Happy New Year, Team TIS:
At this time of year, most of us reflect on the year just past and look forward to how we can make a better one ahead. At the forefront of my review is a heaping helping of gratitude for all of our supporters… those who give of their precious time each month, those who donate treasures of not only money, but supplies, prayers, connections and care. TIS could not accomplish the life-changing work we do without the help of YOU and our amazing community.
If I could ask one thing of our supporters in the days and weeks ahead, it would be to talk about, and advocate for, TIS in your social circles. Our staff works diligently to spread the word of our S4 Program and to tell the stories of all the families and individuals who are grappling with the traumas of homelessness and who are committed to changing their lives for the better, with our help. Yet, we are surprised to find that there are people in our community who have never heard of TIS, and do not even know that there is a problem of homelessness in this area. We could really use your help to spread this knowledge.
Rural homelessness looks so much different than urban homelessness; it is virtually invisible, yet still very prevalent. More than half the students (55%) in Talbot County Public Schools in Fiscal Year 2023/24 qualified for FARM—the Free and Reduced Meals Program–and TCPS counted 158 school-aged children homeless during that school year. In an affluent county like Talbot, I find these figures shocking and untenable. While TIS is unable to affect the systemic change that would improve these
figures, we can offer services and supports to the families and individuals who suffer the miserable consequences. If we make these sad statistics and unfortunate realities more widely known, we could welcome more supporters into the TIS fold, as many hands make lighter work.
TIS has imminent expansion plans, which we will be illustrating in future newsletters and social media posts (so please follow, like and share… it’s a really easy way to spread the word). Word of mouth advertising is always the best, even for your favorite non-profit. So let’s all commit to bringing more people into the embrace of Talbot Interfaith Shelter, both supporters and users of our services. It’s a wonderful, safe place to be.
I am filled with gratitude and I wish us all peace and comfort in the new year!
-Julie
