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May 27, 2020
Dear ,

We've turned the corner to summer and amidst endless unknowns and scenarios, we are all discerning how to help our communities manage the unprecedented fallout from COVID-19. One step at a time, we are creating a path forward.

Nobody has gone untouched by this virus, but low-income workers have borne the brunt of unemployment woes . Projections based on  this data indicate that homelessness could increase by as much as 45% next year.
 
We simply cannot stand by and watch this unfold. In this unparalleled time it is more crucial than ever to bring in 10 new families this summer. Saranam gives them the tools to build a path out of this crisis.
 
For our families, the path forward includes education. We know that achieving their education goals makes them desirable candidates for higher paying (often essential) jobs and teaches them to create a healthy savings to  cushion them from fluctuations in the economy.

Though many low-income students have had to make the hard choice to put off school, we have undertaken extraordinary measures to adapt our programs and offer tutoring so Saranam families can stay on track. 

 
Boy, have our families remained focused on the future! This semester families achieved a 92.3% pass rate in their classes and completed 27 classes!  We also celebrated the high school graduation of one of our alumni's kids . She credited seeing her mom's achievements with her desire to work hard for the next step of her journey- college.
 
Community is laid between every brick on this path. We have always known the importance of community, but it has emerged for us all as the magic link that will enable us to navigate a path forward.
 
As we speak with our families, the impact is clear: the support and encouragement of a community builds our resilience and helps us adapt to overcome even the hardest challenges. One of our exiting families told us:
 
Saranam has given me so much- security, housing, opportunity for education- but the most valuable thing that I took away was witnessing first-hand how patience, compassion, respect, and understanding from one human being to another can make all the difference in someone's life.

The path they build will lead them home. As we near the end of spring, most of our second-year cohort have moved into apartments on their own income and remain self-sufficient.
 
We can help more families do this. We are more than half-way to our $300,000 goal to help 10 more families  pave their way from homelessness to home. Join us in making their path forward possible.
 
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Caring and Sharing
Mattresses, dressers and toys, OH MY!

Have you been spring cleaning? Do you have a pile in your garage ready to donate? H old onto those items! 

Our offices remain closed for safety reasons, but 
we will still need donations of furniture, household items and decorations in order to  bring in 10 new families at the end of the summer.

We will update our donation guidelines  as the situation evolves and we can ensure everyone's safety.

The show will go on!
 
We're getting creative in how we share these beauties with you when they're done, too.
 
We know our annual open house is very popular, and we are busily designing ways to view apartments safely, including the possibility of a virtual open house. 
 
We'll send more information as the summer decorating season heats up.

We look forward to "seeing" you soon!
Thank you, Mom!

Moms are superheroes. This season has stretched all moms further than ever before, so we couldn't let Mother's Day go unrecognized. 

We honored the sacrifices and courage of moms at Saranam with a small gift and card. In a thank-you note, one mother told us:

I have felt so special through my Saranam experience. I  know I'm not alone and  
I'm going to make it.

Thank you to all who showed your mother (or a mother figure in your life) how much  you care   by giving a gift in her honor to Saranam.

All donations went to our monthly supply drive. This provides our families with essentials like soap, diapers, and hygiene products. 

It's not too late to give!  We invite you to consider a gift to celebrate a birthday, Father's Day, or just to ensure parents have what they need to take care of their families.   

Remember that under the new CARES Act, every gift gives back to you as well. 

Thank you so much for your generous support.
Gift of Growing
One of the best ways our families have been maintaining community is through gardening. Our large community garden is closed, but thanks to Food is Free Albuquerque  (FIFABQ), we have been able to deliver this piece of community-building right to our families' doorsteps. 


The new garden space instantly perked families up and became a community project that teaches collaboration and cooperative care

"I was a little apprehensive about how much of a green thumb I really had.  Now I look at gardening in a whole new light. It has improved our life in so many different ways: quality time, responsibility, saving money and eating healthier are just a few. The list could go on forever." 

We have long known the impact of gardening and have included an innovative, original class in our curriculum. The lessons families can learn from it are vast, including: 

Our influence on our environment
* Discipline in caring for plants
Planning ahead for future rewards
* Knowledge of nutrition, budgeting and meal planning

Thank you again to Food is Free for their Gift of Growing that just keeps on giving. 

Want to read more about gardening? Head on over to our blog by our wonderful instructor, Catherine Bergen.
 Community Corner  
Making Waves

The beaches are far away, but our families are still making waves in the community. 

Katie, a second year parent at Saranam, published a heart-rendering poem in CNM's Student Fine Arts and Literary Journal

and

A Saranam alumni, Victoria, was featured in the Methodist Children's Home's publication for her work to become the mother her kids deserve. 

Building Opportunity

Thank you to Southwest Capital Bank for their generous grant. 

Our partnership will help families receive the education and skills needed to build economic opportunity. 

With this grant, we will ensure the  long-term success of families, and the generational prosperity of our state.

#TogetherWeThrive 

Community has never been more important than it is now and we are undertaking new collaborations to build our impact stronger than ever.

This month, we celebrated #GivingTuesdayNow by partnering with Habitat for Humanity to show how we thrive by working together.

Together, we will make it possible for one of our alumni to become a home-owner. 

For more on this partnership, click here.
 
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Support our families today. 

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Link to Family Supply Drive
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Contact Dianne Campbell at:
saranam.dianne@gmail.com or (505) 934-9110

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

JMML