Seldom does one meet a man the caliber of Ed Kelly. For this reason, we are sad to see him step down as the President of HART (Homeless Assistance Resource Team) as he moves out of the area. He has been an asset to our organization in so many ways. He handled all of the technology and filings, from creating our website to filing for our nonprofit status with the Secretary of State.
But what makes Ed truly stand out among people is his humble attitude of service. He has walked with many of our homeless here in Elk Grove, caring for them through their backsliding, patiently waiting for them to turn back around, ready to try again. His patience gave many, 2nd, 3rd and 10th chances, just as many as it took for them to succeed. This made many of them dedicated, lifelong friends, anxious to pay it forward as Ed always encouraged them to do.
Just last week, we learned that Ed left his family on Christmas Day to deliver two bikes to an unsuspecting grandmother who couldn't afford bikes for her grandchildren. This selflessness was no surprise to us. In fact, Ed is missing his last HART meeting to take one of his homeless friends to his mental health appointment. We salute such beautiful dedication.
Ed's no nonsense, "just get it done" attitude has not only helped many of the homeless in Elk Grove, but has helped HART as an organization grow into a strong, solid nonprofit. He played a significant role in the opening of both of our houses; the Grace House for single people and the Meadow House for homeless families. He has been a strong advocate for programming that went beyond just giving them a place to rest their heads, but moved the residents in these houses up and out of homelessness.
And of course, in Ed Kelly's style, though he is moving out of the area he assures us that he is only a phone call away. We sincerely wish him the best life has to offer and know that he will continue with his heart of service because that is just who he is. God bless you, our friend.
- The HART Board and Committee Members