April was amazing at Talbot Interfaith Shelter, thanks to YOU! Our guests are rocking and rolling as they work through our S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success) on the path to self-sufficiency. And our community was rocking and rolling at our 10th Annual Lip Sync Battle on April 18th. We are overwhelmed with gratitude, seeing our whole community come together in such a meaningful way to support our guests.
Scroll down for this month’s guest successes, a Lip Sync recap, a special message for our volunteers, and more… All made possible by YOU!
Letter from the Executive Director
In her April letter, Julie reflects on the incredible impact of the Lip Sync Battle, and expresses her awe and gratitude for everyone who participated.
Because of you, our guests are making great headway towards their goal of financial independence. Congratulations are in order for three of our guests, who found employment this month! Karen started a new job at the Health Department, Brian is now working at Walmart, and Avis got a job at Easton Elementary School.
Two of our guests moved from our singles shelter, Evelyn’s Place, into Webb’s Hope, a low-income rental property in Easton run by the Neighborhood Service Center.
In addition, Fello has reserved TIS an apartment in their brand new building, The Laura House, and we are preparing for a guest to move in next month. We already have a family living in a 3 bedroom apartment in Fello’s Port Street Commons building. We could not be more grateful to partner with amazing organizations across the Mid-Shore to help our guests take the next steps on their journeys to Success!
If you attended our Lip Sync Battle or watched the live stream, you saw our Executive Director, Julie Lowe, and our guest, Tony, take the stage for a truly touching moment.
Tony shared his TIS Success Story, and had some wonderful words of encouragement for the other guests in attendance. If you missed it, or just want an extra dose of “feel good” today, watch the recording below!
Many of our guests recently finished our TIS Core Values class. This course was created by Case Manager DeWayne Camper. It incorporates the 6 Pillars of Character – Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship. During each session, guests are prompted with key words and concepts, and engage in meaningful conversations, helping support one another through the process of rebuilding, and learning to prepare for life outside of TIS.
Classes are on hiatus for a couple of weeks, and will resume in May. In lieu of class last week, the guests enjoyed a special movie night. They watched “The Forge,” a movie about someone trying to find their way in life. It was a great night of fellowship and inspiration!
We are so appreciative of how much you make possible for our guests! Thank you for joining us in the fight against homelessness in our community!
This month’s Team TIS Spotlight is all about… You guessed it… Lip Sync Battle! Team TIS was out in force for our 10th Annual event, presented by Sun Management Rising Technologies. More than 450 people attended live and around 600 tuned into the live stream. That’s more than 1,000 people! Not to mention the folks who packed Eastern Shore Brewing for their watch party, and the dozens of volunteers, live show performers, and video participants.
Altogether, this year’s event raised $150,000 to fight homelessness in our community. We are still reeling!
After 900+ votes in the form of donations, ticket and merch purchases, and sponsorships, the winners of our Biggest Fundraiser Awards were announced. In the Live Competition, newcomers The Duck Builds won with more than $13,000 in donations. Our Video Competition award went to Father Nash and Saints Peter and Paul with $18,000 raised.
Our distinguished panel of judges – Cassandra Vanhooser, Corey Pack, and Val Cavalheri – had their work cut out from them this year. Both competitions were absolutely fierce, and we know it was nearly impossible for them to choose the winners. After watching all of the videos and live performances, they came to a decision. The Best Video Performance award went to Eastern Shore Brewing for their creative Cheers-inspired masterpiece. In the Live Competition, 9-year Lip Sync veterans The AKAs took home the trophy for their energy-packed performance of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
We also handed out some special Lip Sync Legend Awards honoring teams who have participated in 5 or more Lip Sync Battles. The recipients were The AKAs, The Country School, Critchlow Adkins Children’s Centers, The Cash Queens, The Latin Honors SLAYciety, Father Nash and Saints Peter and Paul, and the Happy Hour Honies.
If you didn’t get a chance to get in on all the excitement, never fear! Click here to meet all the teams, watch all the videos, and view the recording of the full live show!
Finally, we want to thank our generous Lip Sync Battle sponsors, who made this event possible. Please help us thank our Presenting Sponsor, Sun Management Rising Technologies, our Rock Legend Sponsors On Your Mark Lighting (thank you to Paul, Kat, and Noah for the incredible lighting and décor), Bullock Construction, and Rauch Inc. Many thanks as well to our Gold Mic Sponsors, Mid-South Audio (and our awesome sound man Jon) Bartlett Tree Experts, Willow Construction, and What’s Up Media. Click here for a full sponsor list!
April is Volunteer Appreciation Month!
We might be a bit biased, but we think our volunteers are the best in the world! We could not fulfill our mission without the hundreds of extraordinary people who give of their time and talent to care for our neighbors in need.
TIS volunteers are house-sitters, world class chefs, donation sorters, furniture movers, florists, cleaners, artists, decorators, ticket takers, and so much more. They are also kind, caring, compassionate, encouraging, warm-hearted, and committed to helping our neighbors achieve Success. We can not express how much your dedication to our mission means to our organization. Many of you have been volunteering since the inception of Talbot Interfaith Shelter in 2008… That’s an astounding 18 years of service to your community!
Mark your calendars for our annual Volunteer Luncheon on June 10th at the VFW in Easton. Keep your eye out in your inboxes for an official invitation. We can’t wait to see you so that we can tell you in person how much we love you and how grateful we are for you!
If you are volunteering at our shelters, be on the lookout for TIS staff, who may ask if they can take your photo. We hope you’ll say, “Cheese!” Sharing your volunteer experience can help us recruit others who might be interested in donating their time in support of our mission. On that note, if you or someone you know is interested in learning more about TIS volunteer opportunities, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jesse Johnson, at jessejohnson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org.
115 Idlewild Avenue
Easton, MD
Join us for a joyful celebration of culture, community, and togetherness at the 25th Annual Multicultural Festival! This event promises to be a heartwarming and fun-filled day, bringing people from all walks of life together to honor our shared diversity.
206 S. Talbot St
St. Michaels, MD 21663 United States
Visit us at the TIS booth while you're shopping!
Come visit the Talbot Interfaith Shelter booth while you're out doing your shopping, and grab a free coffee from us, courtesy of Rise Up Coffee!
There are so many ways to partner with Talbot Interfaith Shelter to fight homelessness on the Mid-Shore. With your help, we provide Shelter, Stability, Support, and a path to Success for our neighbors in need. Scroll down to explore opportunities to help and choose those that speak to your heart. No matter how you participate, we are so grateful to have you on Team TIS!
We are incredibly fortunate to operate in a community that supports us in so many ways. Our local business community is no exception. Many amazing business partners help us to fulfill our mission. There are partnerships at various financial levels, each with benefits that help our partners maximize their advertising dollars while changing the lives of families and individuals in our community.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a business partner, or need information about how to return your application, contact Laura Richeson at lauraricheson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org or 443-786-6962 or simply fill out the form below.
Our Business Partners
Keys to Success Partners
Raise the Roof Partners
Home Builder Partners
Open Doors Partners
Foundation Partners
Eastern Shore Title Co.
Blue Heron Coffee
Scossa Restaurant
Blue Heron Catering
Sentry Management