer and now she's in a wheelchair. "It's cruel, it's very cruel, your whole life changes," says Chesslin.

The Capitol Hill Village non-profit stepped in to help Chesslin and others like her with everyday needs. During yesterday's snow storm a volunteer discovered that Chesslin's furnace had stopped working and made arrangements to have it fixed.

Gail Kohn heads the group. She says in bad weather it's especially important to check in on the elderly. "What's critical is whether or not they are able to have the necessary essentials. That is, do they have food, do they have water, do they have heat in their homes," says Kohn.

Kohn says volunteers also help with shoveling snow and buying groceries.

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