Struggling to Pay for Food and Medicine
Dawna and William Purnell
Owasso Community ResourcesWilliam and Dawna Purnell of Owasso struggled to make ends meet for years.
William worked as a stevedore at the Tulsa Port of Catoosa when he suffered a heart attack. During hospitalization, it was discovered he also suffered from diabetes.
“I’ve had a lot of health setbacks that make it hard to work full time,” he said.
Dawna worked in fast food, earning minimum wage with no health insurance.
“It was a challenge to afford medicine and food,” she said.
To make ends meet, the couple received occasional food and utility assistance from Owasso Community Resources, a United Way partner agency.
“I don’t know what we would have done without them,” she said.
Recently, the organization helped Dawna polish her resume and apply for a better-paying position at the new Macy’s distribution center in Owasso. She recently was hired, with better pay and health insurance for them both.
“Now we can afford a few extras every month,” she says.