December is a tough month if you are financially strapped or unhoused. We have been busy providing eviction prevention and housing search assistance to make sure as many people as possible have homes for the holidays.

Love Columbia is currently providing transitional housing for 4 families and hotel stays for 13 families. We are working closely with Columbia Public Schools that currently reports 257 students identified as homeless. Click to hear Ranita Norwood, District Homeless Coordinator of CPS, share more about student homelessness.

Neighbors provided care baskets for families in hotels, prepared transitional homes for new arrivals, and coached people through the SAFHR rent assistance process.

Others have gathered as part of our Affordable Housing Coalition to seek solutions to our local housing crisis. This week, Diane Suhler, economist, and Brian Toohey, CEO of Columbia Board of Realtors, shared with the coalition what has led to the housing shortage and our current, local housing situation.



Click here to watch the recorded meeting.

A Chance to Start Again

Tears seeped through Porsha's eyes when she walked into her family's transitional home this month. "You have no idea what I've been through... Thank you!"

She recently received the news that she and her children only had a few more days of staying in a cramped hotel room because they had been accepted into the Extra Mile Homes program!

First Baptist Church members cleaned, furnished, decorated, and cooked to welcome Porsha's family to the home.

An Unexpected Change

Vicki became the sole caregiver for her four grandchildren earlier this year. Their arrival pushed her into homelessness as her landlord would not allow the expanded family to squeeze into Vicki's two-bedroom apartment.

Love Columbia moved Vicki and the children into one of our Extra Mile transition homes where Vicki received financial and housing coaching to prepare to move into permanent housing. With the help of her coaches, she began the difficult search for a four-bedroom rental home in the children's school district.

As of this month, they are residing in their own home!

Consider partnering with us by making a year end gift. Your support means local families will continue to receive the strategic help they need to move forward and thrive. We greatly appreciate your support!

Mail a Check

Send to 1209 E Walnut

Columbia, MO 65201

Give Online

Give securely at

lovecolumbia.org

The Love Seat resale store provides a place for shoppers to find quality,

low-cost furniture, housewares and clothing and for Love Columbia program participants to obtain essential items.

The Love Seat Furniture Bank provides free furniture and housewares to families in crisis or transition.

Love Seat volunteers help a family move out of their transitional home and into permanent housing.

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself

This is the ideal that drives Love Columbia. We coordinate relationships and resources to “love people forward” to a higher capacity. We provide coaching to help people improve their finances, employment, and housing, and offer strategic financial assistance and material goods to support their path forward.

• Information and referral

• Assessment and action planning

• Coaching (financial, employment, housing, transportation, life purpose)

• Transitional housing

• Payday loan relief 

• Strategic financial assistance

• Basic needs (furniture, clothing & housewares)