Progress

Tonight, I am grateful to see the longest day of winter come and pass--this means that, in some small way, spring is coming and that winter will not last forever. It is often difficult to keep a broader perspective when it is so dark, cold, and wet. When it all feels too heavy, too dark, too overwhelming I am reminded of the daily successes that we see and hear about, the many times it has felt too impossible to keep going, and the hope that still lives in my heart even when it seems like this world is too complex to tackle. I want to thank the shelter staff for their unwavering support and dedication to our efforts and for their tireless work in making it possible.

I have never met a more beautiful group of people to take this on. 

Today, we saw 129 different people come through the doors of Temple Beth Hatfiloh between 7 am and 1 pm, who received respite from the rain and cold at our warming center. Some were able to sleep after walking the streets all night, and others were able to connect with vital social services with the help of our staff. So far, we have seen an average of 65 different people per day at the warming center. This is a daily success in our community that I am proud to be a part of, and I am so grateful to the faith communities of First Christian Church, Temple Beth Hatfiloh, and the United Churches for partnering with us on this.

Tonight, I reflect on all the work that has been done this year, all that remains to be done, and how much could change if we could truly commit to recognizing the humanity in one another.

This is a commitment I will make for the coming year — will you join me?

Thank you to our community for supporting us this year. Please continue to stay involved in making this a city where we are all an integral part.

Thank you to Debi Bodett for designing such a beautiful and powerful infographic to help tell our story.