Dear friend,

You always hope that any gift you give- however big or small- will be the drop in someone's bucket that causes it to overflow and spill kindness all around.

This month we celebrate a woman whose gift has been just that-our founder, Frances Thaxton Ash.

Who was Frances Thaxton Ash? Quite simply, she was the first member of our Saranam community. She lived in Albuquerque most of her life, was deeply involved in her church, and was an incredible investor. She valued home because she knew it isn't just a roof and 4 walls- it is a collection of memories, a group you trust, a foundation for your life- a community.

When she passed away 20 years ago, she asked that her estate be used to help families experiencing homelessness have the kind of home and community she loved. With her directive in hand, the Council on Homeless Ministries (formed out of Central United Methodist Church-which she attended for 90 years!), created Saranam.

From her one gift, more than 450 lives have been changed. Even after our initial founding, her endowment has continued to shape the structure and priorities of our program; the purchase of the apartment complex that now houses our families, the coverage of our fundraising costs so donations can be used for programming, and it will provide us with a solid base from which to launch our expansion project.

Frances never got to see the impact of her drop of kindness into our buckets. But we know how her legacy has become countless drops of hope for the people in the community she helped build.

This month, we hope you will know that your kindness, your gift and the time you give fills us up and is very likely the reason someone smiles today.

Follow along on our social media channels in the coming weeks to learn more about Frances’ life and legacy.