19 May Changing their lives for the better

Imagine what it would be like to go through an eviction, escape domestic violence, or live in a motel with your family and then, after a lot of hard work and some community support, to finally secure safe, stable housing for you and your children. Pretty good, right?

But then COVID-19 happens.

For the more than 500,000 people in our country who are experiencing homelessness on any given night, this pandemic has created new and never before seen challenges.

And for our families at Inter-Faith Housing Alliance who are determined to change their lives for the better, the COVID-19 pandemic has created new challenges. Workplaces are shut down. Schools are closed for the rest of the academic year. The IRS does not have banking information for people who did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019, so much needed economic stimulus payments are delayed. And then there is also the risk of getting sick and not being able to take care of your family.

You and others in our community have compassionately supported our families since this crisis began. We have been able to organize online tutoring with volunteers, hear read-a-longs over the phone, distribute gift cards for local grocery stores, and meet a huge increase in demand at our food cupboard because of your tremendous generosity. In addition to the usual support that we offer, our case manager has been helping families access unemployment compensation and stimulus payments. We are helping to keep children busy and engaged with fun, hands-on activities. Our staff has shared information about COVID-19 with our guests and changed procedures at the food cupboard to prevent transmission and keep our community safe.

In the face of challenge, our donors and volunteers have stepped up to make sure that the families we serve can maintain their stability so that they and their children can thrive despite the economic, health, and other difficulties of COVID-19. Knowing that you care is helping all of us to get through this together.

Thank you for all you have done, and will continue to do, to support our families as we address these ongoing challenges. If you would like to volunteer or donate, just give us a call!

Marsha Eichelberger
Executive Director