Dear Friends of TIS,
The winter weather has definitely arrived! While winter storm ‘Fern’ turned out to be less severe than anticipated, conditions have still been challenging.
In preparation for the storm, TIS opened a 24-hour warming center at our Vine Street offices to serve as a backup location for those unable to access other centers, and as a contingency in case of power outages. Working closely with the Talbot County Department of Emergency Services, we set up 20 cots and organized the dissemination of important information. Local law enforcement officers were made aware that the center was open and available, but fortunately, no one needed to utilize the facility over the weekend. As a result, the warming center was closed on Monday morning.
Prior to the storm, our guests in both shelter homes and transitional housing units were fully supplied, allowing everyone to weather the storm safely. Special thanks go to our Director of Operations, Sadé, and our dedicated operations staff, whose extra time and hard work made these efforts possible!
We are extremely grateful to everyone who donated to our year-end appeal. With the help of our generous donors, we exceeded our fundraising goal! Contributions from Team TIS make it possible to continue the important work of providing families and individuals with the life skills necessary for greater independence. Since we receive limited assistance from State and local governments, ongoing support from our faithful donors is vital. Increased giving ensures that the 50 to 60 individuals we serve each month have the best opportunity for Success.
Looking ahead, our Board of Directors is developing a strategic plan aimed at expanding our capacity to serve more people and to offer additional services. While we have expanded our capacity more than tenfold since our inception, well over 100 people sit on a wait list to enter our program.
Lip Sync Season has arrived! Our Development & Marketing Team is actively recruiting entertaining acts and preparing for our 10th Annual Lip Sync Battle. This year’s event promises to be bigger than ever, as it will be held at the Talbot County Community Center on April 18th.
There are many ways to get involved: you can perform on stage or submit a video, sponsor the event and receive great advertising benefits for your business, or volunteer to help with set-up, event operations, and clean-up. To perform or sponsor, contact our Director of Development and Marketing, Laura at lauraricheson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org or 443-786-6962. If you would like to volunteer, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jesse, at jessejohnson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org to get on the schedule. Of course, we encourage everyone to vote for their favorite teams, purchase tickets, and to join us for what promises to be the most enjoyable event of the year!
You don’t always get to see it firsthand, but I can tell you that our guests are so incredibly grateful to you. They need your continued compassion so they can move from homelessness to housed, and from abandoned to supported.
With gratitude,
Julie Lowe