I’ve always had a heart for people struggling with housing, believing that everyone deserves a place to call home. In the winter of 2011, my compassion turned into action when I joined Family Promise of Bradley County and began to take care of families without homes.
I’ve learned a lot over the years.
The biggest lesson I have learned working with countless families who are struggling is that there is not much difference between their situations and mine.
Now I agree that there are always opportunities for growth through education and networking.
But the biggest difference is this: I have a network of friends and family that could support me (and have supported me) in times of need. Many of the families we serve just don’t have the familial resources to support one another in times of crisis.
Truly it is all about how big of a safety net you have around you when a tragedy strikes.
I’m regularly surprised when I talk with people applying for our services at Family Promise of Bradley County. I rarely talk to the “stereotypical homeless person.”
Not too long ago, I was assisting a family in applying for our prevention services. The mom shared with me that she had been working on her master’s degree, and she was required to serve as an intern for an organization. She had been working for a semester with no pay to meet requirements for her education. She worked part time to provide an income, but it was not enough. She needed our help.
I often think about Alice. Alice and her daughter came to us through great tragedy. Alice and her husband owned multiple businesses and were fairly successful. Then, shortly after their daughter was born, Alice’s husband had a medical emergency that ended up costing him his life. Drowning in medical debt, Alice was forced to sell their businesses to make ends meet and try to stay afloat. Eventually she found herself on our doorstep needing shelter.
Family Promise of Bradley County hosts services for families who are struggling with housing by focusing on providing stability for children. We believe that through positive support and trauma reduction of the children involved, we can make an impact, and ultimately, reduce generational homelessness.
I would love to sit and chat with you more about the organization and the services we provide. I also love to give presentations to groups, educating them on homelessness and how they can combat it. And I always welcome new volunteers that want to get involved. Reach out to me!
Comentários