Shortly after Thanksgiving, an individual named Joyce contacted RTFCIL with an urgent request for assistance. A tree next to her home was slowly being uprooted due to the wetness in the ground surrounding the area. Over time, the tree has been leaning and becoming dangerously close to damaging Joyce's home. Joyce needed help finding someone who could carefully and safely remove the tree, she wanted to eliminate the danger of having the tree collapse onto her home as quickly as possible.

     Joyce was not in the position to afford to have the tree removed on her own. RTFCIL began reaching out to the community to see if any assistance could be provided. Penn College was able to provide the name Wyatt Forest & FOREST Tree Specialist. Wyatt was able to inspect the tree and give a detailed plan on how best to remove the tree from its position near the home.

   RTFCIL staff also reached out to local charities describing Joyce's request for help. Several responded and were able to offer financial assistance. After a few weeks of setting up the service, much of the tree was safely removed from alongside Joyce's home. Joyce now has peace of mind knowing that her home is safe does not have to worry about a tree coming through her roof any longer.

RTFCIL would like to thank Favors Forward, First Church Williamsport, and a private donor for their generosity in assisting Joyce.

     The NHT team continues to work hard and go above and beyond to provide individuals with the best possible assistance available.

     With our growing numbers, we are looking to hire one or two remote positions to assist more people in escaping the prisons of nursing homes and begin living an independent life in the community.

     After being found in a diabetic coma, Pam found herself hospitalized and then admitted to a nursing facility. Pam states she was not in the best of health when she was sent to a nursing facility. She had issues with hip pain and was able to have surgery, from which she recovered well.

     The longer Pam was in a facility, the more she realized she did not belong there. She was surrounded by others that had much more severe health issues. Pam could not relate to them and would stay in her room most of the time to avoid seeing others in such a state.

     As she got stronger and healthier, she knew she did not belong in a nursing facility. She knew this and the staff would bring it to her attention. Pam finally got the opportunity to leave the nursing facility when introduced to our Nursing Home Transition Program.

     Pam had lost her home and everything in it during her health scare. With the help of NHT and her daughter, she found housing and was supplied with everything she needed to live independently in the community again.

     Leaving the nursing facility, Pam used a walker. Three months later living in the community, she is walking without equipment and even started a part-time job.

     When asked what’s the biggest difference between living in the community versus a nursing facility, Pam states having INDEPENDENCE and FREEDOM, “I need to have a purpose and things to do, not lay in a bed all day.” She is now much happier living independently.

Roads to Freedom was able to help get Jason temporary safe housing in a hotel with a live-in caregiver.

...More Community Collaboration

     A week prior to Christmas, our staff was contacted by a social worker at a long-term care facility in Danville. The facility was looking for assistance to find housing for a resident that was not financially eligible for care at the facility. We spoke with the man, David, and asked if he would like to work with Roads to Freedom (RTF) to secure housing.

David was quick to reply, “Yes, please help me get my life in order!”

     David shared with staff that he was a US Army veteran of 15 years and he had never imagined that he would find himself homeless and starting over at the age of 70.

     Staff explained that they would send a Release of Information to the facility for David to review and sign and would follow up with him after the Christmas holiday.

     After months of no rent being paid, no contact from David, the landlord disposed of David’s property and personal possessions. David had no ID, no social security card, his birth certificate was gone as was all his banking and other financial paperwork. RTF staff quickly prioritized the need to help David return to the community.

     Staff helped recover his documents to allow David to apply for housing and other services that he was in need of. RTF assisted David by covering the cost of his prescriptions until he was able to gain access to his finances. We were able to provide transportation for him to attend appointments at the Social Security Administration and other service providers.

     In early March, RTF staff received a call from the Northumberland County Housing Authority to confirm that David has been approved for housing and will be able to move into his new home by Mid-April. David became emotional when he learned that he would soon have an apartment and be able to return to the community that he lived in his entire life.

     Roads to Freedom is a proud provider of Representative Payee Services, also known as Rep Payee Services. We help those who need assistance managing their finances by paying bills such as rent, groceries, electricity, gas, phone, and cable as well as giving a stipend to the consumer.

     RTFCIL employees develop a budget, assist with understanding social security administration letters and payments, as well as report changes and paystubs to the Social Security Administration.

     Most of our consumers are receiving disability benefits; however, we also offer Financial Power of Attorney services for those who work and are not receiving disability benefits.

If you or someone you know could benefit from having a Rep Payee, please contact us at 570.327.9070.

Please help us spread the word of this new group to anyone

you think would be interested or could benefit!

Do you have unused assistive devices laying around?

Are you in need of assistive devices?

We accept donations of gently used medical equipment and then give them away to people who cannot get what they are looking for through other channels, such as insurance.