The Amazing Friends of Family Outreach of Amherst
Dear Friends,
Have you ever found yourself in a crisis situation?
What if you had an expensive car repair bill that you couldn’t afford to pay, and you couldn’t get to work? Or what if you had a sick child who needed medical care, but you knew it would be difficult to cover the cost of treatment? Or what if a notice arrived in the mail from the utility company, threatening a shutoff if the overdue payment wasn’t received immediately? Do you have family or friends who could come to your aid?
Many of the families we work with face unexpected emergency expenses but have nowhere to turn—no one who can help them. Sometimes the situation is urgent, such as when a mom and her children are facing eviction and need rental assistance. Other times it’s simpler, such as a child wants to take dance lessons, or needs a new pair of sneakers because they outgrew them—seemingly overnight.
These are the situations that although unexpected, most of us can take care of. But similar scenarios can be completely beyond a family who is living paycheck to paycheck.
Eighteen years ago, at an FOA advisory board meeting, our caseworkers shared heartbreaking accounts of families they worked with who grappled with sudden expenses—expenses that could take a family from just barely making it to falling behind on their rent or utility bill.
Without hesitation, the board members jumped in, brainstorming how they could help families who needed emergency assistance. The board decided that FOA would create a group, Friends of Family Outreach, consisting of individuals in our community who would quickly respond to the immediate needs of these distressed families. See the video below highlighting Cheryl Brooks, the first coordinator of Friends of Family Outreach, who describes the meeting in which “Friends” was born.
In the summer of 2004, board member Connie Gillen hosted a party to launch Friends of Family Outreach. We didn’t know if it would work—or, if people would even be interested.
The party was a smashing success, with over 30 attendees who enthusiastically signed up to become members of Friends of Family Outreach. Since then, our “Friends” group has grown to more than 200 caring individuals!
Friends of Family Outreach is a powerful example of what can be accomplished by a group of kindhearted, generous people. We are amazed that eighteen years later, we can still count on our “Friends,”—individuals who time after time reassure our families, many who have lost hope, that help is on the way. In fact, it’s not unusual for a family to receive assistance within a few hours of their request! Truly remarkable.
We promised the guests at that first “Friends” party that we would hold a similar event each year with updates about those they have helped, sharing how their generosity has taken these families from merely surviving, to thriving.
This year, the event will be held on November 16, 2022, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM at The Drake, the new entertainment center with a state-of-the-art air filtration system, to keep us all safe.
Won’t you join us to celebrate our incredible “Friends,” enjoy a glass of wine, and sample some tasty appetizers? After all, it wouldn’t be an FOA event without delicious food!
See you there!
