Dose of Hope April 5, 2023/Volume 4

From the First Day to the Last Priceless Impact of Volunteers Special Updates Dreaming of Home Breakfast -&- Portable Delivery Program Highlight  Child Abuse Prevention - & - Welcome back to a special member of our Board of Directors COMMUNITY CORNER  Opportunities, shout-outs and requests. DONATE  Invest in ending homelessness. Greetings! Every year our new families, fresh from seeing their apartments for the very first time, eagerly ask for the names of the volunteers they can thank for making their homes possible.   It's clear that they feel the nurturing of their newfound community from the moment they stepped foot in their homes. That care follows them from their first day to their last at Saranam.   April is National Volunteer Month and it is no hyperbole to say that we simply could not provide all we do for families without our volunteers. Whether they are decorating, helping at a family night or making our campus welcoming, their impact is immeasurable.  __________________ One mother says the strong, self-assured volunteers and staff at Saranam became her role models and inspired her to become a mentor to others.   Another was encouraged by a volunteer's belief in her future: "I told a volunteer that I would be 9 months sober at the end of this month. She hugged me and I saw a glimmer of hope in her eyes."   And a child who grew up at Saranam remembers the kindness she was shown at family night activities; the laughter and warmth have become precious memories that bolster her even now. __________________ In 2022 we had 647 volunteers who gave 4,760 hours to Saranam!   To put that perspective, that represents the time of an additional 2 staff members working year-round! With our small and mighty staff of 11 people, that is fully 20 percent of our employee time!   You can't put a price tag on the care they give, but their time does represent a HUGE financial contribution to us. With the national value of a volunteer hour set at $29,95 this year, their time is valued at $142,562!   Every person can point to a neighbor, a friend or a mentor who changed their lives by simply investing in them. Families who join us often haven’t had this gift, but during their time at Saranam, they receive it again and again from the phenomenal team of volunteers who share their hearts every day.  Learn about our volunteer opportunities

Special Updates

Dreaming of Home Breakfast This is your last chance to sign up for Saranam's Dreaming of Home breakfast on Thursday, April 13th from 7:30-8:30am! This event is designed for community members who are new to Saranam and is the perfect introduction to who we are and how you can be a part of ending family homelessness in New Mexico. The uplifting program will include mothers like K, talking about the life-changing experience Saranam has been. "It was through my experience of being homeless when I uncovered strengths I forgotten I had, like courage, perseverance, and resilience. And it was only when I found my home at Saranam when I truly began to love myself again." RSVP to Dianne Campbell by April 6 at (505) 934-9110 or by email at dcampbell@saranamabq.org. Portable Delivery Landing has been made! The initial group of portables that will make up our new ADC Family Campus have been moved to their new home. In a complex logistical triumph, they were escorted two at a time by the New Mexico State Police and then placed on concrete blocks by a crane so they can undergo necessary plumbing and electricity work. Several of our staff braved the cold night to celebrate their arrival. This monumental step is the culmination of a decade of work. The leader of our original visioning team for this project put our elation best: "Wow! To actually see the vision created in 2012 come to fruition is so exciting and exceedingly satisfying!" Transportation of the portables will continue through the beginning of April. Thank you for supporting our dream!

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Preventing Harm April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. For too many children, abuse is a devastating reality with far-reaching and long-lasting consequences. That's why at Saranam, we take extraordinary steps to prevent child abuse and teach all involved in our program to be advocates for kids. As part of their initial training, every staff member and volunteer working with our families is required to take part in our "Safe Sanctuaries" training, a child abuse prevention program adapted from the United Methodist Church. This training details how to recognize abuse, the requirements for reporting, how to be a trusted listener and advocate for kids, the expanding role of technology in our childrens' lives and much more. These lessons also inform our rigorous guidelines for confidentiality, child-adult ratios and boundaries. Our efforts together create an environment that families can trust to be a safe place to grow and heal. Service Above and Beyond Welcome back to our Board of Directors, Janie Rowe! Janie is beginning her second term on our Board this year. She has previously served, including the Board Chair from 2013-2015 and on countless committees. She has always gone above and beyond to sharing her wisdom and experience with us! As a local realtor, she knows how important home is to a family. "Home is a place of sanctuary. It is a place we can take our shoes off, relax, eat, sleep and know we are safe from the demons of the outside world."  She has designed a unique way to give back to Saranam using this perspective that ensures our families can have the same safe home she provides her clients. Read more about it in our latest blog

Community Corner Thanks to a Community Champion New Wishlist Easter Goodies! Monthly Campus Clean-up Legislative Round-Up Want to get involved? Head over to our website to check out the latest volunteer opportunities. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Thanks to a Community Champion We are so honored to receive a grant from our very special community partner, Sandia National Laboratories! From financial support to hosting science classes, tutoring to painting a mural, they do so much to support the hard work our families are doing. We are blown away by the care and encouragement they show to everyone in our community! New Wishlist! Our new wish list is up and running! We have made the change to SparkGood, run by Walmart. You can purchase items from our wish list both online or in the store by simply scanning a code available on our registry. We update our wish lists year-round with what our families need for the season. Please visit our registry if you are interested in donating! See our Wishlist Easter Goodies A special thank you to Covenant United Methodist Church for putting together super fun Easter baskets for our families! They were so stuffed full of goodies and treats that even the Easter bunny would be jealous. Thank you for all you do to make the holidays special for our families! Monthly Campus Clean-Up Spring is here! To celebrate, we are going to kick-off a new monthly campus clean up. Join us on Saturday April 22nd from 10am-12pm to spruce up our shared spaces! Email Sunny Holmes, Community Engagement Coordinator, to RSVP. April doesn't work for you? No problem. We'll hold one every month through the fall. Sign up for our volunteer newsletter to stay up to date on all we have planned! Sign up for our volunteer newsletter Legislative Round-Up The 2023 legislative session is all wrapped up! Here's an update on some of the bills we were following: SB4: Healthy Universal School Meals- Passed SB139: Services for Homeless People- Recommended for passage by committee; no vote taken SB140: NM Housing Trust Fund- Recommended for passage by committee; no vote taken In addition to these bills, the Legislature passed a tax bill offering rebates and tax credits, as well as legislation to revise high school graduation requirements to give students more choice in their post-school career paths. *This is provided for informational purposes and does not indicate Saranam's endorsement of any legislation.

Follow us on social media so you don't miss a thing. ‌ ‌ ICYMI In case you missed it, here's what happened this month... Special thanks to Altura Prep for collecting cleaning products for Saranam for Kindness Day! Families make custom board games at family night We celebrate National Credit Education month in this blog from financial education partner, Rio Grande Credit Union Cookie time! Thank you for the donation of Girl Scout cookies for families and staff!

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505-299-6154 |saranamabq.org