Nonprofit reaches 160 years of support and community for elderly women

Joan Cambra, 90, reclined in a chair in her apartment on a Saturday morning. Beside her was her walker and on her other side sat her cat, Penne. Photos of family members lined the mantel behind her.

The TV in front of Cambra remained off. She used to watch “Law and Order” and “NCIS,” but when she started having trouble with a hearing aid, she shifted to funny videos or game shows because she didn’t need sound to watch them. Her insurance won’t cover a new pair until next year.

Cambra, who has been retired for 12 years, has limited funds. She receives a monthly stipend of $1,100. Her family members are also unable to provide financial assistance, so her options are limited.

That’s where The Association for the Relief of Aged Women, a New Bedford-based nonprofit dedicated to the relief and welfare of elderly women, comes in. 

“I’d be struggling to pay for everything [without ARAW],” Cambra said. “I wouldn’t be able to do it.” 

Since The Light’s visit to Cambra, the organization has replaced her hearing aids, so now she doesn’t have to wait to hear. Over the years, ARAW has also helped her replace her furniture and deal with bedbugs, bought her a mattress and assisted with an insurance co-pay. 

The organization was founded by Rachel Howland, a prominent New Bedford Quaker preacher, activist and philanthropist, in 1866, just after the Civil War ended. ARAW helps low-income elderly women navigate various financial situations and hardships. Cambra is one of more than 300 women ARAW has financially supported since April 1, said Clare Foley, ARAW’s executive director. 

Some assistance is one-time, like a car repair, while other types are recurring, like rent. Either way, beneficiaries are part of the ARAW family, Foley said, so they receive the newsletter and can always inquire for help again if they need it. 

“If you have nothing and no one to help you, give them a call,” Cambra said. “They’re right there for you. Just tell them your story.”

What is ARAW?

ARAW addresses a series of needs for elderly women, ranging from rent assistance and covering health insurance premiums to cable bills and furniture. It mostly serves women who are over 65 years old and have lived in New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Acushnet, and Westport for five years or longer, with a preference for women who live alone. 

If a woman requests help and meets these guidelines, a representative meets with her to assess her income, expenses and the service organizations she is currently connected to.

The organization then tries to address her greatest concern, Foley said. First, it looks to see whether other organizations can help, a process Foley refers to as “assess and refer.”

“We’re not the solution to everything, and we’re very fortunate to live in a time where there are so many organizations that are doing incredible work,” Foley said. “We want to be that last stop on the support train.”

Once the application process is complete, the representative writes a narrative letter on the woman’s behalf, which is then presented to ARAW’s Beneficiary Committee for a decision. Foley said the board receives about 30 to 40 requests a month. 

The amount each beneficiary receives is based on her personal needs.

ARAW also provides grants ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 a year to some community organizations it partners with. Foley said she looks for organizations that demonstrate a commitment to ARAW’s targeted demographic. 

The organization operates on a “trust-based” philanthropy model where an ARAW representative meets with the partner organizations about two or three times a year to see what their needs are and how they are using the grants. 

“They’re demonstrating with their actions, their programs or organizations, in a variety of ways, [that they] care about this population,” Foley said. “We want to reward that.” 

Molly McCarthy, director of development at the Zeiterion — one of ARAW’s partners — said the trust-based model lifts a burden. Usually, an employee of the theater has to fill out grant applications for each foundation the Zeiterion works with. 

“Being able to just sit down with them in person and have an honest conversation twice a year, it’s a huge improvement on the old model,” McCarthy said. 

Apart from direct financial assistance, the association is also focused on building a social network for women and providing societal change. 

Each month, it sends out a newsletter titled “Going with the FLO,” which stands for friendship, lunches and outings. It goes to all active beneficiaries and FLO participants and lists various social events like Scallopalooza and a luncheon hosted by the Zeiterion. 

“Having access to the arts in general is a really wonderful thing for anybody to have, but particularly people who are older and who do not have a lot of resources,” McCarthy said.

The newsletter also includes information about other programs and assistance. For example, the August email included information about the Buzzards Bay Area Habitat for Humanity’s ramp donation program, which loans metal ramps for those with mobility challenges at a low cost or no charge, and Coastal Foodshed’s Healthy Incentives Program benefits. 

Patricia Duarte, an ARAW beneficiary, has gone to multiple outings and volunteered to help them mail letters. She said she’s met people at ARAW that she now goes to other social events with — a benefit she recommends for women who are considering getting involved with ARAW.

“Even if they don’t want any kind of financial assistance, it’s good to get out and socialize with people,” she said. 

Friendship is a core component of the support offered now and in the past. 

ARAW’s founding principles are “women helping women” and “not alms alone, but a friend,” according to its website.

It used to be entirely volunteer-run but now has a fully-functioning staff of five people to carry out its functions. 

“We very consciously celebrate our past,” Foley said. “We live in the present and we plan for the future. We anticipate being around for another 160 years at least.”

Beneficiaries’ experiences

Duarte, who is on a monthly check for retirement and has subsidized housing, reached out to ARAW about three years ago after her mom’s friend told her about it. The organization paid a credit card bill for her, and she now remains involved for the socializing.

Some beneficiaries, while grateful for the assistance, wish they didn’t have to ask for it. 

Nancy Bramwell, 83, has been involved with ARAW for a little over a year. Originally, the organization helped her pay for her health insurance. When she had an unexpected medical procedure in December that left her unable to work, she began receiving medical care through MassHealth, and ARAW started helping her with $100 a month toward her rent instead. She used to cover her own living expenses entirely, but since the procedure, she is no longer allowed to work and relies on a monthly Social Security check of $1,700. 

“I feel so bad because I don’t like leaning on people,” Bramwell said. “I like doing it myself.”

Cambra also said she wishes she didn’t have to ask for help, but she said she has no other options. 

“I’m just stuck, but they’ve been there for me,” she said. 

The three women spoke of the staff’s kindness and recommended that anyone who is on the fence about reaching out to do so. 

“Everyone should know how good they are and not be afraid to ask if they need help,” Cambra said. “They’re right there for you. They’re a blessing over and over and over again.”

Crystal Yormick is a recent graduate of Boston University and a frequent contributor to The New Bedford Light. Email her at cyormick@newbedfordlight.org.