Dose of Hope January 27, 2020/Volume 1

ABQ BUSINESS FIRST Saranam honored with 2021 Philanthropy Award VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Meet a star virtual volunteer team DECADE OF SERVICE Celebrating a special anniversary this month DONATE Invest in ending homelessness. Light at the End of the Tunnel Families are making big plans to get home Greetings! Happy New Year! We have a little extra jump in our step as the new year hits its stride. There are challenges still in front of us, to be sure, but there is light at the end of the tunnel as well. For our community, there is finally hope on the horizon to end the pandemic, and our families have a light at the end of their experience with homelessness. That light is taking the form of some audacious goals they have set for themselves in 2021 that will lead them to healthier, more stable futures.  One mother will be graduating from her dental hygiene program and taking her national licensing exams. One father looks forward to starting his automotive technology program. Four families are working towards their GEDs. Several are formally ending toxic or unhealthy relationships. All second-year families are setting their sights on finding a place to live, getting a job, and beginning the next chapter of their lives. Some parents have even reached the light at the end of their tunnels. Marcy, one of our second-year moms, has already checked many of her resolutions off her list and is turning her light around to help others find their way. “I feel like I’ve accomplished all of my goals from last year already. I have a car, a new apartment, and even a washer and dryer! My next major goal is to transfer to UNM next semester so that I can complete my special education degree. And after I finish the program, I want to volunteer with you all (Saranam) and give back to help other women and families who are going through what I did.” Giving back to one another, shining a light to guide others is what 2020 taught us is most important. May these lessons carry us through to a peaceful, successful 2021.

A DECADE OF SERVICE Celebrating the Impact of our Director of Family Services

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of a very special person at Saranam- our Director of Family Services, Jennifer Mullen. She makes a big difference in the lives of our families and we wanted to honor her decade of service in a special way. Head over to our January blog to see how Jen has helped Saranam grow and read some special tributes from the alumni she has helped to start new lives.

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THANK YOU!

We are honored to receive one of Albuquerque Business First's 2021 Philanthropy Awards! We were among six nonprofits chosen to receive the "Nonprofit of the Year" award. Learn more about this honor, and the work of the other wonderful organizations chosen, in their weekly edition released on March 8. Albuquerque Business First will present the awards at their 2021 Philanthropy Summit and Awards on March 4. Read more here Thank you so much to everyone who reached out, donated, volunteered, and cheered us on in 2020. We really couldn't have gotten through the year without you. Thanks to your support, we made it through. Our families stayed on track. We are still operating at capacity. And we can enter the new year strong and ready to help the growing number of families in need of help as this pandemic rages on. We can't wait for the day until we can once again sit easily side by side, but know that even from afar we are so grateful for you and your every effort makes home a closer reality for families in our community.

Community Corner Volunteer Spotlight This time last year Want to get involved? Head over to our website to check out the latest volunteer opportunities. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Virtual Volunteer Spotlight When the going got tough, the creative got going. Our heartfelt thanks to the employees from Wells Fargo who answered our call for virtual volunteers this fall. Several people have joined us from across the country to create story-time videos for the kids in our program to ensure they keep learning and reading in this tumultuous time. This time last year It's hard to believe that there was a time pre-COVID, so we had to look back to prove it! This time last year, members of our leadership team traveled to NYC to present at the "Beyond Housing" conference about our innovative methods to create partnerships between organizations serving populations experiencing homelessness and academic institutions. As homelessness climbs higher, this community collaboration will be more important than ever to help families find a path forward. To read more about the latest research, visit: Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness

Follow us on social media so you don't miss a thing. ‌ ‌ ICYMI In case you missed it, here's what happened this month... Saranam featured on KOB4 for grant award from Bank of America 1 in 4 renter households in Albuquerque have extremely low incomes How the pandemic has changed things in homelessness sector

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Saranam | 505-299-6154 | http://saranamabq.org

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