She helps families in need. As gas and grocery prices rise, she needs help, too

"“I meet my families where they're at,” she says. “I might be over at the playground. I might be at the school, or at the grocery store” teaching them how to compare prices and find deals. And several nights a week, she comes to a soup kitchen called My Brother's Table, where many of her clients are regulars. One recent evening, she's bouncing around the dining room, checking in with one young man to see if he filled out that job application they talked about."

"Then she turns to another who didn't show up for his volunteer shift unloading the bread truck that day. A conversation about commitment ensues. In between, Basden helps out in the kitchen, or fills plates on the serving line. “This is such a joy. I love my work,” Basden says. “I wouldn't give it up for anything.” Thirty-plus years into her career, and with a title now as a program director at the Children's Friend and Family Services Clinic, a division of Justice Resource Institute, Basden makes a decent salary."

"So does her husband who drives a van for people with disabilities. They were doing okay, making their mortgage payments and getting by. But the rising prices of food and especially gas, are straining their budget, and Basden says it's no longer enough. For example, she says she and her husband used to spend a combined $300 to $400 a month filling up their cars. Now, it's over $600. After spending decades helping needy people, Basden is now herself in need."

"At 71 years old, she's suddenly finding herself living paycheck to paycheck. “It's crazy,” she says. “It's just like overnight. Yesterday you could afford it, but today you can't.” Basden is now among the eight out of 10 Am"

Dalene Basden supports families with special needs children in Lynn, Massachusetts, meeting clients at playgrounds, schools, and grocery stores while teaching practical skills like comparing prices and finding deals. Several nights a week, she also works at My Brother’s Table soup kitchen, checking in on clients, discussing job applications and volunteer commitments, and helping in the kitchen or on the serving line. After more than thirty years in her career, she earns a decent salary as a program director, and her husband also works driving a van for people with disabilities. Their budget has become strained by rising food and especially gas prices, increasing monthly fuel costs from about $300–$400 to over $600. At age 71, she is now living paycheck to paycheck.

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