Helping Others Make the Effort: The HOME Project

School Uniform Drive

2011-07-26T15:34:00.004-04:00

Can you believe it's that time of year already? School will be back in session in just a few weeks, so we are starting up our annual school uniform drive. HOME's kids will receive backpacks and school supplies from the School District, but we are in need of the following new items (in all sizes) for both boys and girls:
- navy blue polo shirts
- dark colored jeans or khaki pants
- socks
- gift cards to purchase uniforms- i.e. Target, Wal Mart, Old Navy, Sears

If you would like to donate, please contact Aylich at (407) 932-0943 or avazquez@osceolahome.org

HOME Free Yard Sale!

2011-03-22T12:39:00.002-04:00

HOME's next free yard sale will be April 2.

Along with your donations of used goods we are requesting that you consider bringing a bag of diapers (size 3 & 4) to help our families in need.

All donations can be dropped off on April 1 between 9-4. Thanks!

Give from the HEART to HOME

2011-01-28T16:29:00.006-05:00

This February we are asking the community to "Give from the HEART to HOME!" HOME residents are in need of some items to make their stay more pleasant. HOME is in need of materials to make move-in easier for each family who comes to the HOME campus.

For Move-in Buckets we are in need of:

Mop Buckets
Brooms
Mops
Dust Pans
Dust Rags
Cleaning Supplies
Laundry Soap
Trash Bags
Trash Cans

We also need:

Soap
Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothpaste
Diapers (Size 3,4,5)
Wipes
Washcloths
Towels
Sheets
Pots & pans

If you are interested in collecting move-in buckets or personal hygiene items please e-mail mdowney@osceolahome.org for more information! Let's work together and give big from the Heart this Valentine's month!

What an Angel!

2011-01-28T16:20:00.004-05:00

Each year the City of Kissimmee's Downtown Business Association has a holiday ornament decorating contest. The entry fee is $50 and proceeds usually help out a local non-profit in need. In 2009 HOME was the beneficiary of the proceeds and in 2010 Commissioner Jerry Gemskie paid the entry fee for HOME to have their very own Ornament in Parade.

HOME enlisted the help of our amazing volunteer, Beth Berner from Community of Faith, who is also an accomplished artist, and here was the results:

Thank you Beth for your wonderful artistic work and thank you Mr. Gemskie for allowing HOME to participate. All the ornaments, including HOME's, can be seen in the Kissimmee City Hall through the end of this month!

Investing in Youth

2010-12-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

Did you know that only 3% of Florida's budget goes towards children age zero to five? And that just a 1% increase could drastically improve outcomes for our youth? Our friends at the Children's Movement of Florida have put together this outstanding video to educate the public about their platform. They're a nonpartisan group that is focusing on getting our legislators to invest in youth, particularly in the following areas:

Parent skill-building
Mentoring
Developmental Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment for Children with Special Needs
Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program (VPK)
Health Care

If you'd like to learn more, you can visit their site at http://childrensmovementflorida.org

November is homeless awareness month

2010-11-09T15:15:00.006-05:00

HOME, in partnership with the City of Kissimmee, the City of St. Cloud, and Osceola County is honored to bring awareness to National Homeless Awareness Month. Below is a Proclamation, signed by all three entities respectively to stand in solidarity with homeless individuals in Osceola County.

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, November is Homeless Awareness Month, which is meant to increase awareness of, and focus attention on the people in our community who are homeless; and

WHEREAS, homeless people include the working poor, veterans, people with disabilities, mothers who have fled domestic violence, and people who by no choice of their own cannot find affordable housing; and

WHEREAS, in this county, there are currently 1,134 school-aged children who are homeless, and the effects of homelessness on children are many, including: homeless children are seven times as likely than other children to be placed in foster care; 75% of homeless children under the age of five have at least one major developmental delay; 47% of homeless children have problems with anxiety, depression, or withdrawal; 69% of homeless children attend more than one school during the school year; and 75% of homeless children perform below grade level in reading; and

WHEREAS, the homeless in this community are our neighbors, families, and friends; and being homeless compromises not just the quality of life of the person but also of the community.

NOW, THEREFORE, we do hereby proclaim November 2010 as

NATIONAL HOMELESS AWARENESS MONTH

and urge all citizens to join in recognizing the important roles we can play in making a difference in the lives of individuals and families who are homeless in our community.

HOME needs YOUR help!

2010-11-02T14:05:00.004-04:00

We have a great need for child-care on Thursday nights to help with our babies. We have had several residents move in with children ages 1 and under and we need lots of help to keep these little ones entertained while moms are in their mandatory life-skills courses.

If you are available on Thursday nights from 6-8, please e-mail syohe@osceolahome.org, and let her know that you would love to help out with child-care on Thursday nights!

Have you Clicked today?

2010-11-02T14:02:00.003-04:00

HOME is in the running for $1000 this month and you can help! All you have to do is visit our profile on the Community Foundation's Donor Edge page! Click here to visit now! The organization with the most clicks at the end of the month will win $1000. Remember to come back to this page daily (you must come from this link, our facebook page, or the "Learn More" link on our website) to help HOME win $1000!

HOME celebrates Make a Difference Day

2010-11-02T13:33:00.001-04:00

Make A Difference Day is an annual day of service taking place on October 23, 2010. To celebrate, HOME hosted a volunteer group from KPMG. KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. Over 90 KPMG employees donated three hours of labor and countless tools and supplies to help renovate our campus. A number of large-scale projects were completed during those three hours. The projects included: Cleaning and painting the patio railings, painting the interior of the children’s classroom, remulching the garden and playground, and sanding and sealing our family picnic areas. We are very grateful that the KPMG employees chose HOME to be the recipient of their day of service.

HOME Supports the Florida Children's Movement

2010-11-02T11:00:00.004-04:00

In honor of Election Day today HOME wants to tell you about a movement that we support in honor of homeless children in our community and all children in Florida. It's called the Children's Movement of Florida -- a citizen-led, non-partisan movement to educate political, business and civic leaders, and all parents about the urgent need to make the well-being and education of our infants, toddlers and all other children Florida's highest priority.

The Children’s Movement of Florida believes that the well-being and education of our children in Florida must be the highest priority of government, business, non-profit institutions and families. The economic future of our state and the stability of the communities we live in depend on achieving this goal. The major objective of the citizen-led, non-partisan Children’s Movement of Florida is to inform the political, business and civic leaders, and the parents and people of this state, about this issue – and encourage them to make the well-being and education of our children our highest priority, including in the way we invest our public resources.

According to the Movement's website the organization's "mission is not about raising taxes, but rather about raising children. Florida's children deserve to be our first priority when deciding how the state's resources are spent, especially when it comes to programs -- such as preschool, quality child care and prenatal care -- that make a real difference in their lives and futures."

The Children's Movement is not about politics, but about standing up for children and working to make changes that will bring a better quality of life to all children in Florida. The movement believes that by almost every objective standard, Florida ranks poorly in measure after measure in how we invest in children. Some examples include:

Hundreds of thousands of our children are not covered by health insurance.
The state's prekindergarten program does not meet most national standards.
Early screening and treatment programs for children with special needs are poorly coordinated, difficult to access and of inconsistent quality.
A quarter of our public high school students do not graduate.
Florida's businesses and community organizations are not committed to strengthening child mentoring and parent skill-building programs.

According to the movement more than 800,000 Florida children do not have health insurance, leaving the state behind only Texas in the percentage of uninsured children. About 30 percent of Florida’s public school third graders cannot read with even minimum proficiency. More than half of our high school sophomores cannot read at grade level. Florida spends $51,000 to keep a juvenile incarcerated in a secure facility, while it spends less than $7,000 to keep a child in public school.

The movement hopes to improve these measures by making sure children have access to health insurance and quality health care, enhanced quality standards for the state's pre-kindergarten program, improved screening and treatment of special needs, a statewide parental support and information program and high-quality, widely available mentoring programs for young people.

Multiple studies show that investing in children during the crucial first five years of life helps them attain their full potential and avoids devoting much larger sums to remedial programs later in life, saving vast sums of money for taxpayers in the long run.

The Children's Movement of Florida is supported by a broad and non-partisan coalition. The movement's 27-member statewide steering committee includes 12 Republicans, 12 Democrats and three independents. The movement does not endorse candidates. Its activities are funded solely through private donations – no public funds are involved. The movement does not advocate new or higher statewide taxes, but rather insists that children's issues receive the highest priority and a much larger share of current resources.

For more information about the origins, objectives and leaders of The Children's Movement of Florida, and about the current state of Florida's children, please visit http://childrensmovementflorida.org/

HOME hosts annual Walk a Mile in My Shoes

2010-09-20T16:21:00.006-04:00

Walk a Mile in My Shoes —
Community Awareness walk to reveal the face of homelessness

Would you know I was homeless? It’s the question Helping Others Make the Effort is asking to those in Osceola County as we work to raise homelessness awareness through a community
awareness walk on Nov. 13, 2010 at 11 a.m.

November is Homelessness Awareness Month and HOME hopes that through the event residents of central Florida can get to know who the homeless really are in their community. Right now, in Osceola County alone, there are over 1000 school-aged children who are homeless. HOME is working to provide safe housing for those children and single mothers through case management, life skills, and transitional living.

Walk a Mile in my Shoes will be held at the Saint Cloud Lakefront, in downtown Saint Cloud, Fla. and registration will be located at Crabby Bill's Restaurant (1104 Lakeshore Boulevard Saint Cloud, Fla. 34769).

Walkers are encouraged to arrive at 10 a.m. for registration and fun at Crabby Bill's patio area and then begin the walk at 11 a.m. The walk will conclude with a statement from HOME board members about homelessness in Osceola County. Each participate will receive a Walk a Mile T-shirt to commemorate the event.

To register for the walk simply go to http://www.osceolahome.org/walkamile.asp and fill out the quick and easy registration form.

Business and individual sponsorships are available for the event. For more information please contact Mary Downey, HOME Deputy Director, at mdowney@osceolahome.org.

We look forward to you being a part of breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County and Central Florida!

Matching Cotton Comforter and Sheet Set | Blanket America

2010-08-31T21:20:00.001-04:00

Matching Cotton Comforter and Sheet Set | Blanket America

Have you been looking to redo the bedding in your home? When you purchase bedding from this website they will ship another set FREE to HOME. The sets look beautiful and it would be a wonderful way to give new clean sheets to the families at HOME.

Golf Tournament to benefit HOME!

2010-08-16T10:26:00.001-04:00

Give Kids Safe Shelter has begun registration for their annual golf tournament at the beautiful Kissimmee Bay Country Club on Saturday, September 18. This is their largest fundraiser of the year which allows them to donate to Helping Others Make the Effort (HOME). Again this year, GKSS will provide a direct donation to HOME of $15 per person or $75 per team for the registrations that HOME obtains. There are also opportunities to donate to the auction or sponsor the event. Registration and sponsorship forms are available here.

Thanks for supporting HOME!

Diaper and wipes donation!

2010-07-20T08:51:00.003-04:00

One of HOME's greatest ongoing needs is diapers and wipes- this is an area of a family's budget that just can't be pared down. Yesterday, we were delighted to receive a donation of 1,530 diapers and 5,908 wipes from the Community Presbyterian Church of Celebration's Vacation Bible School. Thank you so much to everyone who donated, these items help more than you know!

P.S.- if you would like to hold a diapers and wipes drive for HOME, please call us at (407) 932-0943

Tune in to Intersection on Tuesday

2010-07-12T12:48:00.002-04:00

On Tuesday July 13th at 9:30 a.m., WMFE/NPR's weekly local show Intersection will feature one woman's story of homelessness, as well as an update on homelessness in Central Florida. Please tune in tomorrow for the full story (if you're away from your radio you can also listen online by following the link).

Success story

2010-07-08T15:17:00.001-04:00

I get asked a lot how we KNOW that our program works. When a family first completes the intake process at HOME, we complete a self-sufficiency rating scale that forms the basis of our case plans. Clients are scored again at exit, and are also asked about their housing plans once they leave (unsubsidized housing, moving in with friends, purchasing a home, etc.). Only rarely do we get the opportunity to see how clients do in the long run. Today we had a surprise visit from a client who completed the program well over a year ago. When she entered the HOME program, she and her two daughters were living in a motel and she worked at a grocery store. She did not have a vehicle and walked to work, and she reported sometimes having to skip meals due to lack of resources. Today, “G” has her real estate license, is living in her own apartment, has a car, and her kids are stable. In fact, part of the reason she stopped in was to see how she could give back to HOME (she’ll be teaching a class on homebuying here sometime in the near future). I asked her, in hindsight, what was most helpful about the program. In her words: “The program was here when I was desperate and had no place to go. No place is perfect, and you have to understand that.” I asked her if she minded a blog post about her visit, and she said she didn’t. I was sort of surprised, since she’s a private person, but she replied that this was just another experience in her life and that she is proud of her growth and what she’s accomplished.

Back to School Drive

2010-07-01T16:44:00.008-04:00

Back to school is just around the corner and HOME is once again collecting for our kids. However, since we did such a great job collecting items last year we still have some leftover so our list is a bit smaller this year. Even though the list is small the need is big! We are focusing more on the needs of our preschoolers this year and on some of those hard to come by items. If your group is interested in collecting items this year for HOME please call 407-932-0943 and speak with Shannon or Cara. See the list below for those items in most need for this school year (per child -- we collect for roughly 40 kids). We are also looking for gently used school uniforms, socks and shoes or gift cards to purchase these items.

Here is the list:
Areas of greatest need:
• Bottled liquid hand soap
• Flash Drives
• Diapers (all sizes)
• Wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Large boxes of tissues

Other items needed (list contains items and quantities for one K-12 student):
• 1 - book bag or back pack (full size, no wheels)
• 4 - composition notebooks
• 1 - large box of tissues
• 1 - large pink eraser
• 1 small blanket or small sheet, for rest/nap time
• 3 - packages of white copy paper
• 1 - dry erase marker
• 1 - pencil sharpener, with cover
• 1 - supply box (must fit in desk)
• 1 - package of construction paper
• 1 - small pencil box
• 1 - dozen blue or black pens
• 3 - packs of Post-it Notes
• Red or Green pen
• A packet of graph paper
• Scientific calculator
• Protractor
• Dividers
• 1 Ruler – metric and standard
• 3x5 index cards

Operation Outreach= Success

2010-06-28T20:19:00.006-04:00

I'm happy to say that Operation Outreach was a success! According to this article, over 1,000 people were served, but I have it under good authority that the total number of people in attendance well exceeded 1,000. We had a booth out front in the social services fair area, as well as a seat at the housing specialty table in the "west wing." Here's a picture of our table, where we gave out information on our residential program and provided information on food stamps. We also gave away board games and pens, which were both a HUGE hit.
In the west wing, our Family Advocate worked with clients one on one and assessed them for a possible fit with our emergency financial assistance and residential programs. About a half dozen appointments were set as a result of the event, as well as providing information and referral to many, many families.

This is a picture of the event area as things are just starting to get underway- this is my attempt at an "aerial" shot, but since I'm only five feet tall you'll need to use your imagination!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention a few awesome organizations that made this thing happen:
- Osceola County and the social services team there, for putting the whole thing together in a matter of weeks
- Give Kids Safe Shelter, for providing financial support
- Community of Faith Church, who provided not only a whole cadre of trained and smiling volunteers, but also provided financial support
- Our fellow provider agencies

This is why I love Osceola- with partnerships and hard work, a lot can be achieved in a short amount of time!

Operation Outreach 192- Tomorrow!

2010-06-24T08:16:00.003-04:00

Please check out this great story on Operation Outreach 192, which HOME will be participating in tomorrow. We're teaming up with a ton of county, faith-based, and social service providers to help families who are living in motels become more stable. Providers will work together to provide "aid packages" to give each family a fighting chance at self-sufficiency.

If you're in need of assistance, the event is at the Rock Church on 192 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday June 25th. You do not need to be pre-registered, but you should plan to bring any documentation that you have, including ID/social security card, birth certificates, benefit letters, proof of income, and motel receipts. There's also a flyer and more information here.

If you'd like to help by donating your time or resources, contact information for Osceola County is here.

HOMELite: helping families put food on the table

2010-06-17T09:25:00.002-04:00

Most of the community knows HOME best for our residential program, where we help homeless single moms get back on their feet. However, we also have an outreach program called HOMELite that serves families who don't live at HOME but are still in need of services. We provide information and referral, case management, life skills training, emergency financial assistance, and help with food stamps.

A few weeks ago, we had the pleasure of partnering with America's Best Inn Main Gate East to take our food stamp services on the road. The hotel was kind enough to provide meeting space, flyers to potential clients, and even juice and cookies! We met with several families, walking them through the food stamp application process and checking their eligibility status.

Guess what? 100% of the families we met with were eligible! One family, as it turned out, even had active food stamps with money available on their card, and they just didn't know it. That family was literally able to leave their meeting with us and go straight to the grocery store to buy food. So far, that small outreach event has helped leverage over $550 per month in food stamps for families that literally couldn't afford to put enough food on the table.

These mobile food stamp outreach services are made possible through a grant from the USDA. Our next outreach event will be on June 25th, from 10-2 at the Rock Church on West 192. Hopefully we'll be able to help even more families get the food they need

Early heads up!

2010-06-16T16:06:00.003-04:00

Due to the July 4th holiday weekend, our next yard sale will be held on Saturday August 7th, with donation drop-offs on August 6th!

Help needed for new children's life skills program!

2010-06-04T15:54:00.002-04:00

With the receipt of the Disney grant that we announced last month, changes are coming to the life skills program for our kids here on campus. One of those changes involves improving our "kids apartment" to create special spaces for each age group- one for babies, one for pre-schoolers, and one for elementary school-age children. We are looking for donations of the following items to make this happen:

Exersaucers/baby bouncers
Gym mats/soft climbing shapes
Pocket charts/activity walls
Toddler bookshelf
Classroom rugs
Storage centers

If you're a teacher and are cleaning out your classroom, or just have a few of these items that you'd like to donate, please let us know!

Special Announcement from our friends at the Council on Aging

2010-06-03T10:14:00.001-04:00

We wanted to take a moment to share some information from the Council on Aging's upcoming Dinners for Dads:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: June 2, 2010

Contact: Robert Dent 407-846-8541 dentr@Osceola-coa.com

Time to Remember Dad

Kissimmee, FL: The Osceola Council on Aging is celebrating Father’s Day with their annual Dinners for Dads event. Many fathers find themselves alone on this national day of recognition but not so at the Osceola Council on Aging’s Dining Club. A lunch party with music and dancing is planned for Friday, June 18th from 9am until noon along with none other than a ‘best tie’ contest among the fathers. Persons interested in participating can register to attend the Dining Club party by contacting 407-847-2144.

The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Council. Individual or corporate sponsors are being sought for Dinners for Dads. You or your business can sponsor a Father’s Day Dinner for $10 while raising funds for the Council.

“We all remember wonderful times with our fathers and the influence they had on our lives,” recalls Beverly Hougland, CEO of the Council on Aging. “This is a special time when we can give something back especially to those who find themselves alone,” she continued.

The Council on Aging provided services to more than 76,000 clients in 2009 and as our economy is further strained, dwindling resources and greater needs prove challenging. Providing a special day for fathers brings some sunshine into what might otherwise be a lonely time in their life. As we do each year, the Council on Aging wishes a happy Father’s Day to all the ‘dads’ in our community and encourages families to remember their father on their special day.

Donations for the Father’s Day event can be mailed to Dinners for Dads, Osceola Council on Aging, 700 Generation Point, Kissimmee, FL 34744. If you are interested in sponsoring a Father’s Day Dinner for someone you know or for a complete stranger, please contact the Council on Aging office at 407-483-1498.

************************************************************************************************

The Osceola Council on Aging, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3), private, non-profit, charitable organization

dedicated to providing services to enable independence and self-sufficiency for seniors,

disabled adults and disadvantaged families..

The offices of the Council are located at 700 Generation Point, Kissimmee, FL 34744. For further information on the Osceola Council on Aging, contact 407-846-8541.

HOME Receives Walt Disney World Shine On Grant for 2010

2010-05-19T15:07:00.007-04:00

HOME is very pleased to announce that they are a recipient of the Walt Disney World Shine On Grant for the 2010 funding cycle. The grant, valued at just over $21,000 is going to help HOME implement a new program that focuses on life-skills for our children and youth on campus.

On May 17 HOME was visited by the Walt Disney World Community Relations team and Mickey Mouse himself and was surprised with balloons, a trophy, and a check that would go toward our "Children's Enrichment Program." It was a wonderful gift and we are so thankful to Walt Disney World for choosing HOME in this year's funding cycle.

This is the second Disney Shine On Grant that HOME has received since opening our doors in 2008! HOME was one of the 31 agencies chosen to receive the award out of over 150 grant applications!

A Very Merry Unbirthday!

2010-05-19T14:56:00.006-04:00

Saturday, May 15, was a day filled with fun and games as HOME celebrated its annual Unbirthday Party for the kids on campus!

The day started with some Bounce House fun donated by Peace United Methodist Church and then we had a great magic show put on by Mr. Tim Howard! The kids loved watching the show and were attentive for a full hour, something we don't get to see that often!

The kids were then treated to a pizza lunch followed by more fun and games by Mr. Howard.

To round out the day the kids had a very special cake delivered by the great folks over at Walt Disney World that was not only beautiful but also very very yummy!

The day ended with the each child opening gifts donated by those in the community and by Community Celebration Church and face-painting by Ms. Daisy and Ms. Amy!

We would like to thank all our sponsors, Walt Disney World Community Relations, Peace United Methodist Church, Mr. Tim Howard, Community of Faith United Methodist Church, and Community Celebration Church for making this such a special day for the kids at HOME!

Retired Residents of Solivita Friend-Raise to Help End the Cycle of Homelessness

2010-05-19T12:28:00.005-04:00

Many snowbirds and national retirees move to the Sunshine state in the hopes of leading a leisure filled lifestyle. What they find however is that they have never been more occupied with activities and charity gift giving in their entire lives. This could not be truer of the local retired residents found in the Solivita community. Many come to Helping Others Make the Effort (HOME) seeking an opportunity to make a difference and help break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. What we receive is their gracious time and talent. Their efforts and dedication could not be more evident given the current times when many local non-for profits find it harder than ever to meet the needs of their constituents as budget cuts run rampant and personnel is downsized. HOME volunteers have continued their commitment to our organization and shown their passion through these trying times through the facilitation of local fundraising events.

Retired Solivita residents and steadfast tutors at HOME, Joe and Meg Burkhart recently hosted a charity wine tasting event with the Solivita’s Women’s Golf Association. They were able to not only raise $600 (check presentation pictured) for HOME but raised awareness about homelessness and how HOME is working towards helping families get a second chance at life. Many of the participants were eager to get involved and have since been trained to work as fellow volunteers. What is even more exciting is that the Burkharts and Griffith family, also dedicated volunteers at HOME, have been able to purchase a much needed storage shed for HOME and installed all the shelving units it required! These volunteers were able to turn a social event into a charity fundraising experience.

HOME is lucky to have the core volunteers we have to give back to families in need in the community. Whether it is through the didactic role of tutor or instructor, as a childcare facilitator, or involvement in a special service project, volunteers make a commitment to give the best of themselves every time they serve at HOME. Moreover they help maintain the campus and keep the facility running. They are truly the backbone of our organization.

If you are interested in getting involved please click here to volunteer now!

*Post by Albery Melo, HOME program assistant.

Family Enrichment Graduation Celebrates HOME Residents

2010-04-23T13:52:00.006-04:00

For the past nine weeks the residents of HOME have been enjoying a life-skills course presented by the prevention services of the Center for Drug Free Living. The course, entitled the Family Enrichment Series, focused on teaching parents communication styles with their children, how to have quality family time, and even some conflict resolution techniques. What was so great about this class is that it was also offered to the children of HOME as well so Mom and child were both learning the same skills to better their family situation. Before each class the families would sit down together for dinner and discussion to begin the quality family time.

On April 15 the series ended with a grand graduation for all the residents who participated in the series. The families were presented with certificates, a special gift, and then the families enjoyed a meal together to mark the celebration. There was lots of fun to be had by all and some residents spoke up about how the course had helped them become better parents over the last nine weeks and that they had learned skills that would last them a lifetime!

Thank you to the Center for Drug Free Living for providing this great course for the women and children of Helping Others Make the Effort!

Disney Cruise Winners!!!

2010-04-07T09:47:00.003-04:00

Congratulations to our Disney Cruise Winners!
Jenna Cawley, Jaime Pollack, Donna Sines, Julia Powell, and Sara Melendez, along with three of their friends, will be traveling to the Bahamas via the Disney Wonder Cruise ship on April 22-25!!! Have a great time and congratulations!!!

Also, a BIG THANK YOU, to all who donated for the raffle! HOME raised $1850 for homeless families in Osceola County!

Free Yard Sale -- This Saturday!

2010-03-31T12:09:00.004-04:00

When: April 3, 2010 @ 10 - 12 p.m.

Donation Drop Off: April 2, 2010 from 10-4 p.m.

Where: 924 Determination Way • Kissimmee, FL 34741

What: A community yard sale to provide free items such as clothing, furniture, baby items, books and more to those who may not be able to purchase these items.

Why: Because Helping Others Make the Effort is a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. By providing these items, free of charge, we are providing a service to those who may be needing such items to get back on their feet.

Want We Need Now:

Do you have an old prom dress or Tux that is still in good shape? We've got a few kids who are in need of these items, and we'd love to give them a selection! Donations can be dropped off from 10-4 (and of course, bring anything else you'd like to donate as well!) Or visit our Wish List!

More Good News!

2010-03-23T11:30:00.003-04:00

HOME has more 2009 year-end statistics to share with you, this time from our program staff!

Out of the 15 families that graduated from the residential program in 2009, 14 or 93 percent increased their self-sufficiency rating score with an average increase of .70. Also, 13 out of the 15 families, or 87 percent, increased their income with an average increase of $382 per month.

This is great news for the families living on our campus. HOME's mission is to break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County and with statistics like this we are able to see that the program really works. Rating the families on the self-sufficiency rating scale helps us measure our families improvement in employment, transportation, living situations and income. All of these things, working together with case management, allows us to make a change in the lives of our families and to know that we are making a difference!

Community Garden on Campus

2010-03-23T11:17:00.004-04:00

For the past three years Community Presbyterian Church has helped HOME residents plant a Community Garden on the HOME Campus. It's always a very fun time for the moms and kids to get their hands dirty and work to provide another source of food for their families. On March 20, with the help of volunteers from Comm Pres, the residents planted tomatoes, carrots, peppers, turnip greens, watermelon, pumpkin and many other yummy vegetables.

Community Gardens are popping up everywhere and HOME is happy to be able to provide this food alternative to our residents on campus. There are many benefits to having a community garden. According to the American Community Gardening Association benefits include:

Improves the quality of life for people in the garden
Provides a catalyst for neighborhood and community development
Stimulates Social Interaction
Encourages Self-Reliance
Beautifies Neighborhoods
Produces Nutritious Food
Reduces Family Food Budgets
Conserves Resources
Creates opportunity for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education
Reduces Crime
Preserves Green Space
Creates income opportunities and economic development
Reduces city heat from streets and parking lots
Provides opportunities for intergenerational and cross-cultural connections

To conclude the fun day lunch was provided in crockpots (for each resident to keep!) and the youth group from Peace United Methodist had game time with the kids while the moms took time to visit and relax!

You're Invited: HOME Open House 2010!

2010-03-09T10:30:00.002-05:00

Please join us as we celebrate two years at Helping Others Make the Effort!* This Open House Event will include free food, informational tours, volunteer recognition, and a chance for you to get more information about the families that we have helped this year! To RSVP Click HERE!

Our campus is pretty easy to find, however you need to click HERE for directions. We have a map set up on Google Maps, but other map services haven't quite figured out where our building is located yet!

If you are coming from HWY 192 in Kissimmee, you will turn on John Young Parkway. Drive toward Pleasant Hill Road, and as you go over the overpass (that goes over the railroad track) looking down from the overpass you can see our campus on your right. At the bottom of the overpass you will turn right onto Harrelson Lane, the road deadends in our parking lot. If you get confused look for the HOME Special Event signs, they will help point you on your way. Also, feel free to call 407-433-1248 if you need help locating the campus.

*Helping Others Make the Effort is a non-profit organization committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. For more information please visit www.osceolahome.org.

An Update from HOME's Executive Director

2010-03-08T14:46:00.010-05:00

*HOME recently released our 2009 Annual Report (View the full report here). Below is this year's update from HOME's Executive Director, Cara Eule.

For most of us, not a day goes by that we don’t see reports about the current economic crisis on television or read about it in the newspaper. After a while, we tend to develop compassion fatigue- it hurts too much and hits too close to home to really internalize the enormity of this crisis. Even working with struggling families on a daily basis, it didn’t hit home for me until I drove through a neighborhood that had clearly been hit especially hard. For sale signs hung in overgrown yards, old phone books were piled up on porches, and garbage littered the swales. All of a sudden, it hit me like a ton of bricks- these families hadn’t simply disappeared or fallen of the face of the earth.

One in ten families in this neighborhood was likely homeless or near homeless!

I was recently asked if it was hard to think about the good work that HOME does in terms of community impact, and the truth is yes, it’s hard to see the forest for the trees. Each day, we speak to mother after mother and child after child whose day-to-day existence includes worrying about meals, having no place to stay at night, and wondering whose house they can crash at next. Every job that we help a family get, every night of housing that we can provide, every meal that we put on the table, it matters. And when you add up all the jobs, all the nights of housing, and all the meals, we’re making a big difference in this community.

This past year was a busy and tough year for HOME, as I suspect it was for many of our local agencies that serve families. HOME’s story for the year is similar to that of the families we serve — money was tight, our time and resources were stretched, but with the unfaltering support of our investors, community members, and local government, we were able to make it through. In a time when as many as one-third of local agencies are shutting their doors, we persevered.

In the Annual Report you will find accomplishments for the year, as well as an excerpts from a letter recently written by a graduate of our residential program. If you have donated your time or resources to HOME, these words were written for you- we couldn’t have done it without your support, and we can’t continue to help families without you. If you made a contribution to HOME last year, please consider renewing that gift, as well as sharing our story with others. Thank you again for helping others make the effort!

Sincerely,

Cara Eule, HOME Executive Director

Matching Funds for HOME

2010-03-08T14:35:00.005-05:00

We are so excited that we have the opportunity to receive matching funds from the Feinstein Foundation. During the months of March and April every dollar that is raised by HOME has the potential to be matched by the foundation up to $40,000!

Here's a press release from the Feinstein Foundation:

For Immediate Release
2010 13th Annual $1 Million Giveaway To Fight Hunger

For the 13th consecutive year, Alan Shawn Feinstein will divide $1 million among anti hunger agencies nationwide using it as a spur to raise funds during March and April, 2010.

Agencies should simply inform potential donors (and their local churches, schools and businesses) that the more donations made to them - from March 1st to April 30th– the more of the Feinstein money they will get! Many agencies featuring this in their mailings and telephone solicitations in past years have increased their donations two or three times their usual returns!

Only donations or pledges received from March 1st to April 30th, from use of the Feinstein challenge, should be counted. These donations can include cash, checks and food items (valued at $1.00 per item or pound) or pledges, as long as they were obtained ONLY from use of our challenge.

Participating agencies should send in the enclosed reporting sheet, showing how much they raised from March 1st to April 30th, 2010 from use of our challenge, with copies of any publicity they received about it and their mailing piece(s) featuring our challenge, plus a copy of their federal tax-exemption (501C3) or proof of affiliation with a tax-exempt organization – all sent by regular mail in one envelope postmarked May 1st to May 12th, 2010 only, to: The Feinstein Foundation, 37 Alhambra Circle, Cranston, RI 02905. Nothing else is required. Please keep a record of what you raised from our challenge, and from whom, should verification be requested!

Our million dollars will be divided proportionately among all agencies complying with the above, with a minimum of $250 and a maximum of $40,000 to any one agency. Checks will be mailed by August 1st, 2010.

Feinstein’s past 12 annual $1 million challenges to fight hunger have raised a record $1 Billion for over 2000 agencies nationwide. Agencies should tell their donors that their donation toward this campaign makes them partners in the most successful effort to fight hunger of all times. That is something to take pride in!

A full report of the results of this 2010 Challenge will be posted on our website in July.

With an opportunity like this, why not take time today to donate to Helping Others Make the Effort and get double the bang for your buck in March and April. Click here to donate now!

Community Presbyterian Hosts Yard Sale

2010-03-08T14:09:00.004-05:00

HOME is so excited to receive $2503.06 from Community Presbyterian Church's Ohana group. The small group raised the funds by participating in Celebration's Community Wide Yard Sale and gave the proceeds of their sale to HOME. According to the group this is the most they have raised from the sale. Their donation will sponsor a family for three months!

Thank you so much to Community Press for all their hard work, in fact, in just a few weeks members of the group will be back on campus for their annual garden party with the HOME families!

Most Unusual of Partners: Civic Engagement through Resident Collaboration

2010-03-04T15:29:00.003-05:00

United by motherhood and driven to end homelessness, the residents of HOME have joined together to form a Resident Council. Although they vary in levels of expertise and experience, they are committed to making a difference for themselves and others in the program. Democratically elected, six ladies have been called to serve. Having different titles and duties, they serve as the “voice” to all residents and are the leaders of our facility.

Interested candidates were to complete an application and submit a resume, as well as a cover letter. Seemingly tedious, it was done to promote job readiness and practice essential skills necessary for the job market. Each candidate was then interviewed and asked to state their position of interest. Once all interviews were completed, there was an electoral ballet and the candidates were able to chose their preferred elected official. In the end, there was a President, Vice President, Secretary, Community Liaison, Child Coordinator, and Council Alternate.

In the short month that the Council has been operational, many important lessons have been learned. Essential aspects such as –a governing procedure, a grievance policy, clear understanding of duties, role, and position—were early obstacles that needed to be dealt with. Many of the ladies also discovered early on that communication was a component of the elected board that was critical for them to thrive. Not easily deterred they agreed to revisit old policies and begin follow a parliamentary procedure. They were all quite determined to make their partnership work and to do so in a manner that was inclusive of all.

Civic engagement could not be more evident than in the partnership that these Council women have formed. Their resiliency to overcome the immense obstacles in their lives and wiliness to help others in similar situations is truly moving. With their help and that of fellow advocates, we can all work together to help break the cycle of homeless in Osceola County.

*Post by Albery Melo, Program Assistant for HOME. Albery works to bring volunteers and HOME residents together in a partnership so that our families can become self-sufficient and manages our life-skills program.

Changing Perceptions of Homelessness -- How you can Help

2010-03-04T12:56:00.002-05:00

As the recession continues to impact everyone nationwide, many have begun to view homelessness in a less negative light. With foreclosures running rampant and unemployment maintaining a steady pace, more and more Americans are finding themselves in unexpected situations. This could not be truer for Central Floridians, where there are nearly 4,000 people who are homeless on any given day and more than 10,000 people who experience homelessness every year. Right now in the county of Osceola alone, there are more than 900 school-aged children who are homeless. As bleak as these numbers may sound, they also denote positive change. Since it has become more evident that anyone, from any walk of life, runs the risk of becoming homeless, perceptions of who a homeless person typifies, has changed greatly. The mythical image of the grungy panhandler is becoming obsolete, as the new face hits closer to home.

Everyday more and more children are being affected, single mothers are finding it harder to make ends meet, and dual income households are barely holding on. These seemingly average people will soon be homeless, it is their faces and of those closest to you that you will begin to see as the need ceases to subside.

According to a study done by researchers from the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences on the local region’s population, about one in three (35%) people say that their opinion of homeless people has changed in the past year. Of those whose opinions have changed, 95% say they have become more sympathetic. The study also questioned whether Central Florida’s municipal and county governments should do more to fund programs that address homelessness. The resounding majority of respondents (83%) said yes.

For programs such as Helping Others Make the Effort (HOME), who provide housing and life skills to homeless women and their children, this public change of opinion has significant ramifications. The more the issue is being talked about, the more awareness there will be of the gravity of homelessness. Moreover, the huge need that organizations, such as HOME face, will become more self evident. We help clients get back on their feet by boosting financial literacy, employability, and housing stability. HOME offers on-site life skills training, counseling, and intensive case management. Now is the time to get involved and help others who were once in your shoes. Help us break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. Volunteering is the easiest way to make a difference, click here to sign up for our next training event.

*Post by Albery Melo, Program Assistant for HOME. Albery works to bring volunteers and HOME residents together in a partnership so that our families can become self-sufficient and manages our life-skills program.

An in-depth look at Hotel Homelessness

2010-03-04T12:17:00.004-05:00

The St. Louis Today did a recent photography report chronically the lives of motel/hotel families in their area. Though we are thousands of miles away from St. Louis, we too find families living in similar situations here in Osceola County. Families often place all the items they can in storage units, in their car, or pack their hotel rooms with their personal belongings so they don't lose anything while they are homeless. We have seen families in hotels with their family pets, which can add to the stress of taking care of their family, but they do not want their children to lose their dog or cat, so they must budget to continue supporting the pet as well.

Families facing homelessness is still the hidden problem in our county and across the United States. Head on over to this site to watch the stories from the St. Louis today and if you are interested in helping families like these who are in need, check out how you can get involved on our website.

*Photo from the St. Louis Today.

Attention Coupon Cutters!

2010-01-11T14:44:00.004-05:00

Do you like to cut coupons? Want to support HOME at the same time? Now there is an easy way to do both! Just head on over to Commonkindness.com get yourself an account and search "Helping Others Make the Effort" in the charity box and click to support us. You may also be able to find HOME by going to our profile listed here on Common Kindness. Then you can go to the coupon page and clip as many coupons as you want, and the proceeds go back to HOME.

It's a great way for you to save money, and for HOME to receive a little in return! Happy Bargain Hunting!

Homeless kids: Young, invisible and largely forgotten

2010-01-11T10:59:00.005-05:00

*The following piece is copy-write the Orlando Sentinel. Please visit here to view the story on their site.

Homeless kids: Young, invisible and largely forgotten
Of Osceola's 1,885 homeless, almost half are school-age children -- and little help is available

By Jeannette Rivera-Lyles, Orlando Sentinel

10:35 PM EST, January 10, 2010
Click here to find out more!

Dymond Walker's eyes sparkle when she talks about her future. Plan A, the 15-year-old says, is to be a veterinarian. Plan B is to work as an animal rescuer.

Keeping those dreams alive is a daily struggle. Dymond and her two younger sisters, T'ara Pollins, 13, and Krystal Pollins, 11, and their mother, Shaneek Livingston, have been homeless for nine months. In that time, they have lived doubled up with a family of five, slept in a car for days and stayed in a walk-in closet with a twin bed.

"My mom didn't really sleep in the bed," Dymond said. "Sometimes there are three of us on the floor. We can't curl up because the space is so tight. And it [was] hot, like 110 degrees," she said.

The little family is the real, yet invisible face of homelessness in Osceola. According to a survey by the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida, the county has 1,885 homeless people. Nearly half of those, counts show, are school-age children.

In Central Florida, Osceola has the highest percentage of school-age children in its homeless population, followed by Seminole County and then Orange County, according to Homeless Services Network. Missing from these tallies are homeless children too young to be in school. In Osceola, the only county where such estimates are available, including those youngsters raises the percentage of children to nearly two-thirds of the homeless population.

As if being homeless isn't hard enough, it's even tougher in Osceola. The county has no residential shelters or centrally located soup kitchens, and local officials have historically directed few resources toward the problem, in part because they haven't grasped its magnitude.

"The homeless in this county are invisible to the average citizen," said Cathy Jackson, director of the Homeless Services Network, a regional organization that helps fund homeless services in Osceola, Seminole and Orange counties through grants and donations. "Perhaps because it is more rural, and it [homelessness] is a problem often associated with more urban areas. When I tell people about the numbers in Osceola they say, 'Wow, are they from here?' I say, 'Yes, we didn't import them from Detroit.'"

Few organizations provide help

Only a few private organizations in Osceola, such as churches, make the homeless their mission.

"It is very distressing," Jackson said. "They [Osceola] have between 20 [percent] and 23 percent of the homeless of the region but have no services for this population. Almost nothing."

An Osceola group called Helping Others Make the Effort, or HOME, focuses on homeless mothers with children. Official counts place the number of homeless school-age children in Osceola at 900, based on school-enrollment numbers. But for every client HOME sees with a school-age child, there are usually two or three younger siblings, said Mary Downey, its deputy director.

"A conservative estimate of the population's total would be about 1,400 [kids]," she said.

Stephen, 4, and Kevin Ryan, 2, are part of that unofficial estimate. They have lived in cars and in a friend's garage. They now live in a motel room where roaches crawl freely. Their mother, Stephany, would not give her last name to a reporter for fear that her children would be taken away and she would be kicked out of the motel. In Osceola, it is illegal to live more than three months in a motel.

"I have faith I'll get out of here soon," said Stephany, who recently got a job as a theme-park merchandise clerk. "My family in Georgia is helping me as much as they can, and so is my church. But it has been a nightmare from which I haven't been able to shield my boys."

Stephany's problems started when she lost her roommate and her job at a marina in less than a month. Her Kissimmee apartment went next.

Unstable conditions

A recent study by the Homeless Network attempted to locate Osceola's homeless families. About 43 percent live in crammed, unstable conditions, doubled up with other families, and 28 percent, like Stephany, live in motels where they could be kicked out anytime. In the worst cases, they live in cars or in one of the 18 homeless camps throughout the county. The makeshift villages are made up of tents or shacks of cardboard and other scrap material.

Dymond and her sisters are now among 15 families in transitional-living apartments run by HOME. They became homeless after her mother lost her $30-an-hour job as a drug counselor. The only job Livingston could get immediately in the slow economy was as a restaurant hostess.

The family's lowest point, Livingston said, was sleeping in the walk-in closet, which was in the house of a friend's mother.

"Our only other option was the car, so we took it [the closet]," she said. "But it was horrible. The closet was still full of clothes."

HOME provides families with a safe place to live and helps them become independent through counseling and job-hunting assistance.

The latter, however, is becoming increasingly difficult in the economic downturn that has seen Osceola's unemployment rate reach 12.8 percent. The national average is about 10 percent.

"We have women here with a college education and many others with lots of experience in specialized fields, and they just can't get a job," Downey said.

'This is intolerable'

County Commissioner Ken Smith was spurred to take action when he learned the number of the county's homeless children.

"We need to decide as a community what we need to do," said Smith, who grew up in Osceola County. "When I was a kid, I didn't know a single kid who was homeless. Now we have 1,200 or more kids without a home. This is intolerable."

At a recent County Commission meeting, Smith urged colleagues to think of ways to address the crisis comprehensively. He suggested the creation of a committee to identify resources and define strategies.

Ivelisse Frias, who lives in a HOME apartment with her daughter, Angelica, 15, has an extensive resume in the medical field that includes seven years as a surgery coordinator. Nine months of unemployment and 200 résumés later, she's finding it hard to keep hope.

"I can show you a log of all the jobs I have applied for," Frias said. "I wonder if someone is even looking at them [résumés]."

Angelica is having a tough time dealing with the loss of her family's home. She and her mother were evicted from the Kissimmee house they rented when Frias' husband left and she was laid off from two jobs in six months.

Mother and daughter went to live in a motel room that Frias rented with money she got selling the furniture and appliances she had in storage from her former home. There, they listened in terror to the almost daily beatings their next-door neighbor got from her husband. They called the police and left the place in fear.

Angelica has had chronic bouts of depression and is embarrassed about her current situation, her mother said.

"She went from being a very happy kid to a very quiet one," Frias said. "This program has been a blessing, and she's slowly regaining self-confidence. But it has been really tough on her."

Jeannette Rivera-Lyles can be reached at jrivera@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5471.

Homeless children of school age:

Osceola: 900 of 1,885 total homeless (48%)

Seminole: 802 of 1,750 total homeless (46%)

Orange: 2,504 of 6,252 total homeless (40%)

Copyright © 2010, Orlando Sentinel

It's Cold Outside!

2010-01-05T15:44:00.001-05:00

With news that it's going to be VERY cold this coming Saturday HOME will not be having their monthly free garage sale. This means that we will be unable to accept donation drop-offs this Friday (Jan. 8, 2010). However, regular yard sales will resume on Feb. 6 from 9-12 and we will accept donations on 2/5 from 9-5.

Give a Day Get a Disney Day!

2010-01-04T11:05:00.002-05:00

HOME is happy to be partnering with Hands on Orlando to bring our volunteers the "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day," program with Walt Disney World. It's pretty simple to sign-up just head on over to Disney's Sign-Up Page and search HOME's zip code of 34741. If you search through the listing you should find a form that looks like this:

Opportunity:

EXTREME YARD MAKEOVER - Hands On Orlando

Organization Served:

Helping Others Make the Effort

Verifying Organization:

Hands On Orlando - Volunteer Central Florida

Interest:

Children & Youth, Community, Animals & Environment, Hunger & Homelessness

Location:

Kissimmee, FL 34741

Distance:

0.0 miles

Minimum age:

Date	Time	Notes
January 17	9:00 am to 12:00 pm

Click the Event and Sign-Up! It's that easy!

We just want to let you know that you must sign-up through the Disney Website to participate, and that regular volunteer hours at HOME do not apply. You must sign up for a registered Disney event. We are sorry for any confusion that this may cause, but we must follow the guidelines of the Disney program. We are also aware that our events are filling up VERY fast, so if you would like to participate please head on over to the website now and sign-up for our next event! We are super excited to be able to bring you this opportunity and hope to be able to bring you more throughout the year until the Disney tickets run out!

Dress for Success honors two HOME residents

2009-12-29T14:44:00.004-05:00

It's not often that the residents on the HOME campus get a chance for a day of total pampering, but thanks to the Dress for Success Program, two of our ladies are getting that chance!

Eve and Shaneek, two of our hardest working residents on campus, will be treated to an all-day make-over and spa day coming up January 20, 2010. The Ritz Carlton, Grand Lakes Orlando Spa, Dress for Success® Greater Orlando, Actualize Consulting Group, Orlando Health, AEGIS Law Firm, PA and WMFE will be giving the ladies a "Day of Hope," a day designed to empower women in Central Florida. The day will give the two HOME winners (and other deserving ladies across central Florida) a chance to make a fresh start in the new year and prepare for more job searching with a refreshed attitude.

To participate in the program Eve and Shaneek submitted applications and were selected because of their great answers to the following questions:

1. What type of employment are you seeking?
2. What challenges have you faced in your job search?
3. How would a fresh start impact your life?

Because both Eve and Shaneek have been looking for jobs daily, they had lots of information to provide, and they knew that by participating in the "Day of Hope," they could take a moment just for themselves and have a fresh start in 2010! Congratulations to our two winners, we hope you have a blast!

*Eve & Shaneek are both still looking for jobs in the Central Florida area. Eve has medical office experience and Shaneek has experience in the non-profit case-management sector. If you have any jobs leads please let us know!

Holiday Musical Extravaganza Show— Proceeds will benefit homeless families in Central Florida

2009-12-07T14:41:00.003-05:00

As the holidays quickly approach each one of us often look in our hearts and reach out to those in our area who are in need. With the help of Cabaret Espresso Productions you can do just that AND have fun while doing it!

On Friday, December 11, 2009, at 7:30 p.m., the Peace United Methodist Church of Hunters Creek, 13502 Town Loop Blvd., Orlando, FL 32837 will host a "Holiday Musical Extravaganza Show" as a fundraising effort for Helping Others Make the Effort (HOME).

HOME is a nonprofit organization working to break the cycle of homelessness by providing housing and lifeskills to homeless women and their children. There are over 900 homeless school-aged children in Osceola County alone, who are living out of cars, motel rooms or even on the street, HOME delivers services to these families to give them safe housing, life-skills classes, and the tools they need to get back on their feet.

Cabaret Espresso Productions, with their talented professional ensemble of singers and instrumentalists, will be performing this wonderful Holiday Show with popular Christmas songs ... beloved Christmas carols from around the world and a joyful "Boston Pops" style Christmas carol sing-along for the whole family. Santa Claus will, of course, be there; and taking center stage will be our hilarious British Comedian, Larry Larkin, of the London Music Hall and BBC Television.

All tickets can be purchased on the day of the event between 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Peace UMC or by calling 407-932-0943. Please make plans to join us this holiday season!

HOME needs a Volunteer Bookkeeper

2009-12-07T13:54:00.002-05:00

Do you have a knack for numbers? Then HOME has the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! Helping Others Make the Effort is seeking a volunteer bookkeeper who has knowledge of Quickbooks, corporate finance, and some accounting experience. We are looking for someone who can volunteer about 10 hours weekly to assist the Executive Director in HOME bookkeeping needs. If you are interested in lending your talents to HOME please call 407-932-0943 and ask for either Cara or Mary.

Osceola Council on Aging -- Golf Tournament!

2009-10-30T12:05:00.008-04:00

For more information please call 407-846-8532 or E-Mail info@ Oscecolagenerations.org

Donate to HOME on Nov. 1 on Facebook to win $50,000

2009-10-15T17:16:00.004-04:00

Helping Others Make the Effort just entered in America's Giving Challenge, which gives us a chance to win $50,000!

To win, between now and November 7 we have to get the most donations to HOME (every person can donate once per day and have it count as a unique donation). We can also win daily awards of $1,000 and $500 if we can get the most people to donate in any 24-hour period. The great thing about this Challenge is that it doesn't matter how much you give, but instead how much you do to encourage friends and family to get involved in supporting HOME. We all need to come together and start promoting the cause if we want to win.

Each of us has tons of friends on Facebook who we can ask to donate to our cause. But let's think big too—can you put HOME's challenge in your email signature, can you throw a party and get people to donate through the cause when they enter, can you organize other people to go out and fundraise from all of their friends? As you reach out to your friends be sure to tell them why HOME matters to you, that we are working to break the cycle of family homelessness. The possibilities are endless so let's talk about what we can do to win on the Wall of the cause or by replying to this bulletin.

We can do it! But it's going to take all of us. In fact, we want to ask each of you to donate on ONE special day — Nov. 1, 2009! If everyone works together and donates on the same day we have a higher chance of winning!

Check out the Giving Challenge (www.causes.com?m=566209a4),

Donate right now by going to http://www.causes.com/donations/select_donation_method?m=566209a4&cause_id=176488

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

2009-10-15T17:09:00.005-04:00

Community Awareness walk to reveal the face of homelessness

Would you know I was homeless? It’s the question Helping Others Make the Effort is asking to those in Osceola County as we work to raise homelessness awareness through a community awareness walk on Nov. 14, 2009 at 11 a.m.

November is Homelessness Awareness Month and, with the help of the Osceola Teen Alliance, HOME hopes that through the event residents of central Florida can get to know who the homeless really are in their community.

Walk a Mile in my Shoes will be held at the Kissimmee Lakefront, in downtown Kissimmee, Fla.

Walkers are encouraged to arrive at 10 a.m. for registration and fun and then begin the walk at 11 a.m. The walk will conclude with a statement from HOME board members about homelessness in Osceola County.

To register for the walk simply go to www.osceolahome.org and fill out the quick and easy registration form.

Sponsorships are available for the event. For more information please e-mail walkamile@osceolahome.org.

We look forward to you being a part of breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County and Central Florida!

Hold 'em for Home(less)

2009-10-15T17:04:00.003-04:00

Do you like poker? Want to help a great cause? Well, we've got the perfect opportunity for you! The Young Professionals of Osceola County are putting on a Texas Hold'em tournament and all the proceeds go to help homeless families in the community. The event will be Saturday night (Oct. 17) @ 6 p.m. on Dakin Ave. in downtown Kissimmee.

There will be enough room for 80 players to come out and show their poker skills, at only $40 a player! Also, if you lose the first round, for a suggested donation of $20 you can get back in the game!

So, want to have fun playing poker with your friends, and help HOME? Then head on over to http://www.osceolahome.org/poker.asp to sign up now!

Double the Help for Homelessness!

2009-10-05T13:05:00.004-04:00

How do you turn $1 into $2? What about $100 into $200? It's easy when you donate to HOME. We are pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has offered HOME a $10,000 matching donation. That means that when you donate just $1 to HOME, you are really giving $2! For every dollar raised, up to $10,000, we are able to match it with this wonderful gift.

With our recent push for help in the community we have seen many of you open your hearts to HOME and give your time and financial gifts. HOME has raised enough money to keep us going for a little while, but we still need your help! We would like HOME to not only rely on one-time gifts from generous people in the community, but to be able to be self-sustaining for a long, long time! This means that we need your support. If you are willing, we would love to have you sign up to donate to HOME each month. With our great partnership with PayPal you can easily sign up to make a monthly automatic contribution. Giving just $20 a month sponsors a family through our program for a week- if just 10% of the folks on this list sign up, we’ll have sponsored a family for a year! It’s an easy way to help families in need in our community.

So, how do you turn your $1 into $2? Give to HOME today and help us break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. Remember that your gift is tax-deductible and there is always the option of giving in honor of a friend or family member, which makes a GREAT holiday gift. To donate to HOME simply visit our website at www.osceolahome.org and click the donate link at the top of the page. To sign up for monthly giving visit www.osceolahome.org/getinvolved.asp and click the monthly giving option.

With your help we can break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County!

A Special Message from HOME's Board Chair

2009-09-04T13:10:00.004-04:00

Dear Friend,

As a supporter of Helping Others Make the Effort you realize what an important mission we have in Osceola County and Central Florida. HOME is going through some really tough times financially, and like many other local nonprofits is struggling to keep our doors open. HOME is supported by grants and individual donations and because of the current economic downturn, HOME's budget has been affected drastically. HOME is the ONLY organization in Osceola County that is addressing family homelessness and if we close our doors there will be no programs providing services to those families. We estimate that there are several hundred families that could benefit from our program (we are able to serve about 30 families at a time with our various programs).

What we are asking from you, as a supporter of HOME, is to search your heart and see how you can give to this worthwhile organization. If you would like to help HOME continue providing this important service to homeless families then a financial gift will really make a difference! HOME's focus is on families, so we ask supporters to sponsor a family through our program. It costs $30,000 to provide a home and services to a family for a year. A gift of $10,000 allows us to leverage the remaining $20,000 from grants. That's only $25 per day to help a family get back on their feet. Your donation will provide housing, life-skills training, case management, and access to affordable health care to homeless moms and their children.

You may not be able to give $10,000 and that's okay, if you can give $1, then give $1 ... In fact, if every supporter gave just $1 between our blog, e-blast, and social networking sites we would have over $1,000 to help families in need ... If every person gave $10? You'd have a family sponsorship of $10,000!

So we want to challenge you:

1. Donate now and help a family break the cycle of homelessness

2. Sign up for our next volunteer training event, even if you can't give financially, your time would help us greatly!

3. Speak with your employer, and see if they would be interested in giving to HOME

4. Speak to your church, to see if they would be willing to support HOME as a mission outreach

5. Forward this e-mail on to your friends, family, or join HOME's cause on Facebook and share with anyone you know who has a heart to help those in need

We know this is a tough time for everyone, but we must make the effort to help homeless families get back on their feet! With your help we CAN break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County!

Sincerely,

Gregg Hostetler, HOME Board Chair

An Urgent Need

2009-08-17T14:11:00.004-04:00

HOME is reaching out to you, our blog and E-blast readers, with an urgent need. We have a couple of really great women on the HOME campus who are in desperate need of jobs! They are smart, capable, hard-working women, but with the economy the way it is, they are competing against everyone, it seems, to get a job.

If you have any job leads please let us know. Here is a news video that was recently done about the situation. Both of the women looking for jobs have applied to over 50 jobs in the last six months!

If you know of anything at all please e-mail mdowney@osceolahome.org.

Super Saver Saturday a success!

2009-08-17T14:05:00.003-04:00

Our first Super Saver Saturdays went great! We had nearly 100 people show up to take advantage of the free donations provided by wonderful people in the community! And, we are going to do it again! Our next Super Saver Saturday will be Sept. 12, 2009!

Here's how it works:
1. Donations are dropped off the Friday before, Sept, 11, 2009, between the hours of 10-4, or the day of, to the HOME campus. These can be any items (clothes, furniture, books, etc.)

2. Volunteers will sort the donations on Saturday morning early, and place them in an easy browsing set-up.

3. Families in need of items can come and "shop" until 1 p.m. at no cost to them!

4. Any unclaimed items will be delivered to the Salvation Army, who uses their funds to support emergency shelter in central Florida.

If you would like to participate please contact mdowney@osceolahome.org.

A Very Merry UnBirthday!

2009-08-17T12:05:00.011-04:00

Jammies the clown, parachutes, bounce houses and presents — not the typical Saturday on the HOME campus, but a fun one!

On Saturday, July 18, HOME hosted its annual Unbirthday party for the kids living on campus and in the scattered site program. Over twenty-five children, 10 parents, and a slew of volunteers met at 10 a.m. to celebrate the birthdays of all the children through-out the year in one big bash!

The morning started out with kids meeting Jammie, the clown. Jammie did magic tricks, made silly jokes, and told cute stories. The kids then split up by age group for games. There were bounce houses and water balloon tosses, a shoe toss, and even a parachute! The kids spent time in the fresh air playing with each other and working up an appetite for cake!
After games the kids had a scavenger hunt where they looked for their name. Once they found their name card, they turned it in to pick up their birthday present! Each child received a gift of $10-15 value for their "unbirthday" present.

Following gifts, the volunteers brought out a huge, delicious cake and it was served with juice and ice cream sandwiches. After cake and ice cream the kids played on the bounce houses, received balloon animals, and got their face painted by Jammies.
It was a great event and it couldn't have been possible without the help of the community. Each child received a gift, had a great time, and knew that they were cared about.
Thank you to everyone who helped with the Unbirthday Party! We can't wait to do it again next year!

Another face of homelessness ...

2009-07-15T16:57:00.004-04:00

Take a look at this post over at the Orlando Sentinel Change the World blog. Compelling stuff to think about!

Give Kids Safe Shelter Golf Tournament

2009-07-15T16:38:00.009-04:00

Give Kids Safe Shelter is sponsoring a Golf Tournament and HOME is one of the beneficiaries!

If you like to golf and are looking for a great way to support HOME simply participate in the tournament and HOME will receive part of the proceeds. If you sign up saying that HOME encouraged you to join, even more $$$ are donated to help homeless families in Osceola County!

Hurry, the deadline to register is soon!

________________________

If you are interested in participating on HOME's behalf please contact mdowney@osceolahome.org for registration forms, the event is Sept. 19!

School Supply Drive for August

2009-07-15T15:46:00.004-04:00

It is almost time for back to school! Can you believe it? HOME families often look at this time with worry because there are so many items they need to get their kids back in school! The kids need new uniforms if they have outgrown last years, they need notebooks and binders, and they need pencils and pens!

That's where you can help! HOME is hosting a school supply drive for our families in our resident, scattered site, and HOMELite program. We are partnering with area churches as well, so if you can't make it to the HOME campus to drop off your donation, you can stop by The Vine Church located at 1003 S John Young Pkwy Kissimmee, FL 34741 or Community Presbyterian Church located at 511 Celebration Ave Kissimmee, FL.

Here is the list:

Supply List for K-8

• 1 - book bag or back pack
• (full size, no wheels)
• 8 - boxes of 24 pack Crayola Crayons
• 6 - folders with prongs
• (2 red, 1 blue, 1 purple, 1 yellow,
• 2 green plastic)
• 4 - composition notebooks
• 1 - large box of tissues
• 1 - pack of 24 #2 pencils
• 1 - bottle liquid hand soap
• 2 - 4oz bottles Elmer's Glue (white)
• 1 - pair Fiskars scissors
• 1 - Package 500 sheet copy paper
• 1 - plastic supply box
• 1 - large pink eraser
• 1 small blanket or small sheet, for rest/nap time
• 2 - packages of loose leaf paper (wide ruled)
• 4 - packages of #2 pencils
• 2 - boxes of tissues
• 3 - packages of white copy paper
• 1 - dry erase marker
• 1 - box of colored pencils
• 1 - pencil sharpener, with cover
• 1 - supply box (must fit in desk)
• 1 - package of construction paper
• 2 – highlighters
• 2 – small black dry erase markers
• 1 - small pencil box
• 1 - dozen blue or black pens
• 1 - notebook with dividers and lined paper
• 3 - packs of Post-it Notes
• 1 full change of clothes (in a Ziploc bag) (Kindergarten)
• 1 box of large markers
• 1 1-subject spiral notebook
• packs of wide ruled lined paper
• Gift Cards for School Uniforms

Supply List for 9-12

• 3 ring binder
• Spiral notebook
• Blue or Black pen
• Pencil
• Notebook paper
• Red or Green pen
• A packet of graph paper
• Scientific calculator
• Protractor
• Flash Drive (optional)
• Dividers
• Hand sanitizer
• 1 Ruler – metric and standard
• 3x5 index cards
• Roll of scotch tape
• 1‐3 Ring binder, 1 ½”
• Scissors
• Gift Cards for School Uniforms

Looking for the Face of Homelessness in Osceola County

2009-07-15T12:39:00.009-04:00

The Hidden Face of Homelessness

Imagine yourself a single Mom in a one-bedroom motel room --- you, your two children, and one bed. You wake up at 5 a.m. and get your kids ready for school, you put them on the school bus and you head into work. Last night was hard, the room was loud and you didn't get much sleep. The kids will get home in the afternoon, and you won't be there, because you will still be working. You will bring home your paycheck, pay the $150 a week motel fee, and never have enough to move out on your own.

THIS is the hidden face of homelessness in Osceola County — a face that Helping Others Make the Effort is working hard to change! We have families daily who are in the above situation, but luckily we can also share a story of hope and how HOME helped one family succeed.

A Success Story

Layka grew up in Puerto Rico with a very loving family. She valued education and remembers reading book after book as a child. Layka got married during her years as a student at the University of Puerto Rico.

Layka's marriage was a rocky one. Her husband was abusive and it took several years for her to get up the courage and admit to her family that something was wrong. She and her two daughters first moved in with her parents but then she decided to move from Puerto Rico to Florida.

When Layka moved to central Florida she had a good job. She figured she would live in a hotel with her two children until she had saved enough money for a deposit and rent on an apartment. Instead, Layka and her children lived in that hotel for two years.

However, during those two years she didn't give up. She spent her nights teaching herself English by reading the newspaper and researched opportunities to make her family's life better. That's how she found out about HOME.

When Layka moved to the HOME campus, her self-esteem improved greatly. She started a journal and is comfortable telling her story to others. She has two daughters, who have grown leaps and bounds since coming to the HOME Campus.

Today Layka lives in her own home, a two bedroom apartment in Kissimmee, Fla., a very different place than where she was just one year ago. Today she is continuing her journey of self-sufficiency, has a great job, and is a spokesperson for HOME. In fact, by clicking here you can hear Lyaka's story first-hand through our You-Tube Video Service.

The Truth about Homelessness

Families like Layka's are everywhere is Osceola County. In fact, many of them remain unaccounted for in our system. According to an article at Florida Trend, hundreds of thousands of Floridians, including families who are doubled up or living in motels, are uncounted during the census process. The article states, "Key characteristics of hard-to-count communities include poverty, low educational attainment, unemployment, complex household arrangements and high rates of mobility." They also probably were not included in the annual point in time homeless survey, because that count only includes unsheltered (living on the streets) homeless. These are the clients we serve, those in hotels and motels, living in cars, doubled up with family, and other unsafe living arrangements. Yet, they are unaccounted for in every way.

You may ask why this matters. It matters because many grants that HOME can apply for are based on area population estimates. If, for example, 200,000 people are uncounted, the number of people needing our services seems lower than it really is.

How you can help

HOME has been working very diligently over the past year to diversify our fundraising. This means that we do not simply want to rely on grants and federal funding, and that we need donations from people like you. It costs only $25 a day to sponsor a family on the HOME campus, by giving them safe housing, access to free resources, and the skills to help them get back on their feet. Layka's story is compelling, and she is a success. Won't you sponsor a family today and help break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County? Donate here!

Food Donations Drop-Off Point

2009-07-15T12:19:00.004-04:00

We have a new location that you can drop off your BOXED food for HOME. Discount Tires in Orlando has a donation box. So if you can't make it out to the HOME campus, feel free to drop items at Discount Tires! To view our current food needs click here.

Discount Tire

8107 S John Young Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32819

(407) 226-3276‎

discounttire.com

Free Hotel for Volunteering at HOME!

2009-07-15T10:55:00.006-04:00

Want another great reason to volunteer at HOME? How about a free night in a hotel. The details from Sage Hospitality says that if you work at least 8 hours with a non-profit you can get a free night or 50% off at participating hotels. HOME would be happy to provide all the needed materials for you to take advantage of this great opportunity.

So, if this sounds like a fun way to stay, head on over to our website and sign up to volunteer for Helping Others Make the Effort!

Super Saver Saturdays!

2009-07-14T12:35:00.004-04:00

HOME is very excited to begin our new donation program starting Aug. 1, 2009 at 10 a.m. Super Saver Saturdays will be similar to our free yard sale day but will occur each month on the First Saturday.

Here's how it works:

Donations are dropped off the Friday before or the day of to the HOME campus. These can be any items (clothes, furniture, books, etc.)
Volunteers will sort the donations on Saturday morning early, and place them in an easy browsing set-up.
Families in need of items can come and "shop" until 1 p.m. at no cost to them!
Any unclaimed items will be delivered to the Salvation Army, who uses their funds to support emergency shelter in central Florida.

This new system is a perfect set-up for HOME, since we have very limited storage space. However, it still gives families the opportunity to receive help from the community! If you would like to participate please contact mdowney@osceolahome.org.

Save on Gas Cards for Families!

2009-07-09T09:41:00.006-04:00

A great way to help families at HOME is by donating gas and grocery gift cards. These cards are needed so families can get gas to go to work, buy groceries for their families, medicine from the pharmacy, and other family needs.

Publix has a great deal today only! If you purchase a $50 gas (Shell or BP) gift card today, you can get $10 off! Just click the giftcard and it will take you to a link with the coupon!
Please help a family and help HOME break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County!

A Very Merry UnBirthday!

2009-06-26T12:25:00.010-04:00

HOME is having our very own Unbirthday Party for the kids in our residential and scatter site programs! Each child is looking forward to receiving a birthday present, cake, cookies, and fun and games! The party is planned for July 18 at 10-12 on Saturday morning!

But, don't be like Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, and just sit back and watch! Join in on the fun! HOME has several needs that you can help with and make this the best Unbirthday party ever!

Items Needed:
3 Bounce Houses (if anyone knows a company that would like to donate these for a couple of hours!)

2 Large Sheet Cakes

60 Gifts of $15-25 each (Please call for an assigned child)

100 paper plates

100 plastic cups

10 Blue plastic "party" table clothes

2 large packages of napkins

2 (32 oz) Pink Lemonade mix containers

3 One Gallon Pitchers

3 Gallon Containers Ice Cream

25 $10-25 monetary gifts to cover other expenses

We are asking that all donations be in by Friday, July 9, so we can make sure that we have everything we need to have a GREAT Unbirthday party. If you would like to help please contact Mary Downey at mdowney@osceolahome.org or call 407-433-1248.

Happy Unbirthday to you ... AND YOU!

Vote for Helping Others Make the Effort

2009-06-04T21:29:00.003-04:00

Orlandoweekly.com is doing a "Best of Orlando" poll, and you can vote for your favorite charitable organization!

Vote for HOME here!

Volunteer at HOME

2009-06-02T10:52:00.000-04:00

Have you been thinking about volunteering at HOME? We have some very exciting opportunities coming up that we would love for you to know about.

Our volunteer program is going strong! But for every person that volunteers at HOME we need to be sure that they are well trained in our new volunteer training program.

During the training we will discuss relationships with clients, job descriptions, volunteer conduct, and other exciting things you need to know to keep our clients on the HOME campus safe. We are looking forward to introducing volunteer opportunities in teaching, welcoming, child-care, children and teen activity coordinators, extreme yard makeovers, and many more fun things to do to help break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County.

If you are interested in volunteering please click here to visit our website and sign up for Volunteer Training on June 27. We need all the volunteers we can get, and would love for you to be one of them!

If you have any questions about volunteering you can always e-mail us at volunteer@osceolahome.org.

"Getting There"

2009-05-29T15:45:00.005-04:00

HOME just completed its first "Getting There" class, a six-week course, designed to help those who are unemployed receive the lifeskills they need to find successful jobs.

Eleven members of the class, who are part of HOME's HOMELite program, learned how to write resumes and cover letters, internet marketing, interview skills, and how to dress for success.

With teachers from The Orlando Employment Guide, volunteer interviews from the City of Kissimmee and Osceola County HR department, and a visit to the Central Florida Dress for Success, the members of the "Getting There" class learned how to put their best foot forward in finding a new job!

Above is a group photo from the class on graduation day. Graduates received a completion certificate, weekly planner, and a $15 gift card from JCPenney.

HOME will start another "Getting There" class on June 16.

Bill Passed to Prevent Homelessness

2009-05-21T08:27:00.005-04:00

HOME will be receiving more benefits from the government to help homeless families. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, President Obama signed a bill yesterday that would alleviate and prevent homelessness in the United States.

Both the House and the Senate passed the bill entitled, The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009. According to the Law Center the bill

"Includes a measure to reauthorize the housing and shelter programs of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act - the first and still only major legislation addressing homelessness, for the first time in 17 years. It also includes a measure to protect the rights of renters in foreclosure - a major step that will help prevent them from becoming homeless."

Both bills will be helpful to HOME as we navigate families in the right direction ... toward their own home. A few highlights of the bill, announced by the Law Center, that will benefit HOME include:

"Rename and amend the Emergency Shelter Grant program to allow nonprofits to provide a broader range of services, including short- and medium-term rental assistance, utility payments, housing relocation and stabilization services, and other services to keep people in housing or to move them quickly into housing. Families living doubled up would be eligible to receive services funded by this section

Expand the definition of homelessness to include unaccompanied youth and homeless families with children and youth who have a long-term history of housing instability and can be expected to continue to experience instability due to disabilities, substance abuse disorders, history of abuse, or multiple barriers to employment; as well as families living doubled up, living in motels or hotels or other housing and who are facing eviction within 14 days"

Also, according to the report

"The Tenants' protections portion of the bill will allow bona fide tenants to remain in their residence, pursuant to their lease, following a foreclosure of the property, except when the successor in interest or subsequent purchaser will occupy the unit as a primary residence. In that case, the tenant must receive notice to vacate at least 90 days before the effective date of such notice."

With this policy support, HOME and other organizations working with homeless families have the ability to give families a new start.

More Families Face Homelessness

2009-05-15T11:02:00.005-04:00

We will see even more families and children facing homelessness in the coming year. According to an article recently published in The Orlando Sentinel the 2008 projections made by the Homeless Services Network of Central Florida regarding homelessness in Central Florida will find that, "Nearly 10,000 people are likely to be homeless in Metro Orlando at some point this year."

According to the article, statistics show that Central Florida will see an increase in homelessness in those who are veterans and school-aged children. The article states, "Of the three local counties covered in the report, Orange had 63 percent of the region's homeless population, while Osceola had 19 percent and Seminole 18 percent. But all have witnessed a striking increase in homeless students — from 2,700 at the end of last school year to more than 4,200 so far this year, according to school-district figures."

The Sentinel reports that the "The analysis of the homeless population in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties is largely based on a single-day count, conducted in January, of emergency shelters, transitional housing, soup kitchens, homeless camps, food pantries, drop-in centers and day-labor pools."

Please take the time to read the article here.

HOME Testimonals

2009-05-07T18:20:00.003-04:00

Hear from Residents and Graduates from HOME about how they broke the cycle of homelessness!

Many Students Homeless In Osceola County

2009-05-07T17:50:00.002-04:00

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. -- In this economy, more of children are becoming homeless. In the past year, there's been an 18 percent increase in homeless students attending schools in the United States.

The motels along HWY-192 in Kissimmee were built for tourists, but Eyewitness News discovered they're being used by many homeless families with young children.
"Its hard when you have to humble yourself so far down where you have no where else to go," said Angie Moore who is homeless.For Angie and Eric Moore, a small motel room is a big blessing.

Last week they were sleeping in the back seat of their van with their 9-year-old daughter."We would go to hotel parking lot, hoping and praying they wouldn't find us and ask us to leave anyplace where there wasn't high traffic that's where would park our van," she said.

The Moores' got help form The Home Program, which is a non-profit organization that provides motel vouchers and temporary housing assistance.

The Moores are living next to other families who are also homeless.

"It really breaks your heart when you see kids panhandling for food," she said.

Half of all homeless students in Osceola County, about 500 of them live in motels.In Orange County WFTV found the number of homeless students increased by nearly 1,000, from 1,750 last year to more than 2,500 students this year.School buses drop the students off right in front of the hotel lobby. Many of their parents lost their jobs and then their homes.

"We have new foreclosure everyday, new evictions every day," said Carrie Eule of the Home Program.

Eule runs the Home Program, which is helping the Moore's find jobs and paying for their motel room for one month.

The Moores say they are hoping the home is only temporary.

"I want to help someone else who is going through the same thing," said Angie Moore.

The home program provides housing assistance for 300 families a year in Osceola County and they are hoping to get more federal stimulus dollars.

Honor Your Mother & Help Break the Cycle of Homelessness!

2009-05-07T15:07:00.002-04:00

Just a reminder that Mother's day is a few days away. Have you honored your mother yet? Well, HOME is doing a special Mother's Day fundraiser!

Give to HOME and we will e-mail you a printable card to give to your mother (or in honor of your mother) stating that YOU honored your mother by helping homeless Moms and their kids!

We are partnering with Facebook Causes to do this great fundraiser.

Click here to honor your Mother on her special day!

Volunteer at HOME

2009-05-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

Have you been thinking about volunteering at HOME? We have some very exciting opportunities coming up that we would love for you to know about.

We are working to have a full volunteer program up and running by the end of March, but to do this, we need your help! You see, for every person that volunteers at HOME we need to be sure that they are well trained in our new volunteer training program.

During the training we will discuss relationships with clients, job descriptions, volunteer conduct, and other exciting things you need to know to keep our clients on the HOME campus safe. We are looking forward to introducing volunteer opportunities in teaching, welcoming, child-care, children and teen activity coordinators, extreme yard makeovers, and many more fun things to do to help break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County.

If you are interested in volunteering please click here to visit our website and sign up for Volunteer Training on May 30. We need all the volunteers we can get, and would love for you to be one of them!

If you have any questions about volunteering you can always e-mail us at volunteer@osceolahome.org.

The Changing Face of Homelessness -- In the News

2009-05-04T10:34:00.005-04:00

CNN.com has a great report out today about the changing face of homelessness in America. This video report explores single moms with kids, the population that HOME works with everyday to break the cycle of homelessness.

We would also like to call your attention to this recent report on ABC News that really hit home with Helping Others Make the Effort. The children and teens were very honest about their situation, as we often find the kids at HOME are as well. Sometimes we look at the word "homeless" and we forget the statistics that a huge percentage of those who are homeless, are children.

The report can be accessed by clicking here:

ABCNEWS: Children Struggling and Speaking Out.

From our partners at the Children's Advocacy Center

2009-04-03T14:51:00.004-04:00

In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, the two Cities and the County will be presenting Proclamations at their respective meetings. It would be great to have a large number of Community members in the audience at these presentations. If your schedules allow, the Proclamations will be presented next week:

•••

Osceola County-County Admin. Building Commission Chambers 1:30 p.m. on Monday 4/6^th

City of Kissimmee-City Hall 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday 4/7

City of St. Cloud-City Hall- 6:30 p.m. on Thursday 4/9

HOME Free Yard Sale

2009-03-18T11:14:00.004-04:00

When: April 4, 2009 @ 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Where: 924 Determination Way • Kissimmee, FL 34741

What: A community yard sale to provide free items such as clothing, furniture, baby items, books and more to those who may not be able to purchase these items.

Why: Because Helping Others Make the Effort is a non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. By providing these items, free of charge, we are providing a service to those who may be needing such items to get back on their feet.

Want More Info? Visit www.osceolahome.org, call 407-932-0943, or look for signs off of John Young Parkway and Vine in Kissimmee on the day of the event to direct you to the FREE YARD SALE!

HOME Open House

2009-03-17T14:24:00.005-04:00

Please join us as we celebrate one year at Helping Others Make the Effort!

This Open House Event will include free food, informational tours, and a chance for you to get more information about the families that we have helped this year!

Click here to RSVP.

Volunteer groups going strong

2009-03-17T14:03:00.008-04:00

HOME is happy to broadcast photos of our latest volunteer teams and trainings.

We have recently began focusing on volunteerism here at HOME and you have answered the call.

We have had two groups visit us with the past few months from the Hands on Orlando organization. About 50 people got together and gave the HOME campus an "Extreme Yard Makeover." During these makeovers the teams do weeding, lay mulch on the campus, and have even been working on HOME's very own walking trail! We have plans to have another group from Hands on Orlando visit us on April 15 for a big project that will incorporate over 450 people on campus!

The Girl Scouts were also on campus in the last few months decorating cookies and having a craft day with the kids here at HOME. We are looking forward to another great event with the girl scouts when we do a Spring Egg Hunt on April 11.

Celebration Presbyterian Church visited the campus a few weeks back and presented a "garden party" to our residents. The team worked with the residents of HOME to plant their very own vegetable garden, and then also brought a cook-book and crockpots to the residents as well!

Finally, we have had a host of volunteers go through our first volunteer training orientation and are working to get each one of our new volunteers in place. If you are thinking about volunteering see the story below, more dates are coming up soon to learn how you can Help Others Make the Effort!

HOMELite helps families become self-sufficient

2009-03-17T13:53:00.006-04:00

Helping Others Make the Effort is pleased to announce the success of one of our newest programs that is working to help homeless families within Osceola County. This exciting new program is called HOMELite.

HOMELite is rapidly becoming a thriving and effective program here at HOME. We partner with several area churches and motels to deliver services like case management, life skills education, and housing assistance. Currently there are 30 families active in the program; at their three month follow up, 58 percent had increased their income and 92 percent had increased their score on the self-sufficiency rating scale. In order to be eligible for HOMELite, families need only have a desire to become self-sufficient.

If you know of anyone who needs services from HOME please have them call 407-932-0413 or visit our website at www.osceolahome.org.

Report: 1 in 50 U.S. children face homelessness

2009-03-10T09:47:00.008-04:00

via CNN

(CNN) -- One in 50 children is homeless in the United States every year, according to a report released Tuesday.

The National Center on Family Homelessness estimates more than 1.5 million children are without a home.

The report, by the National Center on Family Homelessness, analyzed data from 2005-06 and found that more than 1.5 million children were without a home.

"These numbers will grow as home foreclosures continue to rise," Ellen Bassuk, president of the center, said in a statement.

The study ranked states on their performance in four areas: the extent of child homelessness, the risk for it, child well-being and the state's policy and planning efforts.

The states that fared the poorest were Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico and Louisiana.

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island and North Dakota performed the best.

Homeless children have poor health, emotional problems and low graduation rates, the study found.

"The consequences to our society will play out for decades," Bassuk said. "As we bail out the rest of our nation, it is also time to come to their aid."

The report offers recommendations such as improved support to ensure that children's schooling is not interrupted when they lose their homes, and services to address the trauma of homelessness.

Other highlights in the report, "America's Youngest Outcasts: State Report Card on Child Homelessness:"

• 42 percent of homeless children are younger than 6.

• African-American and Native American children are disproportionately represented.

• More than 1 in 7 homeless children have moderate to severe health conditions, such as asthma.

• Approximately 1.16 million of homeless children today will not graduate from high school.

________________________________________________________________

This report on CNN.com reminds us of what our mission here at HOME is — To break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County. Recent reports in our county reveal that over 900 school-age children are currently homeless. In fact, the school district has just released new statistics of Osceola County homeless children. The stats state that 488 children are living in a motel/hotel, 346 are doubled up or couch surfing, 83 are in shelters, 23 are living in a car, tent or RV and there are 16 unaccompanied youth ages 13-17 living without a parent or legal guardian.

These statistics do not take into account the hundreds of children who do not attend school, which means the numbers are even higher. Also, the CNN report above is cited from 2005 — those of us working with homelessness every day know, sadly, that the number by now is, most likely, much more than 1 in 50 in the United States.

For more information on how you can help break the cycle of homelessness and support HOME financially or to volunteer please click here.

Volunteer at HOME

2009-02-06T14:06:00.005-05:00

Holiday Survival Kits

2009-02-06T13:52:00.006-05:00

Helping Others Make the Effort was amazed at the outpouring of love from the community during the holiday season. Several churches, organizations, county groups, and individuals worked together to provide gifts for the families for HOME.

Each group was asked to provide a brand new outfit, shoes, board game, favorite toy, and gift card for each child! This opportunity saw each child receiving not one new outfit but two or three! We were able to give the Moms giftcards and even some groups bought gifts just for the Moms to have!

The board, staff, and residents of HOME would like to thank ALL of you who were so willing to take time away from your own holiday shopping to do for others in your community. Please enjoy the photos, and we look forward to next year's Holiday Survival Kit Campaign to be even more successful!

Special Thanks to:
Celebration Presbyterian Church
Jean Styles, Valerie Brown, Maria Berry & Friends
Trinity Lutheran Church
Osceola County Stormwater Section
First United Methodist Church
First Christian Church
The Vine Church
And all others who gave this holiday season!

Kissimmee -- For Your Information

2008-12-13T15:41:00.006-05:00

Helping Others Make the Effort was recently featured on Kissimmee FYI. Cara Eule, Executive Director, spoke with KFYI anchor, Carla Banks, about HOME and how the organization is working to break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County.

We would like to thank KFYI for providing us the footage from the show and allowing us to use it in our promotional materials. This informative interview can be watched below, on our website, or on Access Osceola on your cable tv.

Helping Others Make the Effort raises $8,100 with Abuelo's Grand Opening

2008-12-08T18:33:00.016-05:00

The past week has been filled with lots of fun and food at the Grand Opening of Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant at the Loop-West. Helping Others Make the Effort was honored to be the beneficiary of all the proceeds from the pre-training activities and got to enjoy some great food in the process.

The project began in October when Michael Codner, Abuelo's Proprietor, began researching which nonprofit Abuelo's would like to work with during the grand opening. Codner and the restaurant's manager, Kim, visited the HOME campus and after receiving a tour decided to sponsor HOME in their upcoming opening.

The HOME staff spent Wednesday Dec. 3 - Saturday Dec. 6 at Abuelo's telling the story of Helping Others Make the Effort to all who visited the information table and through handouts that each table received when they were seated. The handouts explained that by spending just $25 at Abuelo's on drinks and desserts one family could be sponsored for a full day.

Saturday night was HOME night at Abuelo's and it was packed with board members, volunteers, and friends enjoying the great desserts and drinks knowing that all the proceeds would go back to a great cause.

Abuelo's invited Helping Others Make the Effort to the ribbon cutting on Monday and presented Cara Eule, Executive Director, with a check for $7,500. With the donations from the information table HOME broke Abuelo's grand opening record by raising $8,100. This amount is almost enough to house a family in HOME's transitional housing program for an entire year!

Helping Others Make the Effort wishes to thank Abuelo's for choosing HOME, the Aubelo's wait staff for all their hard work, and especially all those who enjoyed a delicious dessert or drinks on behalf of HOME.

A Wonderful Community Social

2008-12-08T17:54:00.007-05:00

It was a great pleasure to celebrate networking and community on Nov. 18, 2008 at the Stadium Bar and Chophouse. We had a great event where our residents had a chance to network with those in the community, our volunteers received a free meal, and we got to present our holiday survival kits to the community!

We want to give a big thank you to Jean Styles and Valerie at Stadium for all of their help and hospitality! We especially want to thank all our sponsors who donated door prizes for the event. Amazingly enough, several of our door prizes were won by HOME residents!

What a great night!

Filling up the Pantry!

2008-12-08T17:43:00.008-05:00

The holiday season always brings out the giving in others and this season has been no different at HOME. We have been overwhelmed with the generosity of those in the community when it comes to our food pantry.

There have been many times during the year when our pantry has been near empty but thanks to two organizations, The Church of Latter Day Saints and the Friends of Rachel group at Poinciana High School we now have a pantry that is not only full, but overflowing!

The LDS church donated $500 worth of food right before the Thanksgiving holiday. There were yummy items such as pie fillings, baking goods, pastas, salsa and even some cream of wheat!

The Friends of Rachel group did not have a total amount, but we estimate between $1,000 and $2,000 worth of can goods that was collected over the past few months at Poinciana High School. The Friends of Rachel group is dedicated to helping out in the community and we are so thankful they did!

Even though the pantry is full right now, please don't stop giving. We can always use more items for our pantry (and we now have a great backup system to restock with overflow items) and we are also in need of grocery and gas cards, toilet paper, and laundry detergent!

We just want to thank all those who have been so giving during this holiday season, and especially the Friends of Rachel group and the LDS church for their large food donations!

Xtreme Motorsports Upcoming Event

2008-12-08T17:22:00.005-05:00

We are pleased to once again announce a fun event from our friends over at Xtreme Motorsports. Please visit their website for even more information.

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

2008-11-17T19:49:00.011-05:00

WHAT A WALK!

Almost 150 walkers, HOME residents, volunteers, board members and staff all were on hand Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 for Helping Others Make the Effort's first annual "Walk a Mile in My Shoes." An opportunity for those in the community to come together to break the cycle of homelessness in
Osceola County.

We began our day at Great Outdoor Days with staff at the site at 8 a.m. Cara Eule, Executive Director of HOME and Mary Downey, Development Associate, mapped out the course by driving around Osceola Heritage Park about 20 times before making our decision (and confusing every parking attendant along the way!) The rest of the HOME staff arrived at 11 a.m. to help field registrations and HOME residents and storytellers — Lynn, Layka, Kiana, Jacquie and Betty showed up at noon to began decorating shirts with walkers and telling their story. Many volunteers and board members showed up during this time to also lend a hand!

When registration began at 1 p.m. it was a madhouse, but in a great fun sort of way (so maybe more like a funhouse!) We had limited space and tons of walkers, but were able to get tee shirts and goodie bags to walkers and everyone lined up by 2 p.m.

We began with a few photos and then we were off! After 7 minutes we realized that 1 mile only takes about 14 minutes for our incredibly in shape crew, so we altered our path and ended back up at the HOME tent at 2:35 for cookies and water. After a small wait, we were given our chance on stage and board member Gregg Hostetler gave a wonderful speech about homelessness in Osceola County.

We hope that you had as much fun at "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" as we did and we can't wait for next year! It's going to be even bigger and better!

Thanks again to our wonderful sponsors!

Pouring While It's Pouring

2008-10-23T12:06:00.006-04:00

The HOME Staff works hard (and has a lot of fun) to raise money for the homeless of Osceola County. At the recent Ameratrail event staff members Mary and Stephanie helped raise over $5oo for our great nonprofit!
Join us at the next event when all beer sales go to benefit Helping Others Make the Effort!

Walk a Mile in My Shoes -- Hearing the stories

2008-10-13T17:07:00.006-04:00

Note: Lynn Dzialo is a current resident of HOME’s transitional housing program. She has been telling her story to those in the church community. She is slated to graduate in late December and is looking forward to having her own place. She is a childcare worker and has two wonderful children. This is her story.

In order to understand Helping Others Make the Effort and the women who live there, you need to hear our stories. Each one of us is different, but one main theme runs through our lives: we are single mothers, looking to make our children lives better than our own. This is my story of how HOME is helping me do just that.

My name is Lynn Dzialo. I grew up in the little town of Kensington, Conn. I remember when I was growing up that I was a happy person and that I laughed all the time —I still laugh all the time. My friends and co-workers will tell you that I’m always laughing about something, but there were times in my life I wasn’t laughing — I was crying.

I graduated Berlin High School in 1985 and went to Manchester Community College. I graduated in 1989 with an Associates degree in Early Childhood Education and I went on to Connecticut State University where I took some classes, but never finished.

There are times in your life when you hit road blocks, but we get through them somehow with God’s help. My road blocks were my parents fighting and my husband. My parents fought all the time. It was a vicious cycle that I took with me into my marriage in 1992.

My husband and I lived with my parents a few times during our marriage. In 1995, my whole family decided that we should all move to Florida. My husband was not crazy about going, but we went. Soon after moving to Florida we moved out of my parents’ home and bought our house in December of 1995. It was nice having my own home but it wasn’t good for my marriage. The financial responsibility led to even more fighting and money problems. We fought even more after our kids, Stephania and Andrzejon, were born.

In January 2005, I left my husband and I moved back in with my mom, but the fighting continued. I knew I had to stop the cycle!

Last November my church had just heard about a single woman’s program and thought it was good for the kids and me. It was called Helping Others Make the Effort or HOME. I prayed every night to become a resident at HOME. I got the answer that I prayed for in January. My kids and I were going to our own place at HOME.

The most important thing for me is that we could be a family, in our own safe home. I have seen so many changes in my children since we moved to HOME. Stephania is my social butterfly. My son, Andy, has ADHD, Anxiety and was just diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. Since we moved to HOME I believe that Andy’s anxiety has lessened. I believe that Andy is so much happier at HOME.

Helping Others Make the Effort is helping my family to become financially stable.
We take classes every week on finances, parenting, and we also learn how to save and budget money. All of this will help us when we are back on our own. I look to my future for my kids and I when I graduate from HOME — and I will graduate!

My kids and I will succeed thanks to Helping Others Make the Effort and the stories that we all have on the journey to self-sufficiency.

Walk a Mile in My Shoes

2008-10-13T09:43:00.003-04:00

We look forward to you joining us for our upcoming Walk a Mile in My Shoes, a community awareness walk to reveal the face of homelessness in Osceola County.

Please take the time to register at WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES.

We also have sponsorship information available. If you are interested in being a sponsor please e-mail walkamile@osceolahome.org for more information.

Let's work together to break the cycle of homelessness in Osceola County!

Homeless in motels- a new phenomenon elsewhere?

2008-10-06T09:27:00.002-04:00

We saw this article on CNN about the state of Massachusetts needing to rely on motels as overflow shelters. They cited a "skyrocketing" number of families in motels over the past 12 months- from 17 to 550. Here in Osceola, estimates of the number of families living in motels on a permanent basis vary from 500 to 2500. Yet our burgeoning motel homeless population isn't even on the radar of most local, let alone national, media outlets.

If we were able to get down to only 17 families, I'd consider our county wildly successful in housing homeless families. What do we need to get there?

- more prevention resources, like emergency gap funding for families with a one-time crisis, and mediation services for landlords and tenants

- barrier reduction programs or a bonding program to help families with minor things like previous evictions or outstanding utility bills resettle in a permanent home

- construction or acquisition and rehabilitation of hundreds (if not thousands) of affordable units (and by affordable I mean accessible to families working the lifeblood of our county- tourism)

- intensive case management and life skills assistance to help families who have struggled in gaining money management skills

- recognition by government (local all the way up to the top) and financial resources to back up the recognition of the issue

Editorial

2008-10-01T13:35:00.003-04:00

We saw this in the paper this weekend and were very proud- it's by a HOME employee "alum" who many of you know, Cliff Chong. Cliff has gone back to UCF to pursue his master's degree in social work, but we can tell that homelessness and self-sufficiency are still in his heart. Great job, Cliff.

Truck or Treat!

2008-09-30T10:22:00.003-04:00

Come out and support HOME's sponsors as they celebrate Truck or Treat at Osceola Heritage Park!

Feature in Osceola News-Gazette

2008-09-30T10:19:00.005-04:00

We were recently featured in Kissimmee's local newspaper.

Read the article here.

School Uniforms donated to HOME

2008-09-22T11:13:00.005-04:00

Give Kids Safe Shelter donated $1000 to help pay for uniforms for students living on the HOME Campus. Ten boys and sixteen girls, ages four years to seventeen years, benefited from the donation. The uniforms were printed by Uniform Wizard in Kissimmee, Fla., for students to wear to the following schools:

Denn John Middle
Mill Creek Elementary
Pleasant Hill Elementary
Thacker Elementary
Kissimmee Elementary
Liberty High
Discovery Middle
Chestnut Elementary
Flora Ridge Elementary
Kissimmee Middle
Poinciana High

Helping Others Make the Effort is very thankful to Give Kids Safe Shelter for supplying the much needed uniforms to the students of HOME. The uniforms were a necessity because Osceola School District has moved to a uniform only dress code. Valerie Sewell, Give Kids Safe Shelter Board Chairperson, visited the HOME campus to meet the children in their school uniforms (pictured above with the students and Stephanie Guittar, Program Director for HOME).

450 Deloitte Employees to Help Others Make the Effort

2008-09-12T13:52:00.007-04:00

There are lots of ways to help others make the effort. HOME is pleased to announce that the auditing company, Deloitte, has found one way — redesigning the landscape and building a play area at the campus of HOME. On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008 Helping Others Make the Effort and Hands on Orlando will team together with Deloitte to improve the HOME campus between the hours of 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

According to Deloitte's website "Deloitte is the brand under which 165,000 dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services to selected clients." Of these 165,000 professionals, 350-450 will visit the HOME campus to make improvements to the landscaping and design a future play area for HOME.

Deloitte's website explains the company's community involvement policy as an approach focusing on delivering maximum social impact and business value. Deloitte will be delivering that maximum social impact by Helping Others Make the Effort through giving back to the central Florida community.

•••

For more information on Deloitte please visit www.deloitte.com. For more information on Hands on Orlando visit www.handsonorlando.com.

Looking for a fun way to help HOME?

2008-08-28T10:11:00.015-04:00

Do you like big trucks, motorcycles and helping out your favorite Non-Profit?

Well, we've got just the event for you. This coming Saturday at the AmeraTrail in St. Cloud, FL (4840 E. Irlo Bronson Highway) from 12-3 p.m. there will be a great way to help HOME ... BUY BEER!

All the proceeds from the beer sales at the event will go towards HOME, so every little bit helps. Beers will be 2 for $5, so bring your appetite for fun!
Please come out and support HOME at this fun event with the Xtreme Motorsports Carnival!

McKinney Vento Reauthorization

2008-08-05T16:00:00.003-04:00

Taken from a brief sent out by the National Alliance to End Homelessness:

House Committee Approves McKinney-Vento Reauthorization Bill
Last Thursday, July 31, the House Financial Services Committee unanimously voted in favor of H.R. 840, the HEARTH Act, legislation introduced by the late Representative Julia Carson (D-IN) and Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) to reauthorize HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program. The bill passed with a manager's amendment offered by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA). The manager's amendment makes the bill similar to the McKinney reauthorization bill in the Senate, the Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act (S. 1518).

The approved manager's amendment would slightly expand the HUD definition of homeless to include individuals temporarily in institutional care who will become homeless upon leaving, those who will imminently lose their housing that lack the resources to find alternative housing, those who will be evicted within 14 days, those living in a motel or doubled up who either lack the resources to stay for more than 14 days or must leave within 14 days, and those fleeing domestic violence.

This is significant in that the definition for homelessness includes families in motels and those doubled up- a big deal for us, since 80% of our callers are not "technically" homeless.

"The people who are homeless were living in homes here and became homeless. These are not transients -- these are neighbors."

2008-07-19T08:25:00.002-04:00

This entry's title is a quote from Cathy Jackson this morning in an Orlando Sentinel article about yesterday's Project Homeless Connect (scroll down for info on volunteering opportunities). I can tell you from our own experience at HOME that these are in fact neighbors, and even, in many circumstances, neighbors who were formerly well ensconced in middle class neighborhoods. All is not well in Florida (and many other places as well).

We have seen a drastic uptick in calls in the past 6 weeks- my guess is that folks were able to use their tax refunds and stimulus checks to pull through during May, but that money is now gone. Many calls are coming from families who have never utilized the social service system and are very uncomfortable and ashamed to do so. My personal take is that social services are the safety net for all of us. As a participant in society, the basic social contract is that you help out and contribute when you can, and when you need services they will be there for you as much as for the next person.

HOME has several new programs for families just like the one discussed in the above article. We have a scattered site program that helps families with a portion of their monthly rent over a period of time, and we also can help working families with first month's rent and part of their security deposit.

Thursday was a particularly good day and a perfect example of how this new program can work. We had been working with a family who moved here from out of state in November when they were forced to short sell their home. The home they rented here was foreclosed upon unbeknownst to them (until authorities showed up to lock up the house). Luckily, the husband had been working day labor 6 days a week, and the wife at a local big box establishment. They have one 12 year old son, and would take turns working and staying with him. When they lost their home (and deposit, by the way, because the management company went under), we offered them a choice between a motel voucher for one month, or first month's rent. They opted for first month's rent, and after a few grueling weeks of living in a motel, working to save money, and trying to find an acceptable rental, found a place early this week. We were able to get the landlord a check within a few days, and also have applied for a portion of the security deposit. The wife calls just about every day to update us and let us know if they have any needs. Oh, and she has also offered to come volunteer for us in her spare time. :) There is nothing better than helping a family get a roof over their head.

So please, think twice before you judge a homeless person or family. They may very well have been your neighbors, coworkers, or fellow parishioners.

If you would like to help, HOME accepts donations for emergency housing/first month rent. 100% of donations go directly to families in need. Simply use the JustGive button on our site and mark your donation "HOMEFast." You can also send a check with this same notation.

What are YOU doing this Saturday??

2008-06-24T16:33:00.001-04:00

This Saturday the 28th from 11AM-4PM there is an event called xtreme motorsports carnival at Muscle Cars & Handlebars.

ALL BEER SALES WILL BENEFIT HOME, so bring your appetite!

There will be all sorts of stunt driving demonstrations, muscle cars, and motorcycles. Our kids have also been invited as there will be a bounce house and other fun stuff. Visit xtrememotorsportscarnival.com for more info.