Take a look at this post over at the Orlando Sentinel Change the World blog. Compelling stuff to think about! Sphere: Related Content
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Another face of homelessness ...
Take a look at this post over at the Orlando Sentinel Change the World blog. Compelling stuff to think about! Sphere: Related Content
Give Kids Safe Shelter Golf Tournament
From Give Kids Safe Shelter —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!
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If you are interested in participating on HOME's behalf please contact mdowney@osceolahome.org for registration forms, the event is Sept. 17!
School Supply Drive for August
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:Sphere: Related Content
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
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.
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!
Sphere: Related Content
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
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
(407) 226-3276 discounttire.com
Sphere: Related Content
Discount Tire
8107 S John Young Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32819
Orlando, FL 32819
Free Hotel for Volunteering at HOME!
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!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Super Saver Saturdays!
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.
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