22 Sep The school year brings a different kind of relief

…a message from Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger

For many of you, this is a crazy time of year! I remember the first weeks of school when my children were young; they were filled with paperwork and calendars, schedules and meetings. There is always that combination of relief and overwhelm- we’re grateful they’re back in school but frantic with shuttling them from one activity to the next and dragging them reluctantly from warm, snuggly beds early in the morning.

For many, the school year brings a different kind of relief. Many families are eligible for breakfast and lunch programs, so children can finally have full bellies after a summer of hunger. School also means a reduction in expensive and often undesirable childcare, so parents can use a bigger part of their earnings on basic necessities that may have been forgone. Many parents are now breathing sighs of relief that have nothing to do with freedom and everything to do with survival.

These are things many people haven’t thought too much about, and we hope we’re changing that. Our #reFrame photo series this summer highlighted the families we serve and the many volunteers who make it all possible. If you haven’t already seen it, check out our Facebook and Instagram pages to read their stories and see how Inter-Faith Housing Alliance has reframed their worlds, one act of kindness at at time. This series has been so popular we’ll be sure to keep sharing it with you throughout the year.

In the meantime, be sure to put down your number two pencils and take a moment to reframe how you see the world around you. Wayne Dyer once famously said: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” We hope you’ve experienced this in your life and can’t wait to see how this new season reframes your world.
Thank you.
Executive Director Marsha Eichelberger