Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I write to you this month with a heavy heart. Last month, our Executive Director, Julie Lowe, lost her husband, Mark. On behalf of everyone at Talbot Interfaith Shelter (our staff, guests, volunteers, and Board of Directors), I extend our deepest condolences to Julie and her family. I know many of you share in that sympathy. Julie has asked me to tell you how grateful she is for the kindness and support she has received during this difficult time. I also want to thank all of Team TIS for stepping up with such care and dedication, giving Julie the time and space she needs to be with her family while keeping our mission moving forward for our guests.
November is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on a reality many of our neighbors face every day. Here on the Mid-Shore, homelessness often hides in plain sight. It might be a working parent who can’t keep up with rising rent, or a senior on a fixed income with nowhere left to turn. As the weather turns cold, the question of where to sleep tonight becomes even more urgent.
The need is real, and it is growing. Today, 179 people are on the TIS waitlist, hoping for a place in our program. According to the most recent available data, 287 school-age children in Talbot County are experiencing homelessness. These are children who leave school each afternoon without a stable home to return to. They are our neighbors, our children’s classmates, and part of our community.
No one can solve this alone. It takes all of us. This month, I invite you to join Team TIS by making a gift to provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for our guests, by volunteering your time, or simply by sharing what you’ve learned with friends and family so more people understand that homelessness exists here, and that together we can do something about it.
We’re kicking off the month in style! On November 5th, TIS hosts Style for Shelter, our Fashion Show and Luncheon at Dover Station in Easton, featuring looks from six local boutiques modeled by volunteers from our community. You may even recognize a few familiar faces! The event is sold out, but you can still join the fun by bidding in our online auction.
I also invite you to let someone else do the cooking while you give back to TIS at our Dine to Donate nights all month long. You’ll find the dates and participating restaurants below in this edition of the newsletter.
Thank you for everything you do for our guests and for TIS. As we so often say, we truly can’t do this work without you.
With gratitude,
Larry Neviaser
President, Board of Directors
Talbot Interfaith Shelter