There's No Place Like Home

You may not know I am originally from New Orleans and have been commuting to Houston, chasing the oil industry, for more than 20 years. I love my home town, my family, and my roots. Houston has been good to me, and to my businesses, and it is a terrific second home. But, with one foot in each city, it has been very hard to commit my time regularly to community causes. That has never been enough, and I have wanted very much to put my time into volunteer work. That time has come.

As He will do, God sent me a message via serious illness in 2018. He declared loudly that it is time for me to settle into another life phase. So, happily I got the message and have accepted that timing! I spent much of the year on medical treatments, which is why you have not heard from me much. But, I am looking forward and want to tell you what I am up to.

As of January, I am on the board of Family Promise of St. Tammany Parish, the local affiliate of a national organization whose purpose is to help families overcome homelessness. By using community resources, especially churches, they are able to keep families together during a two-to-three-month transition to getting back on their feet. Many of these are living in tents or cars, because they can’t break the cycle of not being able to pay rent or get a car or get child care, whatever. The churches house and feed the families a week at a time in sequence; there are at least 15 churches involved. The major costs and assets of the organization relate to a transportation van, movable beds, and a couple of trained staff. The kids get to stay in school, and the parents get job training, financial management help, and other needed resources from community and government agencies. A jump start, and a very personally designed one. Brilliant!

I have supported Family Promise for several years, but now I have the time to be more hands on. I am not only working with the fundraising effort but also with clients who need knowledge and emotional support just to survive day-to-day. It is humbling. Yesterday, I attended a training session that explored the mental model, or mindset, of people in poverty compared to those in the middle and upper classes. Where middle-class people are worried about prevention of illness (vaccines), poverty stricken are facing illness itself. Where the middle class is concerned about careers, lower class are scrambling for jobs. And on it goes.

This mostly volunteer organization has been operating out of small quarters loaned by a local church. With the growth in serving as many families as they have to date, the next step is a more permanent headquarters, to be called the “Day Center.” It is scheduled for groundbreaking and completion this year. It is not that big, but it is an important step in establishing a go-to place for people who need transitional help to support themselves again. I have seen it work, and this group has an 85% success rate after one year.

I am asking for you to consider supporting this worthwhile group. The current need is first for funding the capital for the new building, and I am including the newest brochure describing how you can help. The other ongoing need is for operations funding. I am also including the link to the website that has a place for you to donate one-time or on a recurring basis. I would appreciate anything you can do by going to https://www.fpstp.org/

Some of you have asked and received my support for your various causes over the years. I am asking you to help this organization now. Please do what you can, and thanks in advance!

I am so happy to be in a place to give time now as well as money for a cause I believe in. I hope you are in or get to the same place soon.

Sincerely,

Cheryl