Women's Shelter Donation Houston

During my eight years working for Star of Hope Mission, I have watched over and over as homeless clients move from virtually “no hope” with total dependence, to beginning their independent walk in a new life.  Star of Hope is not just a Soup Kitchen in Houston!  We offer Christian Ministries with such services as drug rehabilitation, emergency homeless services, parenting classes, career building classes, for homeless persons and for battered women, men and for families.  We offer care for men, single women and for families at our three homeless shelters and transitional living centers.

Last week I got to meet a young woman who lived here at Star of Hope twelve years ago.  When she came here, she was 4 years old, and she got into a ballet dance program offered by a volunteer.  Her family got back on their feet and now she is married and has three beautiful children.  She was present at the opening of our newly decorated Intake area at Star of Hope’s Women & Family Emergency Shelter.  It was a real blessing to visit and to see how well she is doing now.  She and her family had received a chance to get back on their feet, and they had taken it! 

I hope that you weren’t ever homeless!  But if you had been, wouldn’t it be great to know that there was a place, where people would listen to you, pray with you, cry with you, and try to meet your every need!  Star of Hope is such a place!

Would you consider partnering with us, through offering a prayer for the less fortunate, and through making a contribution?  You can go to Charitable Donations Houston to make a contribution.

 

1.     Organize a drive for Christmas Gifts. Items are needed by December 10.
    
2.     Donate online to provide Christmas Gifts. Visit Star of Hope’s Christmas Gift Catalog.
    
3.     Create We Care Houston Packages and give them to homeless men and women you see on the streets.
    
4.     Give $10 by texting “SOH” to 20222. Encourage your friends to do it too!
    
5.     Provide warm and nutritious meals for only $1.63 each.
    
6.     Volunteer to serve a meal at one of Star of Hope’s facilities. We serve 3 meals a day, 365 days a year.
    
7.     Host a drive and a contest...Pillow Fight: Who can gather the most new pillows and pillow cases?
    
8.     TP the Mission: What?... Host a drive for toilet paper.
    
9.     Use your professional skills to help the homeless.
    
10.     Undies for Change: We always need NEW socks and underwear for men and women.
     
11.     Pray for our homeless veterans who are living on the streets.
     
12.     Provide a day of care… food, clothing, shelter and more.
     
13.     Home and Dry: Collect new linens and blankets for twin beds. Make Star of Hope feel more like home.
     
14.     Tell your friends why you care for the homeless and why you support Star of Hope.
     
15.     Pray with and for homeless children who are praying for a home.
     
16.     Pray for the men and women at Star of Hope who are on the road to recovery and a new life.
     
17.     Could you commit to working one shift a week? Become a High Impact Volunteer.
     
18.     Share your support for Star of Hope on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. We appreciate it!
     
19.     Like working with kids? You and your group can host a children’s activity at Star of Hope.
     
20.     A volunteer opportunity for the whole family… Cookies and Good Night.
     
21.     The donated clothing we receive needs to be sorted. Come serve in our Storehouse.
     
22.     We answer a lot of phone calls! Volunteer in our Call Center.
     
23.     Looking for a last minute Christmas Gift. Help the homeless and send your friends Christmas eCards.
     
24.     Get Up and Go: Host a drive for job-interview-worthy women’s clothing size 22 and up.
     
25.     It’s not too late to give a year-end gift. Donate online and help Houston’s homeless.

Homeless Vets celebrated everyday at Star of Hope Men’s Development Center

Today is Veteran’s Day, and as I’m writing this blog, I’m reminded of the long heritage Star of Hope Mission has had in serving our Veterans who become homeless.  Way back in 1945-1946, Star of Hope was serving hundreds of Veterans each month, coming through Houston with no place to stay. Ever since then, Star of Hope has proudly served Vets who have become homeless and need help in re-establishing their lives, after their service to our country. 
 
Today, we are serving 100-150 Veterans per day, from the Vietnam, Korean, Desert Storm, and Afghanistan wars, with recovery programs and life changing help for a better life.  In our VIP Program, we serve 150-200 per year, in partnership with Houston’s Veteran’s Administration to help with their physical and mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and addiction recovery needs.  Our men in the PTSD group meet twice each week, offered at Star of Hope in partnership with Military Ministries, an arm of PTSD Foundation of America.

When I attend any Veteran’s program at church or in our community, my eyes well up with tears, as I think of the many men I’ve met here, who, without the Star of Hope, would be on the streets of Houston today.  They are not forgotten!  And they feel God’s love everyday they are with us.  Star of Hope is “Home to the Brave”…and my hat is off to the great staff of men and women at our Men’s Development Center in Downtown Houston who faithfully serve these who have sacrificially served all of us in defending our country.

If you’ve never been to any of Star of Hope’s mission locations, I invite you to come and tour, get involved and volunteer!  You can help Veterans and many others with your talents to have a better life, renew their faith and strength, and once again, stand tall as Americans.  Come and join us, you’ll be glad you did!

Learn more about star of Hope at Mens Shelter Donation Houston and Houston Volunteer Opportunities.
 

It’s been a year since I received the first e-mail from Jeannie Eisenhart.  Jeannie works for Crowley Maritime in Florida and is on the Board of the National Business Travel Association. 

NBTA members include airlines, hotels and resorts, travel agents and corporate travel departments, food service companies and temporary corporate apartment homes – just to name a few. Their 2010 international convention & exposition was scheduled for Houston, and for the first time ever, NBTA wanted the agenda to include a community service project. After the Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau recommended Star of Hope and NBTA executives from Washington, D.C. toured our facilities, an amazing partnership was born!

NBTA featured Star of Hope on their website and urged each member’s support. Without a track record, NBTA did not know what the response would be. But they wanted to provide members with a variety of ways to help Houston’s homeless men, women and children:

·         * As members completed the convention registration form, they were asked to make a $10 donation to Star of Hope.

·         * NBTA members were given a list of needed items – such as toiletries, towels, sheets, clothing and canned goods – and asked to make an in-kind donation.

·         * And members were asked to sign-up for a project at our Transitional Living Center – painting client apartments and other living areas, writing notes of encouragement for client mailboxes and assisting in the kitchen.

Deliveries arrived from across the country – large and small boxes of donated items. As our Women & Family Emergency Shelter slept a growing number of adults and children in overflow during the dangerous summer heat, these donations were a special blessing.

We worked with the incredible NBTA staff for almost a year, planning for every detail. And there was a lot of work happening behind the scenes. NBTA secured cash donations from ADTRAV and Continental Airlines. Someone from Lowe’s contacted Werner & Co. on behalf of NBTA. Werner generously donated more than 50 ladders for the painting project. And Aramark donated drinks and snacks for NBTA volunteers. 

After such a tremendous team effort, I was eager to meet all of the people from across the country who worked so tirelessly to bless Star of Hope. I wanted to put faces with the names and personally thank each one of our new friends. Project day could not arrive soon enough!

Make plans to serve Houston’s homeless men, women and children.

Call 713-440-5322 or 713-440-5301 to discuss volunteer project options for your group.
Community Volunteer Opportunities Houston

The Coalition for the Homeless in Houston recently published its 2010 Enumeration of those in our city who are homeless.  Over 40,000 have experienced homelessness in the past year in our city, up 20% from 2009.  With all the Star of Hope has been seeing since spring, it's not surprising that the number of homeless families has doubled since 2009. Now families make up 21% of Houston's homeless population.  The economic downturn has filled Houston's network of emergency bed providers and most transitional living facilities are at or near capacity.  We therefore are finding it much more difficult to find agencies to which to refer families from our emergency shelters.  The system is in gridlock.

I wrote a few weeks ago, wondering if Summer, 2010 would ever end.  I guess you could say the weather is moderating, but we are still sleeping 80 to 100 a night in overflow on the floor of our Women & Family Emergency Shelter downtown, even in mid-September!  This is an extraordinary pattern for this time of year and with the economy still ailing it may be a while until things return to "normal."

As we gear up for the Holidays, please keep us in mind if you'd like to volunteer, do a kids' toy drive or make a special financial gift for our men, women and children at Star of Hope this Thanksgiving and Christmas.  And, most of all, please pray for those who are starting over in the safety of Star of Hope.  God is "At Work" here every day, changing lives, one by one. Come and serve with us, and you will see and be blessed yourself!  I guarantee you'll leave here counting your blessings and will have helped someone through your service!

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."

What would you say if you had the opportunity to share a few words of encouragement with a child receiving care at Star of Hope? This is an opportunity for you to do just that.

Next month children from Women & Family Emergency Shelter, Transitional Living Center and New Horizons will head back to school.  Thanks to the generous support of friends and donors, every one of these children will step onto the bus and into their classroom with everything they need to succeed. New school uniforms, new shoes and a backpack full of supplies!

You can add to their excitement and joy by writing a short note of encouragement for the school age children at Star of Hope. Please take a moment and “Leave a comment” on this blog. We will print your note, along with others we receive, and give them to the children before the first day of school.

Thanks for caring and making a difference in these children's lives!

School Donations Houston: Ways to get involved and help a child succeed:
- Send a note of encouragement to a child on this blog.
- If you receive our July Newsletter in the mail, write a note on the enclosed backpack tag and send it back to us.
- Donate financially to provide needed items and continued care throughout the school year.
- Coordinate a drive for school supplies or other urgent needs.
- Spread the word! Tell your friends about all of these opportunities to change a child’s life.
 

It was a typical Sunday afternoon. Everyone in my family-of-five had gone their own way after getting home from church and having lunch. I was in the living room, downloading a few songs from my laptop onto my iPod, when a loud pop came from somewhere outside. The power was instantly gone and the house filled with overwhelming quiet.  

This was the second time within a few weeks we found ourselves without electricity on a Sunday. As we gathered to discuss the unpleasant reality, we vividly remembered the 12+ hours it took to restore our power the previous Sunday. 

My youngest son, Josh, said if power was not back on by bedtime that he was going to sleep on our porcelain tile floor. The porcelain typically stays very cool, but the floor is extremely hard. The thought of Josh sleeping on a rock-hard floor to find a little relief in an otherwise sweltering night broke my heart. I thought about the many homeless mothers who struggle and anguish over the often dangerous, uncomfortable and dirty places their precious children will sleep. The thought brings tears to my eyes….and I can’t even begin to grasp the helplessness and hopelessness they must feel as they look into the questioning eyes of their little ones.

My family is very fortunate, very blessed indeed.  Although inconvenient, we had the means to find a comfortable waiting place and air conditioned cars to get there.   But what about the many homeless men, women and children in our city who live on the streets and don’t have those options? Where do they go to escape the treacherous, life-threatening heat that beats down on the sizzling pavement day after endless day?  There’s not even the relief that old, vacant buildings provide during the cold of winter. Stale, stagnant air scorches the lungs and sweat steadily drips from every pore until dehydration sets in.

I praise and thank God that long ago He made provision for a place called Star of Hope Mission. Today, Star of Hope reaches out to the homeless in our city with safe, welcoming shelter and so much more. Thanks to generous donors and volunteers, Houston’s homeless men, women and children find refuge from the blistering heat of the summer and meet a Savior who will provide for every need.

Learn how you can get involved. Visit Volunteer Jobs Houston to find an opportunity of interest to you.

Help make this a Summer of Hope for the homeless in our city.

Donate $10 by safely texting SOH to 20222.

I’ve often heard that for kids a week at summer camp is equal to a year’s worth of Christian education. Many dynamic Christians have shared testimonies of how Jesus first became real in their lives while attending camp. The children at Star of Hope are no different. Amidst horseback rides, canoeing and the many new challenges of the great outdoors, they learn about a Savior who loves them and will never leave them. There, around the glowing embers of the campfire, a yearning for His purpose in their lives is powerfully and forever ignited. So how awesome is it that Star of Hope sends about 120 children to summer camp each year?!?! 

Of course, the kids don’t simply hop on the bus and ride off to their cabins in a wooded paradise. Getting 120 children ready for camp is a HUGE job that could not be accomplished with the generosity of our donors and volunteers. Since most of our children do not have the essentials for a week at camp, we pack and send each camper with everything he or she needs – shorts, t-shirts, socks & underwear, swimsuits, tennis shoes, flip-flops, towels, toiletries, and most important, a Bible. 

This week, volunteers will be at our Women & Family Emergency Shelter to pack a duffel bag for each child.   This is not a fast job – packing must be done with care and an eye for detail. Not only is it important for campers to have the items they need, it is very important they have the right sizes. Volunteers from the Doubletree Hotel – Houston Downtown will kick-off the packing party and donate travel-size toiletries. Rick & Carole Wilcox, Harry Kirkpatrick, Melvin Jackson, Nellie Zarate, Durwood South and Vivian Busquet , along with a few more volunteers, will finish the job long before the first bus arrives. The ride to Camp Good News will be filled with joyful camp songs and happy hearts.

Please pray for our children and counselors as they travel to and from camp. And pray as our children experience God’s amazing creation in a new way, they will open their hearts to His love and accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior. As they come to know the boundless love of Christ, our children will truly experience a Summer of Hope!

Learn more about Houston Volunteer Opportunities and Donation Opportunities for Summer of Hope.

Throughout the community, an exceptional group of young people are learning the skills needed to become our future leaders. These young men and women are part of the Boy Scout and Girl Scout programs. What an honor it is to work with Scouts who select Star of Hope as the site for their Eagle Scout and Girls Scout Gold Award projects!  

The project requirements are stringent. Scouts must submit a comprehensive plan - containing a detailed description of the project, the necessary supplies and materials, how the project will be funded and how the project will benefit Star of Hope - that goes through many levels of approval in the Scout organizations before work can begin. 

This month, Scouts Mark Camero and Kevin Sweat will complete the projects they first proposed last year. Mark designed and is coordinating a team to build shelving units for a storage area at Star of Hope’s Women & Family Emergency Shelter. Kevin designed and is coordinating a team to build a seating area and improve the area around a playground at our Transitional Living Center. Scout Brian Howell is working on a project that will include a new seating area and beautification of an area around Star of Hope’s administration building. From drawing plans to material take-offs, these young men have covered all the bases. Scouts Tyler Barron and Matthew Salazar recently hosted donation drives for pillows, towels, socks and underwear and collected several thousand items! As we work with these young men over many months, nothing is more awesome and inspiring than when the invitation arrives to their Court of Honor ceremonies! 

Girl Scouts Madeline Bowser and Kelsey Pearson developed Gold Award projects that enriched the lives of the elementary-school-age children at our Transitional Living Center. Madeline organized and hosted three fun-filled monthly theme parties and also collected children’s socks and underwear. Kelsey, who lived in China for several years, shared her love for international cultures by organizing and hosting three international festivals that included arts & crafts, food and games. Not only did our children benefit from these unique experiences, Madeline and Kelsey were excellent role models.

In addition to these wonderful young people, Boy Scout leader Shana Montgomery has been a special blessing. While working through the demanding Wood Badge program, which teaches advanced leadership skills, Shana selected Star of Hope for her community service project. She helped get our children ready for summer camp by collecting flip-flops in all colors and sizes. 

We are so proud of our Scouts and grateful for the many ways they bless our mission! Each Scout demonstrates a tremendous work ethic, dedication and compassion for those less fortunate. Their commitment and service truly gives Houston’s homeless men, women and children hope for a better tomorrow.

"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield." Psalm 33:20