Prevent 100 people from becoming homeless

“I never expected to be in a position where I would need to accept help from a charity.”

These are the words of one of our rental assistance clients who addressed a group of supporters at our 4^th  Annual Golf Outing this year. They are words we hear almost every day from families in need of help.

“I am 51 years old, have been happily married for 23 years and have two daughters. [My] husband and I have sacrificed to put [them] through catholic schools. I am a college graduate, and neither I nor my husband has ever been out of work…we’ve both worked far more than 40 hour weeks, often at more than one job at a time, while coaching, volunteering at our church and children’s school and doing all the other things that most people do in order to make ends meet and raise a family…We’ve never lived an extravagant life, but we have always been able to pay our bills.”

So many of the families we serve share the same story. They’ve struggled to get by but always managed to keep their head above water. Many times, these families have not had the advantage of college or a supportive family, but do their best and work hard to take care of the families they love.

“During the past year, my husband’s business suffered a temporary setback…It was a few weeks before Christmas and everything seemed to go wrong at once. The mortgage wasn’t paid, the furnace stopped working, my daughter’s college applications were due and for the first time in my life, I felt desperation.”

A common misconception about people in need is that they are looking for a “hand-out”. The reality is that asking for help is a humbling and frightening experience. Often these are hardworking people who could have never anticipated the events that lead them to a financial crisis. An illness, a job loss, a death in the family can devastate families who are already struggling to get by.

“A friend, a fairy godmother, brought me to Interfaith…It’s not easy to ask for help when you have never had to ask before. It’s difficult to pour your heart out to someone you’ve never met and lay open the intimate details of your failing finances…They paid my mortgage, offered Christmas gifts for my girls and gift cards for food. When I got out to my car, I thanked God and cried.”

This is the work we’ve done for 26 years. When you make a donation, please know that 97 cents out of every dollar goes directly to support those we serve. Your donation truly makes an impact on families who are struggling to stay afloat.

We thank you for your support, your compassion, and your prayers.

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