26 Jan Cold winters can be a thing of the past

…a message from Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger

I love winter. That is, I love winter when I have nowhere to go, when I can stay snug in my warm house with a fire in the fireplace and hot chocolate in my hands. There is no cozier feeling than watching snow fall outside while you are safely tucked in a blanket on a comfy couch.

But each time I see those snowflakes, I can’t help but think about the many people in this world—in this very city—who have no safe house, no comfy couch, no warmth. Not just those on the streets, either. Families without homes of their own often find themselves moving from place to place, sleeping on a friend’s floor one week, a cousin’s the next and with no idea what the following month will bring. Parents live in constant fear and children lack a solid, secure foundation. It’s certainly not through lack of love—families experiencing homelessness have the same overwhelming love and hope for their children as those living in the grandest houses; they’re just in the direst of circumstances.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that helps families achieve stable, independent housing. I know that the families in Hope Gardens, Hope Forest and those housed temporarily in our congregation network finally have, as the names imply, HOPE. Hope that their children can feel safe. Hope that there will be food on the table. Hope that fearful, cold winters are a thing of the past.

Thank you for sharing in their hope, and for helping turn it into a reality.

Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger