October news and a dose of hope from Saranam

October 9, 2019

Dear ,

When the smell of chile fills the air we know it's time for cozy sweaters, delicious food, and warm conversations with friends. All of these things are combined in our favorite event of the year- our annual Sean Hopkins Memorial Dinner!

This evening is filled with inspiration. In the backdrop of the stunning Los Poblanos grounds, we gather together to talk about our work to end homelessness through volunteer and donor testimonials and stories from our amazing families who have transformed their lives.

One of the stories shared last year was from Leighann, who reminded us that homelessness could happen to anyone. After her time at Saranam, she and her son have a bright future that they built together with love and perseverance.

Read Leighann's story here.

This event is named for our dear friend, Sean Hopkins, and honors his commitment to grow a strong community that can help not only this generation thrive, but future generations as well.

Click here to watch a brief video from his friend Bowen about Sean's legacy

Saranam's family-based activities a nd acceptance into the Ascend Network reflect Sean's belief in creating opportunities for children and adults to thrive together. Through this event, we carry on his passion by supporting the program that fulfilled his vision for his community.

We hope you'll join us on November 14, 2019 at 5:00pm for a chance to connect and give hope to hundreds of families building a new life.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information about levels click here

or call Sue Rzendzian at (505) 934-2613

"Every person is a new door into a different world"

A Warm Welcome to Jim Harvey

You may have met Jim already around our campus, but we are so excited to formally introduce him to our Saranam community!

Jim is our Volunteer Coordinator and has been hard at work getting to know the people who make our mission happen every day.

Read more about Jim's journey to Saranam and how he is working to connect families with our caring community of volunteers.

Huge Hello to E llen Sheperd

We have expanded our team! Ellen joins Saranam as our new Director of Continuous Improvement.

In this role she will build a database of our data, design metrics to analyze outcomes, and identify areas for improvement based on national best practices to address homelessness and poverty.

Get to know Ellen better here and learn about the phenomenal experience she brings to the position.

Proudly Fly Your Family's Flag

Families do not enter Saranam siloed- they enter as a unit, and to succeed individually they must succeed together.

Every Thursday families come together for a family night with an activity themed from the life skills classes adults attend throughout the week. Last month families took time to set positive intentions for their family's journey by making values flags .

Parents were blown away by the wisdom of their children. "The exercise brought tears to my eyes. It was so powerful to watch and hear my kids fully embrace the concept of values".

Our goal is generational change. Preserving the values that serve us while letting go of the negative experiences that haunt us will allow families to successfully navigate the next, brightest chapter of their lives together.

Community Corner


Bundle Up! Fall is upon us and that crisp air means sweater weather! Silk Road Connection has a beautiful array of clothing, jewelry and accessories to get you ready for colder weather, or maybe to get a jump-start on holiday shopping! Join us on October 17th to Sip and Shop and Silk Road will donate a portion of the proceeds to Saranam!	Spotlight on an Educator We're happy to shine a spotlight on Pam Kandlbinder this month! Pam has taught effective communication at Saranam since 2006. Her joy from teaching our families is infectious and she is so proud of what they can accomplish in their classes. Read more about Pam's passion for teaching here