EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Adult Protective Services (APS) is partnering with Bienvivir to collect donations of basic need items to help vulnerable adults in El Paso, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) announced in a news release Thursday, Jan. 18.
DFPS says the donated items will help stock the El Paso APS Silver Star Resource Room where APS caseworkers can find basic necessities and emergency resources 24 hours a day for vulnerable adults who have been abused and/or neglected.
“We wanted to do something impactful that would directly benefit APS clients,” said Bienvivir’s Outreach Coordinator Ryan Gonzalez. “We just received a large donation of 50 boxes of adult diapers and want to keep the donation drive going strong at the start of 2024.”
Bienvivir has placed collection bins at their two locations: 2300 McKinley Ave. and 940 N. Carolina Dr.
Additionally, APS caseworkers say the resource room saves time and money. A lot of them live on approximately $914 a month and $23 in food stamps; giving them supplies like detergent, bath soap and toilet paper frees up their money for things like food, shelter and medicine.
“It’s an invaluable resource for our clients in crisis,” said Grace Ortiz, APS faith-based community engagement specialist. “Too many times the needs of struggling elderly folks get overlooked.”
Donations needed include:
Shampoo, soap
Toothpaste, toothbrushes
Kleenex, toilet tissue
Towels, wash cloths
Adult diapers, bed liners
Underwear, socks and clothes
Household cleaning supplies
Ambulatory aides
Blankets, box fans
Anyone wanting to donate basic needs items to the APS Silver Star Resource Room can contact Grace Ortiz at (915) 667-0206 or graciela.ortiz@dfps.texas.gov.
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