Spectacular Ways Community Shaped Our Month

A Journey Begins

How Community Shaped Our Month

Dear friend,

What makes a community?

Sharing a baked good?
Helping carry a heavy load for a neighbor?
Walking beside someone through the big and small moments of life?
Sending words of encouragement?

Yes. And all of these things happened for our families this month- and more.

A community of volunteers carried heavy furniture into apartments during a very hot summer.

A dozen community groups worked together to stock and lovingly prepare apartments for new families coming to us with nothing.

One of the moms in our community welcomed her new neighbors with cards and home-baked goods.

Our community of second-year families celebrated each other’s achievements as they started the second phase of their school, parenting, and professional journeys.

And perhaps most importantly- 10 new families joined our community THANKS TO YOU.

You helped bring 10 new families home.

These new families recently joined together for our orientation and formed an instant bond, filling the room with laughter and compassion. They told us they are so much more at ease now with homes and a path to ensure they don’t live in the margins ever again.

One mother also shared the impact the change has already had on her kids, too. On the first night her son told her,

“I don’t know if I remember how to sleep in a bed anymore.”

Now, she says, they have been sleeping more soundly than they have for a really long time.

This month always brings home the importance of what we do. Thank you for supporting our mission. And thank you for making this community so special.

Imagine the Possibilities

Virtual Open House Shows Family Promise

Imagine what it would feel like to walk away from the shelter, couch or car you’re sleeping in one morning and by the afternoon, move into a fully furnished apartment, customized for your family.

This dreamlike experience is what our decorators delivered this month. They spent the summer creating places for the 10 new families joining us. Each apartment was not only filled with furniture, but school supplies, cleaning goods, and food staples so that everyone can jump right into their new routines.

We showcased the fruits of their vision this month in our 2021 Virtual Open House.

Families are always floored when they walk in for the first time. Their reactions highlight that the apartments are not just spaces, but reminders of our belief in them.

For the first time, I was proud of everything that I had overcome to make it to this moment—I felt worthy. I have carried that pride ever since.

We want you to feel that love too! Virtual tours of the apartments are available for everyone on our website.

See our 2021 Virtual Open House

Community Counts

We celebrated an important milestone in August as our first year families moved into the second part of their time at Saranam.

Families reflected on how far they've come as they prepare to mentor the next group of families. It is a meaningful step for them.

"I am trying to be a role model and a support for the newer families - a new thing for me, to know I have something valuable to offer other people."

Their experience will be instrumental in helping our new families navigate the big changes ahead of them.

We knocked away the stress of the year with a COVID-shaped piñata and some delicious treats. Thanks to the Sprinkle Squad at For Goodness Cakes who delivered 12 custom cakes for each family to bring home to commemorate their success.

We can't wait to see what the next year brings!

It takes a very special person to dedicate time and energy in the New Mexico summer to prepare an entire apartment for a family in need. Luckily, we have a lot of these people!

This year we had 12 teams with over a 100 decorators! In one weekend alone, they put in 230 hours. And that doesn't even include the dozens of people who moved furniture, put together beds and filled the fridges all through the summer.

It is a HUGE task that these volunteers take on every year and we are so grateful that they give their time and talents to us.

Special thanks to:

Lobo Moving-- For professionally and efficiently moving furniture (and at a discount!)

La Cueva Bears Football Team-- For lending us some muscle during our moving day

United Methodist Women-- For making and delivering casseroles to stock freezers

Debra C-- For buying 100+ boxes of cereal for families

Longer Table Woodworking-- For creating entryway stations, children's stools, and other furniture items

Ginger K-- For handmaking fleece and crochet throw blankets for new families

Heights First Church of the Nazarene-- For donating computer chairs, backpacks, and headphones

Our 12 decorator groups and their families and friends!

Thank you for all you do!

Volunteer Openings

Wanting to make a difference? Like being hands-on? Well we have something for you!

We need volunteers on Tuesday and Thursday nights, beginning in mid-September, to work with families during our Family Nights. The activities will change each week, but jobs could include:

Reading to younger children
Facilitating an activity
Helping with set-up or clean-up
Leading a discussion
Holding infants while parents work with other kids

We are so excited to be welcoming our community back for these fun nights. Safety precautions will be in place to ensure the health of those we hold so dear.

Email Dianne Campbell to sign up!

Art from the Heart

A special shout-out to Mary Schmidt from the OFFCenter Community Arts Project for her donation of art bags to our new families.

Each apartment was stocked with a bag that included paints, a canvas, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and much more to help kids put their special stamps on their new spaces.

Thank you for making art accessible and exciting for our littlest new community members!

Beautification Buddies

We had so much fun refreshing our courtyards with Grace Community Church!

We braved the summer heat together to put a new layer of mulch down and tackle other landscaping chores. We're so thankful for the help to make these common spaces beautiful for families to relax and play.

Having good friends and lots of laughter makes the job a game!

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here's what happened this month...

Share the love!

We're always happy to have new community members.

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