October
2004
Little Sisters of the Poor
Video Presentation for Benefit Dinner
Shooting Script
Many things that have happened throughout history can be traced back
to one moment or one action.
For the Little Sisters of the Poor, that moment came in 1839 in Brittany,
France, when Jeanne Jugan saw a poor, old, blind woman begging on
the street. She opened her heart and the door to her home, carrying
the woman upstairs and placing her in her bed.
Jeanne JuganÕs life of charity and selflessness opened many doors
in that today there are more than 3,300 Sisters in 220 Homes in 32
countries on six continents.
Our doors opened to the Pittsburgh community 132 years ago. Over the
years, one thing has remained constant Š our unique mission to provide
care, respect, dignity, compassion, love and hope for the needy elderly
of our area.
We welcome all elderly poor, regardless of race, creed, color or religion.
We provide them with a comfortable home in which they are surrounded
by love and a feeling of family.
We offer independent apartments, personal care and nursing care. Our
Residents enjoy a library, beauty shop, gift shop, post office, game
room, country store and chapel. They receive physical therapy, occupational
therapy, clothing, nutritious meals, social and spiritual activities.
Nine Little Sisters, along with lay employees and volunteers, provide
hands on care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We live with our
Residents as a family.
The call of the elderly continues to resound in our ear. We hear that
call, and desire to open our doors and our hearts for them.
Our Home needs to updated and expanded. We are in the midst of a building
project that will allow us to open our doors to serve more elderly
poor.
We rely almost entirely on community support to operate our home and
to fund this building project. There are no reserved funds or endowments
that support the Little Sisters of the Poor.
We are fortunate that through the years many have heard the call and
opened their hearts and doors to the Little Sisters.
The Pittsburgh area has the largest concentration of elderly in the
nation and we know our services are going to be needed now more than
ever before.
One small act by Jeanne Jugan made a difference in so many lives,
for so many years. Please make a difference by helping us open more
doors.