News & Events

Moving Day Hard? Not if You’re Homeless…

Details

April 16, 2018

By Board Member Debbie Schoeneshoefer

"All I have to do is park my empty car and I'll be moved in," she said with a big smile. "I lost everything in my storage, I just couldn't pay the bill." But that didn't diminish the thrill of her finally getting an apartment, a place to call her own, a place for her 3 children.

Just 3 weeks before, while sitting in DMV, she had gotten a crushing phone call. The apartment promised to her had been rented to someone else. In front of the masses, she burst into tears. "I will never find a place. No one wants to rent to me. It's hopeless."

Now, the sun was shining again. This is a sure thing, Volunteers of America helped her to find an apartment and even paid for the deposit. Relief seeped out of her pores. Furniture was the last thing on her mind. She will now have a floor to lay down on and she was thrilled about it.

HART wanted her to have more, she had worked so hard to get to this point. A call to furnish her apartment was put out to our HART supporters. And, they responded to the call. She will have a sweet surprise when she moves in. Beds, linens, and furniture will all be in place. She and her precious family will be moving into a fully furnished apartment. She will no longer be homeless, and we are thrilled for her and her family.

Our organization is run by volunteers and dependent on your generous donations. Please consider giving to help us move others out of homelessness.

Sean's Story

Details

April 10, 2018

By Board Member Mark Hedlund

Sean was out on the streets with nowhere to go.

He's a young adult who moved out here from his Florida home to stay with his father. Unfortunately, it didn't work out and his father would no longer let him stay. With few resources and little knowledge of surviving on his own without shelter, Sean was then victimized by having his backpack and cell phone stolen. The first glimmer of hope came when he learned about Elk Grove's Winter Sanctuary.

Sean was a grateful guest for several nights. Our volunteers gave a listening ear, letting him know we'd do what we could to help. In the meantime, we assured him he would have several weeks of being confident in the knowledge that every night, he’d have a safe, warm place to stay and a hot meal.

As quickly as he came to our doors, Sean was gone. Volunteers were concerned. But he left a note tucked into the door jam at our intake center, the Elk Grove United Methodist Church.

Sean wrote that he was finally able to make contact with his sister. She agreed to come get him and pay for his ticket back to Florida where he would be reunited with his mother. He wrote that he left behind his own sleeping bag at Impact Community Church, which was hosting that week, saying, "You can give it away to anyone who needs it."

"I am very thankful, and my heart goes out to all of your staff and the new friends I made here," wrote Sean. "Thank you soooo much for everything you’ve done and God bless!!!"

Many of our guests have long term needs for shelter. Some, like Sean, only need a boost for a little while. In either circumstance, our volunteers realize that a little kindness can have great impact on those in need.

Twelve Weeks…Twelve Lessons

Details

March 19, 2018

By HART Winter Sanctuary Volunteer Rommel Declines

The 2017-2018 Winter Sanctuary season started my first year serving homeless guests in Elk Grove. The program challenged me to look beyond my preconceived notions and current understanding of the state of homelessness in South Sacramento and Elk Grove. Our guests became friends and their stories were all broken pieces stitched into the fabric of our community. Not all stories were the same, but they are all part of the Elk Grove family. Mothers, brothers, fathers, sons, daughters, and grandparents all came for a safe place to sleep and have something to eat. Life events like the loss of a loved one, medical and mental conditions, or dependency issues were only part of the story in their need for assistance. Elk Grove Hart provided a safe community for 12 weeks. Here are the 12 things I learned from the guests in Winter Sanctuary the past 12 weeks.

1. Each person has a desire to be seen and acknowledged.
2. Each person has a name. Learn it. Use it.
3. A smile goes a long way, especially when most people don't smile at our guests.
4. "How was your day or week?"  Is always a great way to check in with a friend.
5. Don't assume to know what they need. Ask them and listen.
6. Stop, pause, and spend time with me.
7. Walking around all day or having to move around all day is exhausting.
8. Winter sucks when it is rainy and cold, and there’s no place to stay.
9. We need more affordable housing options in the city and around the county.
10. Everyone—guests and volunteers—needs dignity and respect.
11. There are a lot of wonderful people in Elk Grove willing to give and help others.
12. Guests appreciate it when you truly respect them.

As the program came to a close there was a sadness in realizing that some people may be out in the inclement weather when storms arrived. However, I leave with a sense of hope as I remember those guests who now have employment and transitional housing. The future is bright as Elk Grove HART continues to work in our community to find workable solutions. I look forward to volunteering next year and I hope more people come on board to help. Many hands make the homelessness problem easier to carry. See you next year!