#PalmCares Week 4: Donating Palms to Those in Need

When we first kicked off our social donation program in the beginning of April, we had no idea what the response would be. Would people submit their story? How detailed would they be? Would we be able to hear from people who actually need help right now? 

Well, as we now start to wrap up our program, we find ourselves reflecting on not only the amount of people who took the time to submit their story to us, but we are also honored and humbled to be able to help people who are doing such incredible things for our communities and our country overall. The stories of love, compassion and selflessness have only strengthened our belief that keeping connected and facilitating that connection between our loved ones and our communities is one of the most important things we can do right now. 

This week we decided to have a special Mother’s Day edition in honor of the holiday this Sunday. Moms in so many ways are the backbones of our families and our communities, and are our everyday heroes, so we wanted to give her the upgrade she deserves. 

We are super excited to share that we’ve donated 5 Palms to moms and wanted to share some of their stories here. 

This week, we have donated Palms to:

• A nurse and mom of two in Michigan, nominated by her father
• A Behavioral Specialist Consultant and mom of three in New York
• A nurse and mom of two in Houston, nominated by her sister
• A grandmother without access to a phone in Kentucky, nominated by her daughter

Here are some of their stories:

Not only was Charis herself tested for COVID-19, but as she was waiting to get her test results back, the main concern she had was for her mother, who lives alone without access to a phone. With so many past health issues, it’s been vital that Charis’s mom comply with social distancing rules, but it’s so hard to keep in touch without a way to communicate. Here’s more from Charis:

“I have been tested for coronavirus and am in quarantine because I'm symptomatic and I'm not doing too well. My mother lives 45mins away in a small country town and has damaged her phone. We have no contact with her other than calling people asking them to drive by to check on her, but it worries me because I don't want them actually going inside. She loves talking to people so I worry she wont think to socially distance herself. So, unfortunately, until my symptoms dissipate I can't go around her. She has had a heart attack and a stroke, and has diabetes and high blood pressure, so we can't afford her getting the virus. I'm sick and worried about my mom. I don't want her to experience this at all. This device would   bless and help our family since I'm not working due to illness and my husband had been laid off. My mom is my everything and I can't tell you how much stress this would relieve our family of.” 

A parent’s job never ends, especially when your kid grows up to be a nurse. Although most healthcare workers understand that the dangers come as part of the job, that doesn’t mean that their parents ever stop worrying about them. Christy’s dad is proud of the work his daughter is doing, but as a Palm user himself, he knows how valuable Palm can be for his daughter, especially right now, Hear more from Daniel: 

“I am writing for my daughter Christy. She is a nurse and works with high risk pediatrics, or babies that struggle as she says. The PALM would save her in her times of need. Her usual day starts at 6am when she leaves to work at the hospital. She gets home only to run my two grandsons to practice and do school work until bedtime. Her phone is lucky to give her 6 hours of charge and the Palm would help her make it through the day. Thanks for listening. Your device is a great resource for me and my business, serving both as a backup and primary when my smartphone runs low on battery.”

Moms are stronger than we usually give them credit for. Even during a pandemic and economic crisis, this mother of 3 not only takes on the role of mom, caretaker, chef and now teacher, but she also works for a nonprofit organization providing even more help to those in need. No stranger to health scares, Lorraine knows how important it is to stay healthy, but also to stay connected. Read more from Lorraine’s story:

“My name is Lorraine and I’m a Work from Home & Stay at Home Momma of Three under five, which includes a set of twins. One of my sons is a Cancer Warrior and (praise the Lord!) is still going strong and keeping safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. As you can imagine, we must be extremely careful and do all we can to adhere to quarantine rules and maintain good hygiene.

While I am grateful to those who have held our hand through our crisis in the past, I’ve had the opportunity to give back. Not only am I a former writer and current Mentor on a website helping families with multiples, but I have been hired in as a Consultant as a Behavioral Specialist for a Nonprofit Organization to help families directly with their children who have aged out of Early Intervention or similar programs, or who are in need of assistance and are beyond the age of such programs, with individual support services. 

The only way I am allowed to communicate with [the families I’m helping] is via Telehealth. Unfortunately, I don’t have a business line to conduct these calls and I was just referred to your program. 

I hope you would consider me for a Palm, as I think it’s sleek and professional looking and the right fit for a Businesswoman like myself and small enough to hide from my kids haha.”

It’s one thing to do your job under immense pressure and stress, it’s another thing to volunteer to do the job that others have already turned down doing. When COVID-19 first hit her community hard, Faith not only volunteered to help where she could, but did it knowing it was putting her and her family at risk. Not being the type of person to ask for help for herself, Faith’s sister Emma nominated her for our donation program. We’ll let Emma explain more:

“My sister Faith is a dedicated sibling and care provider (nurse). She has a family with very small kids but still goes to the aid of others everyday without complaining. When others were taking time off due to fear of getting ill, she actually volunteered the first two weeks that COVID-19 hit Houston, to administer tests and other services to those in need. 

This phone would allow her to move more freely because she's always wanted something easier/smaller to carry, since she's always on the go. She is a sincere embodiment of PALM...

P: positive, proven leader

A: attentive, appreciative of others at work times

L: loving wife and mother of two. Always dedicated to friends and family

M: a motivation for change”

Thank you to everyone who has submitted their stories to us. We know that now more than ever we need to appreciate those we love and who have helped us so much in our lives. Make sure you give mom the best gift she can get this year - the gift of connection. With our current Friends & Family Sale, you can keep mom connected at a rate she can actually afford. Check out our bundles today!