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Why are there NO programs to help an 83 year old with low income for a Hot Water Tank that blew and needs replaced? I have called Area on Aging, Catholic Charities, Rebuild Pittsburgh & Project Pittsburgh. Nobody is able to help. Why is that?

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Maybe it is because the application process takes time and paperwork and time to check qualifications. I don't know of a program that comes out in emergencies like a blown hot water tank.
Call your senior center handiworkers program, make the application, and wait. Once you have done that, you are at the interview, and they find out you are without hot water, they might move yours to a priority, don't we all wish.
Also, try making a credit card application to finance the water heater.
Try The United Way, The Helpful Honda People, a local church or an organization that helps rehabilitate alcoholics and hires out supervised help.
Often called XYZ Ministries, or something like that.

Running out of ideas here.....
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Charitable organizations can only distribute what they have received! Funds and gooods have to be distributed as fairly as possible. I help distribute at the local food pantry. We can only give out the rice we have in our pantry. For example -- If more people arrive than the items we have, some won't get any! I don't know your area, but it is a process of 'dialing many organizations'.
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Here is a litle known observation with my own conclusion: Some people,
(not necessarily you), when calling for help do not come across the phone well, for whatever reason. It could be their voice, their demeanor, perceived impatience, arrogance, or sense of entitlement, or not knowing how to explain the need. You could be the loveliest person and be misunderstood.

It is likely that the people you have called are too stressed and over-burdened to give you an appropriate answer or referral.

There is help, and programs out there.

The solution may be to ask a friend to make the call for you. Try it, test this out.
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Because pretty much, as a society, we are expected to fill in financially and care wise, what our elderly parents and relatives cannot. So, if she needs a new hot water heater and there aren't any programs to help with this sort of thing, children and other relatives are suppose to be able to pitch in. This isn't a judgment, but an observation.
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help101, wouldn't it be wonderful if all elders could remain in their homes and have access to free repairs or discounted repairs, but that would bankrupt the State unless there was a steady flow of volunteers.

The way I see it, if an elder still owns their own home but their retirement income is to a point that they cannot afford maintenance for their house, it is time to downsize. Otherwise, today its the water heater... tomorrow, it could be the stove.... next week the plumbing, etc.
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There are programs, but the need is so great in this economy.
Did you contact Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh? They have loans and grant programs - http://www.pittsburghhabitat.org/home-repair
Also did a web search and found a clearinghouse for similar to dialing *211 program online for Pennsylvania that gathers additional resources that may be of help - it listed all kinds of organizations throughout PA that did repairs, low-cost loans, etc. some through HUD and some local/state based.
https://pa211.communityos.org/zf/profile/search/dosearch/1/taxonomy_name/Home%20Rehabilitation%20Programs
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