I am 72, cannot work any longer and I have family in Venezuela depending on me

My name is Eugene Weixel. I live in New York City. I am 72 years old. I have a modest income from Social Security and a small pension I get from having worked for New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services for ten years.

I was in the United States Army from July 1967 until July 1969. I’m not going to lie and claim to be a war veteran. I never saw combat.

Until a few of months ago I was a taxi driver but for health reasons I cannot continue that work. Twice in three years I fell asleep while driving a taxi. Thank God I did not hurt anybody but myself. A CPAP machine has not been helpful. At any rate I caught some traffic tickets near “the end” of my taxi career and if I don’t pay them off they will double and eventually be taken from my pension.

I know I simply cannot drive anymore. I have surrendered my taxi license which is suspended in any case. At my age and with my limp finding a job other than driving a taxi is well…

My income from Social Security and the small pension I get for having worked 10 years in child protective service are not adequate. My diabetes and hypertension are under control with medication but those medications are not free. My wife also needs medications and she cannot work either. And I could use a hearing aid which Medicare does not provide.

While I was driving a taxi we were able to send enough money to Venezuela to her family so that they could continue eating three meals a day and have proteins, calcium and other nutrients besides carbohydrates in their diets.

I cannot send more than a nominal amount these days. And now in dollar terms most food items down there are more expensive than in New York. We’d like to resume sending an adequate remittance this because it disturbs us greatly to think of their hardships and five children growing up stunted.

While I was still driving taxi we were able to help them buy a small plot of farmland so that they can subsistence farm. I hope once they are actually planting and harvesting we can go down there.

My real dream is to be able to feed school children (and teachers who make less than ten dollars a month) and thereby make a non politicized contribution to Venezuela’s recovery which I have faith is coming.

The family is working on clearing the land and will need basic tools, seeds and fertilizers. Anything you can do to help is appreciated.

https://www.gofundme.com/bigeugeneneedshelp

For more info: http://https://tinyurl.com/yanatoyx