Are you counting your gratitudes this Thanksgiving?

Each Thanksgiving, my mom would ask us to go around the table and name something that we were grateful for.

As we name our gratitudes, we see God at work in the world and are reminded to live as grateful people!

So, in this season of Thanksgiving and during this national week of “Hunger and Homelessness Awareness,” let me count the ways that I am grateful for how God is at work on behalf of families facing homelessness:

1. Baby Hazel and her big sister, Elly, have a home! Their mom – along with her Bridge of Hope case manager and Neighboring Volunteers – spent seven long weeks searching for housing and just recently found a landlord who agreed to rent to them, despite a less-than-stellar credit rating. They will move into their apartment the day before Thanksgiving! And Hazel and Elly will be playing with their own toys, in their own home, this holiday season!
2. A house was just donated: Recently, a partner agency and a donor couple approached Bridge of Hope about donating a property to provide affordable rental housing for a family. The agency was not positioned to accept property but knew that Bridge of Hope was ready. So, in a collaborative spirit, they introduced this donor couple to Bridge of Hope. In a few short weeks, Bridge of Hope and this couple will turn the vision of more affordable rental housing into a reality, as we live out our mission of ending family homelessness! And the seller’s whole family is excited to partner with Bridge of Hope in this way as well!
3. Deep generosity: During the government shutdown, as SNAP benefits were delayed and families faced empty refrigerators, Bridge of Hope supporters responded with deep generosity. I am so pleased to share that every family was provided for AND we even had enough to provide an extra “Thanksgiving blessing” to each one!
4. The meaning of home – through the eyes of a child! Recently, one of our staff asked two children in Bridge of Hope what home means to them. Their responses were so beautifully simple. One said, “Home is where I feel like a princess.” The other said, “Home is having a swing set in my backyard.” I love these simple reminders that home means security for children. All children deserve a secure place to live!

Landlord partners and property donations are just two of the many ways that you are helping “make room” for children and their moms (and a few dads!) here at Bridge of Hope. And yet, there is more to do! Last year, family homelessness across our country rose by 39%. Yes, we can do more! We can make room, this season and all year long, for more children to find a stable, secure place to call home!

Whatever you are grateful for this Thanksgiving, I hope you will take a moment and name your gratitudes to someone around you, as a prayer to God, while also remembering your neighbors who are facing homelessness.

I am grateful for your support in impacting and transforming the lives of families facing homelessness through your generosity, compassion, and action. Thank you!
With deep thanksgiving,

Save the date – Giving Tuesday is coming up in two weeks on December 2!

Your support of Bridge of Hope during Giving Tuesday empowers families in our community to move into a safe and stable home where they can nurture their children, build financial stability and find hope, with Neighboring Volunteers walking alongside them every step of the way. 

Double your impact! A group of generous donors is providing matching funds to help us reach our goal of $74,000! 

Becoming the Neighbors the World Needs 

Is your small group, Christian education group or Bible Study looking for a resource to deeper your engagement with scripture?  Check out Bridge of Hope’s new Bible Reading Plan for congregations and small groups, entitled “Becoming the Neighbors the World Needs.”