Reaching Out Summer 2003

Strong families make strong communities

Life Changing Moments

Dorothy Clark, Program Director

I would like to take this time to publicly thank all Home Management Resources counselors for their involvement during the spring and summer programs this year. Everyday we at Home Management have been given the ability to effect the lives of families beyond our wildest dreams. We daily empower families to improve their quality of life.

We have had the awesome privilege of collectively affecting the lives of over 146 students throughout the Michiana area this Spring. We presented two five-week classes at The Center for the Homeless, one five-week class at Hope Rescue Mission, one ten-week class at Robinson Learning Center, one ten-week class at Juvenile Justice Center’s Central Academy, three five-week classes at Teacher’s Credit Union, one three-week class at Juvenile Justice Center for young girls, and two Family Life Seminars on site. We also presented two four-hour workshops at St. Mary’s and one four-hour FLS workshop for Professionals.

At our counselor’s tea party in May, we heard from many of the counselors who participated on teaching teams for these programs. It was truly edifying to hear these counselors tell of their personal experiences.

As counselors we are always learning from those that we instruct and are encouraged by their testimonies of how we have impacted their lives. Debby Grant, a counselor on the Center for the Homeless teaching team, shared from her first teaching assignment, "Approaching The Center for the Homeless on the first day, had all the earmarks of the first day of school syndrome. My palms were sweaty and my stomach nervous! Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and had all of my misconceptions regarding the Center corrected. The first thing that struck me was the busyness and normalcy in the lobby. It was filled with people talking, reading and relaxing. Throughout the five weeks of classes I learned that all women value their families and want the same things. We all want a place to call our own, freedom from fear of physical abuse, food on the table, and for our children to have a happy childhood. I am impressed at the courage it must have taken the women I worked with to leave some very unhealthy living situations.

At graduation their pride was very evident. Everyone came dressed in their best outfits and beamed with their accomplishment at completing all of the classes. These ladies now have a spark of hope to rise out of their homelessness as they take their first steps to achieve that end." These kinds of life changing moments are being duplicated every time we present Home Management Resources’ programs.

Fall classes begin in September. Arriving soon in your mailbox will be an invitation to join other counselors in support of families in our community. The Family Life Seminar begins on Tuesday, September 9, 2003. We will be at Hope Rescue Mission on September 30, and November 11, 2003, for five-weeks each. If you feel you can only commit to a short span of time, we are offering a four-week Family Finance class in October. Please call and get your teaching preference in early. Our community needs you! Become an active volunteer!

Counselor training will begin on August 27th. If you know of someone (male or female) that would be an asset to the mission of Home Management Resources, please enlist them and then give me a call at 233-3486 so I can add their name to our Counselor invitation list.

Thank you for being partners with Home Management Resources in building strong families for a strong community!

 

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