The time is NOW to make a change

June 30, 2020

Dear friend,

"Relax! We sat where you are last year!!"

We love this note. Folded into its every corner is reassurance that success is within reach, and that a community stands at the ready to help on the path there. T he encouragement this message gives is especially welcome at a time wh en there are no blueprints for the challenges we face.

For the next month, many more families are deciding that the time is now to make a change and apply to our program.

Joining Saranam isn't easy. It's a choice families make to dedicate an enormous amount of time and energy to build skills that will change the trajectory of their life, and their children's lives, forever.

Saranam is an exhaustive and exhausting two-year program with high expectations for its families. It is not an easy program and a family has to be truly invested in making a life change towards self-sufficiency. However, the results are powerful, transformative, and enduring. -Saranam alumni

We're excited to meet our next cohort. Here is a peek into what their journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency at Saranam will look like:

Throughout this rigorous schedule, families are enveloped in a blanket of support from staff, volunteers and their peers.

The commitment is hard, but the payoff is great. Two of our alumni's children proved that this month when they graduated from high school with plans to attend college.

Dione will be attending Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute on full-scholarship. Ian graduated high school with enough credits for a Bachelor's degree, but is still attending New Mexico Tech. to earn a computer science degree.

Their families have broken the cycle of poverty and homelessness for good. Thank you for being a part of their story.

Rounding the Corner

We have an empty nest! But not for long. We are rounding the corner on the time to welcome the next cohort of families into our program.

We are almost there! We're over 80% of the way to bringing 10 families home with our Building Foundations for Life campaign.

That's only two more families.

In 2018 we had 84 applications for the 10 openings we had. We know the need is there- and growing.

This pandemic has made homelessness imminent for many low-income families, creating unprecedented job losses stacked on top of existing shortages of affordable housing.

WE CAN HELP create a lasting solution. Our success with this campaign means these 10 families are FULLY supported for an entire year.

That means they receive:

A stable home with all the essentials to keep their family healthy and safe.

E ducation classes that will help them succeed in school and life skills to manage their finances and family.

Childcare and quality enrichment programs for their kids so they do not fall behind their peers.

A community safety net to help them achieve their dreams.

And (as if it could get better than that) your gift will be matched, up to $60,000. Double your impact today!

Support our families today.

Contact Dianne Campbell at:
saranam.dianne@gmail.com or (505) 934-9110

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

The Magic of "Why"

We are thrilled to announce that we have cleared one of the final hurdles needed to purchase the land we have designated for our second site!

Our proposal to amend the site plan for our expansion passed the Environmental Planning Committee with unanimous approval.

We couldn't have done it without your support!

Thank you to all who wrote letters of support for the project. We were FLOORED to see a whopping 72 letters submitted on our behalf.

Your letters showed concerned neighbors what an amazing community we are bringing to them.

The icing on the cake was that we got to hear the stories behind why you invest in the mission of our work. At the end of the day, these "whys" guide our actions and reflect the kind of world we want to see.

We wish we could share all of these beautiful insights, but alas- there are too many!!! But our most recent blog did capture the heart of what we heard again and again.

Read it here

We can't say it enough- thank you for believing in our program and giving your time and heart to make a difference for families experiencing homelessness.

Won't You Be Our Neighbor?

We saw what a big impact your voice can make- and we have another exciting opportunity to take action to help our community!

Our good friends at State Farm are launching their annual Neighborhood Assist next month to give away 40 $25,000 grants to nonprofits across the country.

Guess who decides who gets the grant? YOU!

Here's how it works:

On July 15, log onto the Neighborhood Assist website to nominate Saranam to receive one of the grants.
Answer a few short questions about how Saranam's program will make a lasting impact in our community and upload your favorite Saranam photo.

Need some ideas to get you started? We've prepared a guide to help you. Click here for more.

State Farm will accept the first 2,000 submissions and choose the top 200 for a community vote.
If we're chosen, vote for us between September 23 and October 2.
Celebrate with us if we win on November 4th.

What a great way to show how small acts, when m ultiplied, can make a HUGE impact.

Will you help us create positive change in our community?

Community Corner


Help From Home We miss our volunteers! Looking for ways to help make a difference for those most affected by COVID? We have put together a list of volunteer opportunities that can be done remotely to keep us all safe. Find it here We may stuck at home but our hands can reach far out into the world. Be sure to check our website for up-to-date information on our needs and opportunities. https://saranamabq.org/volunteer	Partners for People What's the best part of New Mexico (other than the chile)? The PEOPLE! And we are so thankful for the people at the Del Norte Rotary Club. They are here, in the community, investing in improving the lives of the people around them. Their grant will supplement food, living and cleaning expenses for our families as we navigate these uncharted waters the best way we know how.... as a community.	Best of the City Voting is open for Albuquerque the Magazine's Best of the City awards. Cast your vote for Saranam as "Best Humanitarian Group"! Click here to vote by August 1 And while you're there, we want to put in a good word for the businesses that are such wonderful supporters of our work every year. Silk Road Connection Evolution Piercing Assistance League of Albuquerque ALT Salon Ansel's Interiors

A Special Request

Never has technology been so important for our world to turn!

We want this year to be a success for families so if you have any of the following, please contact us and we will be happy to put them to good use!

Computers originally installed with Windows 7 or above (our partners at St. Chads Episcopal Church can refurbish for us)
Flat screen monitors
Laptops (with power cord)
Printers (black and white laser or color desktop)
USB mice
Speakers
New or gently used headphones