It Rained All at One Time by Susan Ryder
“It rained all at one time,” was what a caller told me on the phone, as she described how her family found themselves in very hard times. That quote really stuck with me. It now hangs on my bulletin board to remind me of how to answer when people ask how folks find themselves without a home.
These calls are not unusual. In a more recent call, a mom described a "rained all at once" scenario.
She was working with a delivery company to try to make $70-$100/day
To afford the hotel where they were staying
Because they lost their housing
Because her husband lost his job after he suffered a heart attack
And she stopped working to care for him and the children
Plus, she had just hit a deer
And they were almost out of money
...She was drowning.
At Family Promise HCR, we provide families an umbrella for the rain, and sometimes a boat. We do this through a variety of programs and with the help of many partners. Our shelter and prevention programs help families to move from homelessness to home. We also have 4 UP programs:
Grow UP: gap coverage funding for childcare expenses
Heads UP: free counseling for families experiencing or on the brink of homelessness
Move UP: funding for one-time housing-related expenses, such as back rent or utilities
Wheels UP: funding for one-time transportation expenses, such as insurance or maintenance
These programs help divert families from the deluge of homelessness and offer help for those "rained all at one time" moments.
....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Showered Blessings for Upcoming Fam Jam Event by Matt Wagner
Click here to watch a quick video from our director, Matt Wagner, sharing some updates about Fam Jam 2024!
....................................................................................................................................................................................................
Showering of Love and Support by Stacey Coldren
Our guests update us each week on how the host week has gone. Of course, there are ups and downs, but there are always wonderful comments in common.
"The volunteers treated us like family."
"They played with my kids like it was their grandchildren."
"I didn't feel bombarded with questions about my situation; they treated me like an equal. Sometimes, it's hard to repeat my story repeatedly."
"They have the BEST TOYS EVER."
"I was able to just be me."
It is no surprise to hear that when our families come into the shelter, they seek support and reassurance. That is precisely what the FPHCR volunteers do each week, from having a family dinner together each evening to playing with the kiddos and talking with the parents.
This might seem small, but the support and respect the FPHCR volunteers shower our families with each week is a blessing that will stay with them forever.
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson
