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"Give Them Roots and Create Wings"

EPH News - December 2024

Christmas Gifts


During this blessed season of Christmas, we are reminded of the story of the Three Wise Men who presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Bible shares these gifts being used to worship Jesus as King of the Jews (gold), Son of God (frankincense), and as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ death (myrrh).

While the Bible does not share how these gifts were used, some scholars speculate that Mary and Joseph may have used them to pay for their journey (gold and frankincense) and in worship (myrrh).


Today, the gifts of the Three Wise Men continue to be shared with EPH. Your gift of gold was presented in your sharing of your financial treasures and your time. Your gifts of frankincense and myrrh are presented in your prayers and blessings for our family.


Your gift of gold has been bountiful in 2024 with Giving Tuesday alone raising over $75,000 dollars. Add on the generous donation of a $50,000 match from an anonymous donor and we raised enough money to provide essential case management to 16 families for one year. Your gift of time has also been instrumental in our success as you have given us countless hours of your time by preparing homes for our families, folding letters and stuffing envelopes, mentoring families, and performing numerous other tasks that not only served our families, but also allowed our team to continue to focus on walking alongside our families on their journey to self-sufficiency.


While your gift of gold was instrumental, your prayers helped provide spiritual nourishment and homes for our families to continue their journey. With your support, 57 families – including 162 children - were provided with a temporary home, and two families moved from homelessness to home ownership with another family set to close on their home in early 2025.


Thank you for your gifts and continuing to support the work we do to provide safety, stability, and solutions leading to self-sufficiency for families in our community.


Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!



With gratitude,


Lisa Maas, Board President

Crystal DeCleene, Executive Director

Reflections on Five Years with EPH

By Wendy, Business & Property Manager


Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8


Many times, in life we want everything to be consistent and secure. When I reflect on my five years at EPH, change seemed to be daily. From staff to COVID, life was throwing curveballs all the time. It was in all the change that God continued to show me more of who He is.


If I reflect on the volunteers who give unconditionally of their time to prepare and help with the homes, I see God’s love. The volunteers love flows to all who encounter them. 


If I reflect on the hundreds of families that have gone through the EPH homes and program, I see God’s patience. Chaos can swirl around, barriers can try to keep one down, but watching the resilience grow as families reach goals is a delight to one’s heart, but it takes patience for the process to happen.


If I reflect on the staff that I have been so blessed to work with, I see God’s heart. This work can be hard and draining when disappointments happen, or families are knocked backwards. This work can be rewarding when we witness families run straight to success without looking back. Whatever happens it takes a person who can instill hope, walk alongside the hurting, hug the littles ones with love, have the back of fellow coworkers, and smile through the tears, that is who I have the pleasure to work with.


If I reflect on the board members who serve and have served so diligently on the EPH board, I see God’s strength. EPH has grown tremendously in the past five years, and it has taken a strong board to uphold the values and mission of which EPH was founded.


That brings me full circle. Change is inevitable, but EPH was founded on helping and serving families experiencing homelessness and that is what we continue to do throughout all the change.


Loving and serving is the same yesterday and today and tomorrow as I reflect on the joy of being with EPH for the past 5 years.  


Save the Date for Doctors in Recital


We have much to be thankful for this holiday season, including being chosen as one of the community partner recipients for Doctors in Recital! Save the date for this exciting event taking place on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at The Weidner. Proceeds will benefit EPH and Foster the Village, as well as two musical education partners.


Tickets are on sale now! Click here to purchase your tickets.


Volunteers are needed to fill in various roles leading up to and including the night of the event. If would like to help, please click here to view available slots and sign up!



Christmas Blessing


A mother of nine living in an EPH home received a very special Christmas blessing this year! Pictured here are Shatoka (left) and her case manager, Shamika (right), as they picked up her new van. Shatoka has been working hard to move her family forward and not having reliable transportation for her family was a significant obstacle. That changed last week as she became the proud new owner of a vehicle with enough seating to fit her entire family. This was an amazing Christmas blessing for Shatoka and her family.


We would like to send a huge thank you to our friends at Good Faith Funding for the generous gift that made this possible!

Wish List Items


Our Amazon Wish List has been recently updated. If you're interested in purchasing an item or two, please visit our Amazon Wish List below! Items will ship directly to EPH. Thank you for your generosity!

Visit our Amazon Wish List

Please consider making a difference for local families facing homelessness by donating to Ecumenical Partnership for Housing today.


Ecumenical Partnership for Housing 

is a 501(c)(3) organization providing safety, stability, and solutions leading

to self-sufficiency for families with children facing homelessness in

Brown County.