Hope. Warmth. Light. What do these words really mean? What happens when they are taken away? Joe’Asia knows that fear, but she’s now able to share warmth with her family thanks to the help of neighbors like you.

Hope. Warmth. Light. What do these words really mean? What happens when they are taken away? Joe’Asia knows that fear, but she’s now able to share warmth with her family thanks to the help of neighbors like you.
Antonio and Angel were among 50+ local youngsters who headed off to traditional summer camp or college exploration camp this summer with the help of the community. Wayfinders, a local nonprofit organization, funds summer activities for these students and matches them with year-round mentors from fourth grade through high school graduation. On their journey, they carried an array of clothing, toiletries, blankets, and other essentials found during a special shopping day at Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Free Store.
After watching dementia slowly take her mother, battling her own depression, and ultimately retiring due to health difficulties, things got hard for Deborah. Loss of income and grief overtook her, and before long she was, in her own words, “sitting alone in the dark, with no lights, no food, and too much pride to ask anyone for help.”
That’s when the master’s prepared social worker found herself somewhere she never imagined: sitting across the desk from another social worker, seeking help to dig herself out. There, she remembers being met with kindness, concern, and hope.
Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for seeing me past my circumstances because I’ve come out on the other side.
As the holiday season approaches, I want to thank you for believing in me.
Though you probably never met me, my family and I have you to thank for the hope, warmth, and light we will share over the coming months.
In the sweltering summer, George found welcome relief for he and his eight-year-old son with an air conditioner through Crisis Assistance Ministry and Electrolux.
Rising fifth-grader Haley knows what she wants. Accompanied by her mother, she combs the aisles of Crisis Assistance Ministry’s Free Store looking to find just what she needs for her upcoming trip to camp.
An avid reader, Haley is among 150+ area scholars who will attend overnight camp this summer with the help of Wayfinders.
When we last looked in on Deborah, she was emerging from a time of crisis with a renewed sense of her purpose. Today, she’s thriving as a Customer Advocate sharing her story. And every time she does, she becomes a little bit stronger.