Help The Homeless Houston

Our Living a Better Story begins in July 2008. Judy and I were preparing to be on Kairos Prison Ministry Team #1 at Hightower State Prison Ministry in Dayton, Texas. I was the Weekend Leader and needed a few more team members, especially ordained clergy. Rev. Marc Donaldson met Rev. Troy Williams at TDCJ Volunteer Training and put me in touch with Troy who was on staff at Star of Hope Mission in downtown Houston. Troy joined our team and Judy and I became impressed with Troy’s passion and dedication for serving the homeless of our community.

Judy and I assisted Troy and Star of Hope Mission yearly with some of their fundraisers so we are on their mail and email list. We received several emails and mailings from Star of Hope Mission recently requesting financial assistance; the Houston economy was sluggish and their contributions were lagging by about $700,000 from last year.

This is when Judy and I received our Living a Better Story packets.  Judy had a $5 bill in her packet; I had a $20 bill. We prayed for three days for God to show us where He wanted our multiplied money to be used. Confirming circumstances and prayer convinced me that Star of Hope Mission was where God wanted me to invest my fishes and loaves. During our three days of prayer, we received another mailing from Star of Hope Mission requesting financial assistance in providing back to school supplies for the homeless children that live in their shelters. Judy is a retired Second Grade teacher with a heart for helping school children get their required school supplies and back packs; she knew that God wanted her fishes and loaves to go toward school supplies for the homeless children at Star of Hope Mission.

Judy and I decided to pool our $25 rather than doing our projects separately. We came up with a list of friends, co-workers and family members who are not members here at Christ Church. We contacted them, shared our vision and the need at Star of Hope Mission and asked them to participate with us in multiplying God’s money. I sent an email to Rev. Troy Williams to let him know of our fishes and loaves project. He was intrigued and eager to see how God would work for Star of Hope Mission. 

The response was overwhelming! After three weeks of receiving numerous small contributions, our $25 had been multiplied by God into $950.00 with more expected. Judy and I visited Star of Hope with God’s multiplied money. Troy showed Judy and me all three of their facilities in downtown Houston. There is one men’s facility, one short term facility for parents with children and a long term facility for parents with children. The three facilities provide food and shelter for about 1,000 homeless members of the Houston community. All are very clean, well supervised and the spirit of love and compassion was evident everywhere we visited.

We were truly blessed by God in being able to work with Him in providing much needed operating funds and school supplies for some very deserving brothers and sisters.

Thank you Stoney and Judy!

People often ask me, “What causes homelessness?”   The answer is almost anything you can imagine, and sometime the unimaginable.   Case in point.   The other day, I met a woman who is living at our Women and Family Emergency Shelter, because she had quit her job.  Naturally, given the scarcity of jobs these days, she had my full attention.

As she began to unfold her story, it was clear she had not quit because of some egregious wrong in the workplace or a gross laxity in personal responsibility.   She quit in order to protect her 15-year old son from the perils of the street.  You’re probably thinking, what a desperate thing to do.  Well, it was.  Except that this woman was between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
 
Being a struggling, single parent, living in a rough neighborhood, she could not be both on the job and also at home monitoring her son’s activities and associates.  The hours between the close of school and the end of her work day were too many for her comfort.  There was evidence that the draw of the streets was stronger than the law of her household.  With her limited income, she could not afford a better neighborhood, and, as she said, “I had to get him out of there. The money I was making was not as important as his life.”  With nowhere else to go and homelessness as her option, Star of Hope was her only hope.

I have to tell you that I have great admiration for this mom.  She is a courageous, selfless woman who was willing to sacrifice everything she had to give her son an opportunity to live with honesty, decency, and purpose.  She took a leap of faith and found peace in the shelter, where she and he are receiving the help they need, now. and the preparation they need for the future.
 

Visit Star of Hope Mission and learn more about Shelters Houston Texas.

On any given night, nearly half of the homeless people in our Women’s & Family Emergency Shelter are children. Every afternoon, they gather with the Mission staff for “Daily Prayer Time”, where they write their prayer requests on little slips of paper. Then they sit in a circle, and a staff member leads them in prayer, reading each individual request.

Over the years, we have logged thousands of these prayer requests. Here are a few examples:

I want to pray for abused children everywhere.

I pray that my mom finds a house.

Thank you, Lord for a home.

I pray to go to the NBA.

I pray for good health, a job and a home.

I pray for everybody to get a place to stay.

Thank you God for giving me life!

I pray that I go to the NFL.

I pray that I get a house with a dog.

I pray I pass the TAKS test and become a lawyer.

I pray for a home and a car and a second chance. 

I pray that a homeless person gets a job.

I pray to God to help me stop having nightmares.

I pray to God to help me find my purpose in life.

I pray for my sister and my mom.

I want to ask you God for a home and a father.

I pray for my family to be ok.

I love you God!

For those of you who turned out for the Star of Hope “Can” Film Festival at Miller Outdoor Theater last Saturday evening to watch The Blind Side, here’s a great, big SHOUT-OUT of thanks for braving the heat and celebrating a Summer of Hope with us.
 
We love it that you put us on your weekend itinerary, brought can goods and took the “SOH” to 20222 text challenge, which delivered $10 to Star of Hope with every tap of the “send” button.  (And by the way, your text dollars were doubled, thanks to a very generous donor).   It was a cool event – temperature notwithstanding — and a wonderful time to hang out under the stars and watch a fabulous flick with a message we can all embrace. 

You can’t imagine what an amazing site it was for those of us who work at Star of Hope to see so many folks and families spread over the grassy hillside and in the seats, supporting this event.  Because—bottom line—it’s all about the people in our midst who have so little, the homeless many who come to our doors in desperate need of help, sometimes just to get through the day.  We never know when, and under what circumstances, we will need to reach out to others for help, because life has taken us to a hard, dry place.  But isn’t it nice to know that we live in a town where “reaching out” is more than a phrase?  It’s the Houston way.

So blessings to you and to Dana Tyson of SUNNY 99.1, Bill Ingram and Jen Driskill from KSBJ, and the dynamic Deborah Duncan from KHOU.  WE LOVE YOU!

Learn more about Star of Hope and ways to give at Charitable Donations Houston.

These days, it’s hard to find a family activity that’s fun for everyone-- and free.  But, as part of our Summer of Hope campaign, we’ve got a great evening planned for this coming Saturday, August 14, that fits the bill.  We’re calling it our Star of Hope “Can” Film Festival.  No, this is not a misspelling of the big shindig in the south of France.  We are hosting a glorious night under the stars at the Miller Outdoor Theater, featuring a showing of the block-buster movie, The Blind Side.

This is the family version of the film, so no worries about language or content.  If you’ve seen it already, come see it again; and if you haven’t, you’re in for a wonderful experience as this true story of courage, compassion, and the power of love to change lives unfolds on the screen.  What’s more, KSBJ will be there broadcasting live. Dana Tyson from SUNNY 99.1 will be there, as well, hosting the night, and we’ll have a performance by KHOU’s Deborah Duncan.  Can she belt out a song or what?  You don’t want to miss it. 

You’re wondering how does “Can” fit in to all this, right?  Here’s how.  The evening is free, but we are asking everyone to bring a bag of can foods to help us feed the homeless men, women, and children in our care.  The food collection begins at 7:30 p.m. and the move starts at 8:15.  You’re all invited! We’re looking forward to seeing you!

Get a list of needed items at Food Donation Houston
Invite your friends on facebook!

• Donation Drive Coordinator: Organize a drive for needed items at your work, school, church, organization or in your neighborhood.
• Team for Hope: Be a friend on Social Media and help us share stories and needs.
• Prayer Partners: Pray, pray, pray. Enough said!

There isn’t a day that goes by that I am not conscience of how blessed I am that my family and I have the things we need to sustain us.  Working at Star of Hope keeps me mindful, humble, and grateful.  I see the homeless come by the hundreds on a daily basis, suffering from so much lack, many of them parents with young children, and I know that God put me here to help them.

One of my responsibilities is to locate sources for stocking our shelves with the items needed to properly care for our clients.  That has always proven to be a rewarding pursuit, mainly because Houston is such a generous town.  I remember how intimidated I was when I first arrived here from the East Coast, knowing nothing about the personality of the city, its people, or how to ask for their support.  I fully expected to be politely turned down.   So I wrote out a script with God-fatherly intent: to make an offer they couldn’t refuse; in this case, an offer that would open their hearts to a message of help.  Well, a funny thing happened.  I never got to use my script, because the answers I got were, “Yes,” and, “Is there anything more I can do?” 

Those of you who are faithful readers of our blogs know that, in this economy, our donations have dropped as our client numbers continue to rise.  Right now, our family shelters are in dire need of diapers.  “Dire” might seem like an overstatement,  in reference to diapers, but I assure you it is not.  We use 1,500 diapers a month on hundreds of little bottoms.  We could sure use your help in keeping them fresh and dry.  If anyone would like to host a diaper drive for the babies at Star of Hope, please contact us at 713-440-5341, or by email cratliff@sohmission.org.  I, for one, would be so thankful; besides, I threw away my old Godfather script.

Recently, we switched our Yellow Cab Ads. Have you noticed? We now offer ANOTHER option in our Ways to Give collection. You can now INSTANTLY donate $10 to help Star of Hope help the homeless in Houston. Just text "SOH" to 20222. It's that simple - and that important to us.

We call this campaign "The Summer of Hope" and we feature a cute little girl (an actual client) pretty in pink with a smile that would melt an iceberg. But if we showed you the hundreds of children without homes this summer - right here in Houston - you wouldn't see many smiles. You'd see frowns and sparks of panic and fear in their eyes.
 
Houston is without question, one of the most generous cities in America. But even Space City has communication problems. Folks don't realize that SUMMER is our busiest and most challenging time of the year. SUMMER is when homeless families that have been holding out in apartments without lights - give up and go to a shelter because of the heat. Or, a homeless family has been staying with friends or relatives to keep the kids in school but now its SUMMER and they're asked to leave - and live on the street - or in our shelter.

A few nights ago, IN ADDITION to the 1,000 homeless men, women and children sheltered in our facilities, 106 women and children slept in our atrium at the downtown  Star of Hope Women and Family Emergency Shelter. I believe that's a record - and a chilling sign of our times.

Help us make this a SUMMER of HOPE For these folks. Text your $10 or better yet - dig a little deeper if you can and assist us in overcoming what is now a $700,000 deficit this year.

God bless and inspire you - and thank you.

Learn about other ways to give. Visit Charitable Donations Houston

We all have our “wilderness” wanderings—much like the Israelites in the Old Testament. We have times in our lives when we have departed one place (Egypt) and are on to a new place (the Promised Land).  Many who enter the Drug Rehab Centers Houston or Battered Womens Shelter Houston are doing just that--moving from one place in their lives to another.  We hope and pray that there will not be a LONG wandering - 40 years - between our points of departure and arrival...but, truly, only God knows.  Sandra has been "wandering" for some time now...and, I want to share a bit of her story.

I met Sandra nearly two years ago. She was a resident of our Transitional Living Center and getting ready to move out after being there for fourteen months.  Sandra successfully completed the New Hope Program  , Personal Development , and the WorkFaith Connection Program. Sandra had a job, money in savings and was paying her bills consistently for the first time in her life.  She was ready for the next step.

Star of Hope's newest program (at the time), New Horizons, was exactly what Sandra needed.  Living in her own apartment, with her children, and the supportive services the program offered, Sandra was certain she would be able to begin her new life as a sober, loving mother who wanted a brighter future.

Sandra hit the ground running! She searched for better-paying jobs and was soon rewarded for her hard work. Not too soon after moving into her new home, she got a job as a housekeeper for a local hotel. She was making a higher wage AND, even before she completed her probationary period, they targeted her for management...enrolling her into Manager Training classes.  Sandra loved her work.  Then...tragedy struck...

Sandra, on her way to the bus stop to go to work, was hit by a car.  She was not injured badly, thank God. However, she was injured enough that she needed physical therapy and to be on "light duty."  Her supervisor told her there was no "light duty" assignments...and asked her to call when she was released to return to work.  But, they called her first--a month later, they called to tell her they were letting her go.  They had to fill her open position.  Sandra was hurt--physically from the car accident; and, now, emotionally from the loss of her job.

Thus began Sandra's "wilderness" walk.  In the Bible, the Lord was with the Israelites--a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Sandra KNEW God was with her--because she had provision.  God provided for her through the New Horizons program which was able to come alongside her for a time with HER portion of the rent; the program was able to help supplement her food pantry through Food Donation Houston; and, she gained support and encouragement from the staff and other residents in the program through prayer, cards, and hugs when needed. 

Sandra's "wilderness" walk continues to this day (can you believe 15 months!!??)...she has searched and searched for jobs in Houston. She has applied in person, online and networked through several websites to find a position.  She has not been idle, she has not complained (different from the children of Israel), and she has not given up!!  During her time in the wilderness Sandra has accomplished the following:

*started her own cleaning business--SGH Cleaning Services (all that is left to do is obtain the bonding)
*served others by making sandwiches and cupcakes and taking them to Soup Kitchen Houston (at SEARCH Homeless Program)
*involved herself in the lives of her children (visiting their schools, attending counseling programs with them)
*attended Recovery Meetings, Bible Studies, and other meetings to offer HER testimony and provide encouragement to others
*helped several other families get into the Transitional Living Center when they found themselves homeless and in need of help
*recognized a desire to help others who are addicted to drugs and alcohol--she wants to be an LCDC

Sandra has been "wilderness" wandering--but, she has NOT been idle or lazy.  She has times of depression--when rejection overwhelms her--but, the "manna" comes again in the morning (Exodus 16:14) and gives her the strength to continue.  She has times when she wants to GIVE UP, but the water comes from the rock (Exodus 17:6) and refreshes her so she can fill out another application and go on another interview.

As I offer encouragement to Sandra, I keep telling her, "God has something GREAT coming to you." Sandra's Promised Land is out there...Sandra hears the Lord saying to her (just as he did Joshua) "Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9b) 

And, so we wait by the Jordan River for God's command to cross over (Joshua 3:14)...Sandra's Promised Land is waiting for her AND, while she is waiting--she finds "Hope in the Wilderness."

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to ride along with Charles Williams in Star of Hope’s Love In Action Van.  For several years Charles has been hitting the streets of Houston and inviting the homeless to “come inside” to find hope, shelter and an opportunity for a fresh start. It was amazing to see how many of the homeless men we talked with know him by name.  As we handed out water, over and over I heard the words, “Thank you, Charles.”

One man, a Veteran from San Antonio, had been in Houston for a couple of days. As we drove him to the Star of Hope Men’s Development Center he told us he was waiting for an apartment to open up and only needed help for a couple of weeks. Someone had recommended not going to Star of Hope, “They’ll just take your name and tell you to come back in three days.” He had been sleeping in a sleeping bag on a floor. That night he slept in a bed!

Many of those Charles invites to the shelter tell him the same thing, “I'll come in a couple of days” or “Maybe next week.”  He patiently keeps going out and continues to invite. “You never know,” he says, “Today may be the day they say ‘yes.’”

Currently, Charles is giving water donated by I AM Waters Foundation. Check them out at iamwaters.com. The foundation has pledged to donate 35,000 bottles of water to Star of Hope over the summer months.

Discover ways to make this summer a Summer of Hope for Houston’s homeless:
Houston Non Profit Donations and Volunteer Opportunities
 

Have you seen our new cab signs?  If you haven’t, be on the lookout, because they’re your invitation to participate in a Summer of Hope.   With the help of our buddies at Yellow Cab, Hope Floats all around the city, day and night, bringing the message that helping the homeless during these dog days of summer is as easy as texting “SOH” to 20222.  It’s that simple, and Star of Hope receives an immediate gift of $10.00 toward the care of our brothers and sisters who are down, for sure, but not out.

I know you have heard it before, but it’s true:  summer in Houston is the most dangerous time of year for the homeless, and it’s also the season when help for the homeless is at its lowest. However, if there is one thing we are certain of at Star of Hope, it’s that those we serve are not forsaken, even when donations are low and hands are few.  God has brought them to us to dwell in our shelters for a while, find relief from their struggles, protection from the elements and direction for their lives.  

From my perspective, that’s a win-win for everyone.  So not only am I privileged  to be a part of this amazing plan set forth by the Lord and executed by the fabulous client staff here, I am included in the invitation to the Summer of Hope. So here goes.  I’m going to let my fingers do the talking and donate $10 by texting “SOH” to 20222.  Will you join me?  But text safely.

Learn more about Summer Philanthropy Opportunities Houston at Star of Hope Mission
 

For your convenience we have put together a list of ways you can give financial donations to Star of Hope Mission.  A little over a week ago we added mobile giving or text-to-give to the lineup. On your mobile phone, simply text "SOHM" to 20222 and donate $10 to help the poor and homeless in our community.

What are some of the other ways to give?
• Give online at www.sohmission.org
• Donate with PayPal
• Set up a monthly recurring gift (Credit Card or EFT)
• Put  your check in the mail
• Call and give by credit card over the phone
• Download the appropriate form at Ways To Give and FAX it to us
• Double your gift through your employer's matching gift program
• Donate stocks, bonds, real estate or other investments
• Remember Star of Hope and Houston's homeless in your will or bequest. Go to our Gift Planning site for more information and to get started.

Please visit Charitable Donations Houston for a full list of Ways To Give... including addresses, phone numbers and forms. Thank you for caring and giving. Your gifts truly make a difference in the lives of those we serve together. 

Star of Hope Mission is a 501(c)(3) organization and all gifts are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.