Construction is moving along!

I just stopped by the HOME campus and was pleased to see about 20 subcontractors hard at work. They have been repairing the roof decking, mudding the interior walls of building B, and even laying some tile in building A! The apartments have a different feel to me now that I have spoken to so many women who want desperately to be a part of HOME. Sometimes when you spend all day on the planning/budgeting/fundraising side of a project it is easy to lose touch with what it's all about. Walking through and imagining families living there and thriving is an instant way to reconnect with what we are doing.

In the next month or so, we'll start conducting tours and information sessions on site to let you know what's going on. If you are interested, you can email moreinfo AT osceolahome DOT org.

We've also been busy working with clients and providing case management services. Right now, we are case managing about 10 families with the help of our volunteer Case Manager, Deborah. We field 5-10 calls per week from women who are interested in learning more about HOME. Almost all of the women I have spoken with have specific career goals and a desire to provide more for their children. Quite a few would love to start their own small business, but don't know how and can't such a big risk while their situation is unstable.

Of course, in the life of a nonprofit, grantwriting and fundraising is always high on the priority list. We have been writing grants to local and national funders to sponsor families through the program- with $10,000, HOME can serve a family for an entire year AND leverage about $11,000 worth of in-kind services like free counseling, medical care, and tutoring. Funders, businesses, or individuals who sponsor a family will be recognized with a plaque outside their family's apartment. They will also receive quarterly updates on families at HOME. We have 16 family sponsorships available for year 1. If you would like to sponsor a family or want to learn more, please email or call (407) 933-0870 ext. 235.

We are starting to gear up for our huge fall open house weekend. It will probably be late October, and will feature tours, fun, food, prizes, a decorating competition, volunteer opportunities, and more. Please keep an eye out for more information on this- we need YOU to make our grand opening a massive success!

-Cara Sphere: Related Content