Portland, Tennessee residents raise funds for librarian Vicki Lupo as son enters hospice care

Community fundraising effort centers on longtime public library staff member

A community fundraising campaign launched in early January is drawing support for Vicki Lupo, a front-desk staff member at the Portland Public Library in Portland, Tennessee, as she cares for her adult son, Brian, during a severe illness.

The online fundraiser was created on January 5, 2026, and identifies Lupo as the beneficiary. The organizer, Susan Haslam, describes Lupo as a familiar figure at the library for the past seven years, noting her role welcoming patrons, helping visitors with day-to-day needs, and hosting regular bingo gatherings tied to the library’s programming.

Family medical situation and leave from work

The fundraiser states that Brian has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer and that hospice began assisting in the home “as of the first of the year.” The campaign also says Lupo has stepped away from work to focus on caregiving responsibilities at home.

In the campaign description, the stated purpose is to offset financial strain linked to time away from work and medical-related costs. The fundraiser lists a goal of $5,500. As of the latest posted update visible on the campaign page, $2,270 had been raised from 29 donations.

What the fundraising appeal says it will cover

The organizer frames the effort as a way for patrons and residents to help stabilize the household finances while Lupo is out of the workplace. The campaign identifies several categories of expenses it intends to address:

• Unpaid leave from work while Lupo remains at home
• Medical and related expenses associated with Brian’s illness
• Costs that arise during in-home hospice support

Why library workers can become focal points for mutual aid

Public libraries often serve as high-contact community spaces where staff develop long-running relationships with regular visitors. In that setting, frontline employees—especially those working circulation and public-facing desks—may be widely recognized beyond the library building itself. Fundraising efforts tied to library staff can therefore spread quickly through overlapping social networks of patrons, families, and local civic groups.

The fundraiser presents the response as a reciprocal gesture toward a staff member described as having consistently supported patrons and families through routine assistance and recurring library gatherings.

What is known and what remains unverified

The fundraiser provides specific claims about the family’s circumstances, including Brian’s diagnosis and the start of hospice services, as well as Lupo’s decision to take leave from work. No independent documentation is included on the page, and no additional public records are provided within the fundraiser itself. Beyond the campaign’s statements and fundraising totals shown on the platform, further details about medical timelines and employment arrangements are not publicly substantiated in the available materials.

The fundraiser remains active.