Matching Cotton Comforter and Sheet Set | Blanket America

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. Sphere: Related Content

Success story

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. Sphere: Related Content

Back to School Drive

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

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Most Unusual of Partners: Civic Engagement through Resident Collaboration

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.

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Changing Perceptions of Homelessness -- How you can Help

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. Sphere: Related Content

Dress for Success honors two HOME residents

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! Sphere: Related Content