Hope For The Homeless

That’s the question we are all asking, isn’t it? And when we consider that for our homeless men, women and children in Houston, we know that “2012 will be a year of significantly more needs to be met.”

Star of Hope has always been on the cutting edge of ministry to the homeless. Over the past 105 years of service there have been three distinct transitions in the homeless need:

1. Serving men-only for our first 80 years.
2. Serving women and families beginning in the mid-80‘s.
3. Now, the third transition…serving a growing percentage of our city’s AT RISK and ON THE BRINK of Homelessness population.

The face of homelessness has changed. For every person you see on the street corners asking for help or money, there are at least 10 others who are hidden…living in cars, on friends couches or in abandoned buildings, or about to lose their ability to maintain their ability to live and function independently.

2011 was a record year…with 25% more homeless people in Houston, and twice as many families homeless as there were just 2 years ago. Star of Hope stepped up, thanks to your amazing support, and served record numbers, all with open arms to anyone who came for help. Thank you for YOUR help…volunteering your time, bringing donations, giving financial gifts…and most importantly remembering us in your prayers.

One thing that you can always count on when you think of Star of Hope…this is a place where God Is At Work in the lives of our most needy individuals, and He does His Miracles here every day. It is the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen! And all of us who work here do so with a reverent awe every day!

This new year, we are already focusing on how we can expand our job preparedness and job skills efforts for our clients. We are staying in touch with more of our graduates than ever before, to support them when they stumble or need a little extra help to stay on track. We are working in a more deliberate way than ever, to assist families and individuals who are ABOUT TO BE HOMELESS, by growing our day services and partnering more closely with other great organizations in Houston. And we are expanding our children’s and teen ministries to help prepare the children of our homeless families to live a different life…and break the cycle of poverty and homelessness in their generation.

Sound exciting? Then come join us and let’s make 2012 our best year ever of CHANGED LIVES in our great city!

Blessings to you and your family in the new year, and we look forward to working together with you in 2012.

You have helped restore almost 7,000 lives in Houston in 2011

As I am sitting here in my office, taking a deep breath and thinking back over this past year, I am amazed and humbled at all God has done in our community through the Star of Hope.

Record numbers of people have become homeless in Houston this past year, and as a result, Star of Hope has served more individuals than ever before in our 104 year history this year. Immediate needs met, safety, a place to sleep, clothes, showers, food, a note card of encouragement from a volunteer, a counselor and longer term programs to help begin putting life back together…all offered to each one in an environment filled with the love of Christ.



I am reminded about the young man in his 20’s who graduated from our Men’s Development Center this past summer, who had been left on the doorsteps of a hospital in his home town when he was only 6 weeks old because his mom didn’t want him. He had struggled with the sense that he didn’t belong or have a home his whole life. But here at Star of Hope he “came home” to Christ and found new purpose and his eternal identity in Him. Or the young 15 year old girl, who came to us with her family, two years behind in school because of all the moves the family had made the prior couple of years. Through our Stars of 2morrow Teen Ministry this young lady caught up in school and graduated from high school in the top 7.5% of her class this past spring. She is at the University of Texas this Christmas on a scholarship! And there are hundreds of other stories just like these, inspiring and life-changing, all because Houstonians like you CARE.



A month ago, the children of the Yellowstone Academy Middle School held a fundraiser for Star of Hope, and together raised $176.28 to give to children less fortunate than themselves here at the Star of Hope. These precious children, whose families’ average income is about $10,000 per year, came on a school bus and joyfully brought us their Christmas gift.

Yesterday, a young man named William rode a bus to downtown from a west Houston grocery store where he works as a sacker, then took a train from downtown to the Medical Center, then a cab to Star of Hope, to bring his $200 gift he had been saving up. He does not have a car, but wanted to bring his Christmas gift in person this year somehow, some way.

So I am humbled at how God uses it all…our gifts, our volunteer hours, our staff and facilities, and most of all, our prayers to change and restore lives from the depths of despair, to heartfelt joy once again.

From all of us to you, thanks for making this all possible! We look forward to serving our community, with you, in 2012.

Christmas excitement builds at Star of Hope . . . thanks to you!

There are only a few days remaining until Christmas! Last-minute preparations are underway all over Star of Hope, especially making sure we’ll have enough special Christmas gifts for all the boys and girls who will spend the holiday here with their families. That’s a bigger challenge than ever this year, as we’ve seen a 25% increase in the number of homeless families in Houston.

For two hundreds families in residence with us this year, Star of Hope will be “home” for Christmas. And even the men in our men’s programs enjoy special time with their families at Christmas.

I’ll never forget what I saw last year at our Men’s Development Center downtown at their annual Family Christmas Day. We were enjoying a festive Christmas party with our men and their families, who had come for the day’s activities. I was visiting with a young man who was telling me how much the Men’s Center had meant to him, when I saw out of the corner of my eye another young man, with his three school-aged boys trailing behind him, headed for the Christmas tree near the front of the building. He joyfully took his boys to the tree, and reached down and picked up the gifts he had for each of them, which were nestled under our tree, hugging each one of them. I was moved to watch this dad sharing his love for his children, as if they were in their own home! That sight just made Christmas for me, and I believe God used the Star of Hope to bring healing to that family as they are recovering from their dad’s former addictions.

There are dozens of other stories I could share with you about Christmas at Star of Hope. We all thank you for being a part of all of it, through your prayers and gifts. May God fill your own home and holiday time with His peace, joy and the celebration of His great gift to all of us, His Son, Jesus Christ! Merry Christmas to you from the Star of Hope!

Christmas is my very favorite time of the year, and I often read the Christmas Story along with my family this time of year. As we read it, I have thought many times, as you may have, about that innkeeper who turned Joseph and Mary and the unborn Jesus away that Christmas evening. What was he thinking when he did such a seemingly uncaring deed? I’ve thought to myself and you may have too, “I’d never have let anyone, let alone God’s only Son, be born in the stable! I would have made room for them in my inn!”

It may not be practical for you and I to take someone into our homes each Christmas, but I hope you know that every time you give to Star of Hope, you are providing “room in the inn” for many in great need of a new start in life, and a new look at God’s roadmap for their lives. They find warmth, safety, and help with their personal needs, but most of all, they find His Love at the Star of Hope. As He said in Matthew 25:40, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.” (NIV).

This has been an extraordinary year of need in the Houston community…more families and individuals have experienced homelessness than in many years. And the Star of Hope has been called on to serve more people than ever before, in our 104 year history! But we need your help right now as recent donations have not kept up with the demands we are experiencing.

Help us make the “Star of Hope Inn” that warm and special place for those who have literally nowhere else to go…as Mary and Joseph experienced, this Christmas. Now just as then, it is our choice that can make all the difference in someone’s life and journey back to wholeness and hope. Please donate online now!

Blessings to you this Christmas!


If you missed it on the news, watch this video from ABC 13 - KTRK:

Star of Hope Asks for Your Help for Homeless

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, I’m counting my blessings — and I want you to know you are a big part of my gratitude! This has been such an exciting year of service at the Star of Hope, as record numbers of individuals and families have come for help.

You have shown the true spirit of our Lord and of the compassion of our city. It has truly made a difference for thousands… because of your help, your volunteer time, your food and clothing drives, your cards and letters, meals served for our Clients, and most importantly your prayers.

Every day at the Star of Hope God changes lives. It is amazing to watch and is such a humbling place to serve. We feel a profound sense of gratefulness to God, and are constantly amazed at His incredible power to heal a broken heart, forgive a broken past, and bring new Life and Hope alive in a life once again.

Right now, we are caring for almost 1,100 men, women and children in urgent need of basic necessities and long-term, life changing solutions to their problems. And in this incredibly busy Thanksgiving, we’ll all be counting you as one of our blessings, and praying for God’s rich blessings for you and your family. Thank you for partnering with us this holiday season at the Star of Hope!

There are only a few weeks now until Thanksgiving and whatever plans we are making, they most certainly will include a gathering event focused on food! Fortunately for most of us, we’ve never really had to wonder where our next meal, or our Thanksgiving meal, was coming from.

Recently, a mother and her three teenage children staying at our Women and Family Emergency Shelter expressed deep gratitude for the meals provided by our generous supporters. She was moved to tears when talking about the compassionate care they were receiving at our Shelter.

She told us that before coming to Star of Hope, they were literally starving. One night, her three children shared one can of tuna fish, while she had to go without food. They decided to come for help, and she was so grateful to have good food for her kids and herself!

This Thanksgiving…when you pray the Lord’s Prayer and ask God to give you your daily bread, why not also include a prayer for families who you are helping feed during this holiday season? You can make a tremendous difference in the lives of families like this mom and her three teens, by giving what you can to provide meals to them.

Every year at this time, we are amazed and humbled to see how God uses so many of us in our community to come together to feed and care for our neighbors in need. Join us now, by making a gift and include them in your hearts and prayers during the Thanksgiving holidays.

Blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is a time we all count our blessings, and I want you to know that hundreds of Star of Hope’s residents and graduates are thanking God for you!

In our special Thanksgiving edition of The Light, we’ve included some heartfelt thank-yous from three ladies whose lives were completely transformed by the food, shelter, spiritual support and long-term care you help provide . . . like Michelle.

Michelle arrived at Star of Hope in deep grief after the loss of her mother. For a while, she’d tried to “medicate” that grief with addiction, but she knew that could only lead to more heartbreak, so she humbly asked for help at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter downtown.

With homelessness on the rise among Houston families, we didn’t have a room for her right away, but Michelle was grateful just to sleep on a clean “overflow” mat for a few days. She knew it was the first step to stability. You won’t want to miss her inspiring words about her journey . . . or the other stories and photos of lives you’ve changed.

Thank you for being part of stories like Michelle’s through your ongoing support and prayers. These are difficult days for many in our city, and your help really matters!

In all of our lives, there have been times when we have felt like no one cares about us. We can all remember changing schools and not knowing anyone, and feeling daunted as we were surrounded by strangers. Or changing jobs, and wondering how we would fit in and who would be our friends. Or enduring a difficult family situation that left us alone.

For those who come to Star of Hope, the feeling that no one cares about them is not just focused on a new workplace or school, however. For most, there is absolutely no one they can turn to for help. Most who come to Star of Hope facilities have absolutely no other option. They are truly alone.

So what do you think JOB ONE is at Star of Hope? It is to love and to care for each one who enters, no matter what their condition or need or situation. And that love, combined with a safe place, good food, clean beds and new clothing, helps them feel like someone DOES care!

I’d like to share a short story from one of our recent adult clients at Star of Hope. Her name is Cassandra, and she found here a caring atmosphere that put her on the path to a new life!

Cassandra said recently, “I came to Star of Hope because I was on my last leg and I needed help, but I had no idea the help that I was going to get. They are awesome. There’s so much that’s here for you, and all you have to do is apply yourself a little and ask. The people really, really care. I love it. I feel God’s presence throughout the shelter and throughout me. To the donors, I want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

Your continuing support is a vital as we provide meals, shelter, counseling, education and long-term solutions to more Houstonians than ever before. They come because they have no other options…but you provide, through your gifts and volunteer help, a new and wonderful second chance…and a way back into a fulfilling life once again.

Thank you for being one of the people who “really, really cares”, as we minister and serve daily here at Star of Hope!

Your support has given Terrick a safe bed, all the healthy food he needs, classes to help his mom learn to become a better parent, tutoring, Bible studies — and Star of Hope staff who show him love every single day.

One day Terrick raised his hand during his children’s Bible study... and you just won’t believe what came out of his mouth. Be sure to watch his video to find out, you’ll be glad you did! You’ll be reminded, as I am, what really matters in this life!



Your support is providing hundreds of opportunities and brighter futures for families and children in need every day. So today, when you see a child, think of the 250+ here at Star of Hope, make an online gift, and know that God will take your gift and use it to touch a life of one of these! THANK YOU for all you do for Houston’s homeless men, women and children... won’t you help a child today?

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that every day now, we are confronted with a new, major crisis in our world. Here at home in Houston, we have all dealt with the excruciating heat and lack of rain for four or five months now. Texas wildfires are all around us, forcing hundreds from their homes and destroying their property.

For thousands in Houston, the severe weather and drought along with economic or domestic crises, have driven them to homelessness this year. Star of Hope has been here….serving already this year over 1,000 MORE men, women & children who have become homeless than we did last year.

Sometimes life’s greatest blessings rise out of tears, and for many we have served this year, God’s blessings have poured down in their lives, even though the rains for Houston have not. When we go through a period of great loss, we all tend to stop in our tracks, paralyzed and unable to move. Many of us LOOK UP in such times, to seek God’s face once again. True life change happens when we confront our past head on, confess our sins, and seek God’s help and guidance once again in our lives.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 tells us clearly God’s requirements for blessings: Humility, Prayer, Devotion, and yes, Repentance. I believe with all my heart that the miraculous life change we see every day at Star of Hope comes from true humility and repentance before the Living God, who is still in the forgiving and healing business, thankfully!

Roberto’s story is a wonderful example of this:




We invite you to Save the Date: February 2, 2012, for the 2012 Star of Hope Banquet – Above All. Plan to come and celebrate with us what God is doing in lives that were parched and dry, and have found His Blessings once again. Join us for one of the greatest Christian celebrations held in Houston each year, as we celebrate God’s great Work in the lives of so many in our city!

About two months ago, an 11 year old girl named Faith arrived at Star of Hope's downtown Women & Family Emergency Shelter with her grandmother. She was quiet, polite and read during her free time. Soon, Faith was invited to attend Summer Camp where she experienced a week of freedom from her difficult family life in the Piney Woods of East Texas. She opened up and had such a great time!

One night at dinner time, Faith shared with her counselor that she had been struggling with the idea of taking her life. When her dad died, she had tried to jump in front of a car, but it swerved just in time to spare her young life. Faith has felt so alone. Her mom abandoned her as a baby, her brother disconnected from the family, and her high school age sister has moved away.

As she shared her deep scars that night, a whole new world opened up for Faith, as our staff shared with her the truth of God’s love for her, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith placed her trust and hope in Christ that evening, and began a new journey. Today she is learning from God’s Word and about God’s Plan for her life…the future and the hope He has for her!

We thank God for his infinite wisdom and perfect timing. We also thank so many of you who provided financial resources for Faith, and over 100 other homeless children and teens who attended Summer Camp this year!

Faith and Hope are very much alive, this summer, through the Children’s Ministries of the Star of Hope Mission.

As Star of Hope is into its SECOND CENTURY of serving Houston’s homeless men, women and children, we are working hard on partnerships and new life-changing programs which will move Houston "down the field and toward the goal line" of significantly reducing homelessness in our city! Our Board, leadership and many of you in our community have developed and approved a 5 year plan, called “VISION 2015.” Its principal goal is to double the number of homeless served in our city, from 1,000 men, women and children per day, to 2,000 per day, though the Star of Hope "Family of Ministries" around Houston.

This exciting plan is set to the backdrop of ever growing homelessness in Houston. We are now experiencing as a community our 3rd year of record, serious overflow at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter at 419 Dowling, and something must be done! Our city, state, federal budgets are strapped and doing all they can, and we already work closely with over 100 health, housing, recovery, education, job training, and independent living partners in our city. VISION 2015 will take us to the next step.

It’s important to remember WHY we should serve those who have lost their way. God’s Word, in Jesus’ own words, teaches us in Matthew 25:31-40 that it is our duty and calling to love, feed, clothe and care for those in need, and in so doing, we are serving Christ himself. In our service, He changes lives! Watch this video of how a family has been restored; I know you’ll be as moved as I was:



And thanks to Bryan Bullington of the Pearland Chick-fil-A for hosting a donations drive and outdoor event at his store earlier this month.

If you want to serve on a long term basis, there is no better way than making a Legacy Gift to the Star of Hope. We all need to plan for our financial futures, and as you do, we want to invite you to consider including the Star of Hope in your estate plans. In this way, you can leave a lasting "Legacy of Hope" Gift to help accomplish the work Christ commanded us to do, for years to come.

If you’re interested in learning more, we have a new website with a WILLS PLANNER for your use. Visit sohlegacy.org. Review the various topics there, and click: “Plan Your Will” to get started. Also, we are having our 2nd Annual Planned Giving Advisory Council Luncheon coming up September 13th. Get more information and register today for this complimentary and informative luncheon. We hope to see you there!

As I am writing this, we have just experienced a night of unprecedented need at Star of Hope's downtown Women & Family Emergency Shelter. Last night, 141 families and single women were admitted to our already full family shelter.

The only place for them was on the floor on a mat, but they were grateful and came anyway. Thirty five families with their 55 children and 51 single women all came needing safety from the city streets and the heat. Can you imagine if the best thing in your day is finding a mat on the floor in a homeless shelter?

Well, they came to the right place! They are safe, loved, fed nutritious meals, had a bath and received new clothes (if they needed them)… even a toy or a book for their children. And today they will find a listening ear and a welcoming staff who will help them stabilize from their trauma, receive medical attention through the on-site Harris County Hospital Clinic… and as a private room opens up, a modest room for them and for their family.

Most importantly, we will help them to look UP and to hear once again something they haven’t heard or believed in many years… the truth that God loves them and has a very special plan for their lives. Only He can forgive their past, heal their heart’s wounds and bring light and joy back into their lives!

A former guest of Star of Hope posted on our Facebook Wall last week: “I am so grateful not to be sleeping on that floor tonight, but I am also so grateful that floor was there for me to sleep on at the beginning of my journey to recovery.” Watch this video from KHOU News 11 to see what inspired this comment.



Within the next few days of their stay with us each adult will be helped to evaluate their situation, develop a plan for this week… then next week, then for the month to come. They will be counseled for personal needs, their children will have a safe place to play and receive love and encouragement, and help with their own needs in the midst of family homelessness.

Star of Hope’s Women & Family Shelter is the largest emergency facility in Houston serving families and single women in our five county area who have become homeless. We try not to ever turn anyone away. For two years now, the shelter has functioned at near capacity every night, and has experienced significant winter and summer peak overflow needs. Last night was the highest night of need on record. We are working on broader solutions to the growing issue of homelessness in our city, and our vision is to grow from serving 1,000 homeless people per day as we do now, to serving 2,000 per day, by 2015.

Want to help? You’ll be glad you did!

Summer at Star of Hope is a BUSY time, with homelessness UP in our city, and the SEVERE HEAT, and HUNDREDS OF KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL! But it’s not a hopeless, sad time for those who have found themselves homeless. Watch this video to hear about some of the things our kids are doing this summer, while their parents are working on getting their lives back together.



While we work with the parents to help them recover and plan their re-entry into everyday life, the workforce, and independent living, we take good care of the kids. Age appropriate activities and learning opportunities, and lots of fun, are all a part of summer at Star of Hope for those 18 and under. I know you agree that a good dose of "normal kids stuff" in a loving supportive environment while simultaneously teaching the young victims of homelessness about all that God has planned for them -- is a big help to the children of these disintegrated families.

Did you know, Star of Hope is one of the few providers in Houston where families can stay together when they become homeless? Unlike many other facilities, our Women & Family Emergency Shelter has small but adequate private rooms for families. Parents are so relieved that their children don’t have to be removed from them by CPS...making their homeless situation even more traumatic because of lack of shelter and program facilities that serve intact families.

We’re BUSY as ever this summer, with more people on our Houston streets than any time in recent documented history….up 25% in just the past year alone. You can make an investment into healing and uplifting one of these families this summer, by checking out the Ways to Give to “Summer of Hope”: Visit SummerOfHopeHouston.org.

P.S….in case you’re wondering: "THE BLOB" is a large inflatable tube that kids jump onto and bounce off of in a lake…it’s a lot of fun…and all a part of giving these kids an OPPORTUNITY to begin a new life!

Donald Driver, well known superstar wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, held a football camp at Houston’s Delmar Stadium, for underprivileged youth which included several kids from Star of Hope this past Tuesday. This was a great treat for our kids, as part of our SUMMER OF HOPE program activities here at the Mission.

Donald led a challenged life on the streets of Houston as a teenager, but was changed by God’s grace, and ever since he has shown his heart for homeless kids and families. During their workout on Tuesday, they took a break and Donald talked to the kids about what’s important in his life, and encouraged them as they face their future. He told them to “always put God #1 in their life, everything they need to know comes out of books so their education is #2, and then sports are #3.” The next day, Donald attended activity classes at our Transitional Living Center, and the kids and parents here showed him some of their love and made him feel very special.

Thank you, Donald, for helping our kids! And thanks for caring about a better life for the youth of our city. Investments in these young lives pay dividends for many generations to come!

Take a look at how you can help us by being a part of SUMMER OF HOPE this summer!

In my last update, we discussed Houston’s problem of significantly rising homelessness in our city. According to the 2011 count of homeless men, women & children in Houston, this population has risen by 25% in just ONE year. In all, 13,000 people in our city are now without a place to live. And on top of that, we are experiencing the highest early-summer record heat recorded!

So what is Star of Hope doing about it? A LOT! This past Friday, we launched our SUMMER OF HOPE Initiative, to lead our community in reaching out and serving those who are homeless, so that we TOGETHER help them get back on their feet. Last year, Star of Hope served over 6,500 individuals during the year, about half the daily number we have today, at a rate of 1,000 people served per day. And this year so far, we have already served almost 30% MORE individuals and families who have come for help.

Star of Hope Mission  has always sought to provide not just safe shelter, but proven programs all around our city, to help those who have lost it all, to find HOPE and a reason to live once again, to feel God’s love in their lives, and to once again achieve successful, independent living as productive citizens.

YOU can help us with your ONLINE GIFT right now, as we mobilize key initiatives to beat the heat and serve those on our streets!

Star of Hope’s “Love In Action Van” continues with additional daily routes around the city to distribute cold water and encouragement to street homeless, and transportation to Star of Hope for shelter. And we thank the I Am Waters Foundation for providing the 2,834 cases of water this will require.

As these come in for services, Star of Hope’s Program and Referral Staff are busier than ever serving this 30% larger population, helping them:

• meet their immediate needs
• get medical and family services partner referrals
• work through issues to restore their lives, income and a place to live

Can you help us today, with significant increase in needs in Houston this summer? Summer is when we need your help most, with the extra expenses of 300 children home from school we serve each day, and so many more adults needing help... all at a time when our donations are at an annual low due to summertime.

Most importantly, please keep us and all of these who come in your prayers. And make this a summer someone will remember as their SUMMER OF HOPE!!

You may have seen the story "Homeless Population Keeps Increasing" in the Houston Chronicle this week, the results of the 2011 Homeless Count for our city. It's no surprise to me that the number of homeless people in Houston has risen by 25% in just one year.

If you've been following my blog the past two years, you know that Star of Hope has served record crowds since 2009, with the greatest overflow occurring at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter downtown. We have averaged 50 per night on the floor, with peaks of up to 118 for the past two calendar years. It's clear that the economy and all the disasters around us are displacing more and more families.

I must say, the most troubling number released yesterday, however, is the 10,933 school age CHILDREN in Houston, who are documented by our Houston area public school systems to be living homeless.

It's clear we need to do more. For some families, housing and job assistance will help get them back on their feet and living independently again. For most however, the causes of their homelessness run much deeper, and they need more comprehensive services to recover.

Star of Hope has been serving Houston's homeless continuously for 103 years now...it is Houston's oldest and largest ministry for our most needy Houstonians. We have learned so much about how to lead our guests into a new and fulfilling life. And we are working harder than ever in our history to expand our services and partnerships to reach the growing numbers of those in need.

The good news is that Today Is A Day Of Hope for thousands of these in our community, as Star of Hope and over 100 other service partners in our community reach out to help them!

Want to help? Go to our website and check out Volunteer Opportunities, or make a financial gift today. Summer is here and the numbers needing help are extremely high.

Houston, we have a problem. But together, with God's help and blessing, we can make a major, and for many, an eternal difference!

Last week on “National Lemonade Day”, 8 year old Charlotte diligently prepared her lemonade stand for the day, as did so many other children around the country. But Charlotte’s motive was not just about learning to run her business and make a profit, it was much bigger than that. You see, Charlotte was determined to help the homeless in our city with her profits. And she donated not just some, but ALL she made to charity... $65 to the Star of Hope. This will feed one person for two weeks!

All of us who have children, or work with children, know how pure their hearts can be, and how clearly they see the right thing to do so many times. You see, for some time now, Charlotte has seen the same homeless man on the streets, caring for his two dogs…Applejacks and a companion stray. “She does not understand how someone who cares so much for these two animals, does not receive the same care for other people”, her mom said. So she decided to do something about it, on Lemonade Day!

God’s Word tells us in Matthew 18: 3-4: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Are you touched by Charlotte’s wreckless abandon to help someone God loves just as much as he loves us? I am. And if you are, I encourage you to give a gift right now….a gift of $65.00…..and MATCH CHARLOTTE’S wholehearted, all out gift, to help the homeless men, women & children in our city today.

It won’t be nearly as painful for us to give of our resources, as it was for Charlotte to work an entire day and even more, and give it ALL. But if enough of us MATCH HER GIFT, we can make this a Summer of Hope for Houston’s Homeless to find a new life, like never before!

Better yet, feed one person all summer long, $1.60 per meal for 4 months, for just $520. I hope you will give wholeheartedly today, as you are led!

Mother’s Day is coming up next week…Sunday, May 8th! In preparation for that, one of my favorite events for our children here at Star of Hope is being held next week at our Transitional Living Center, for all of our client’s children. It’s a fun afternoon hosted by Trees of Hope, our affiliate which has been serving Star of Hope for over 20 years now.

After school, all the kids will gather in our Chapel and have a fun afternoon making crafts and preparing gift bags to give their moms for Mother's Day.

At this event last year, each child had their picture taken to give mom as a gift. These were really nice "portrait" type photos, and in their frames, decorated by the children, made an especially nice gift. For many of these kids, this was the FIRST photo of themselves they had ever been able to give to their mom!

Later in the afternoon, when the parents came in, there was so much joy in the faces of the children as they presented their gifts…and their portrait, to their mothers. They were so proud and excited to give such a special "gift of themselves". Can’t you just picture it? I can’t wait to see what gift the Trees of Hope volunteers will help our children make this year!

Summertime at Star of Hope is all about the Kids… and it is such a special time! We have over 200 kids with us, home from school all summer. This gives us all day to work with them, provide enriching activities, teach them from God’s Word, and help them with their own issues in overcoming homelessness.

Please join us as a partner and make this a Summer of Hope by volunteering, making a donation of needed items, or giving financially to help at this very special time of year!