VIDEO: Taylor and Mike (InvisiblePeople.tv)
From Invisible People:
Mike and his 6 year-old daughter Taylor live in a homeless shelter in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mike was hurt at work and without income they lost everything.
I work helping homeless families in Los Angeles and it’s extremely hard to find services for single dads. Most shelters are setup for single females or two-parent families. When I was introduced to Mike and Taylor I was so very glad to see they were being helped.
Taylor is very mature for being six years-old. Before I took the camera out she was talking nonstop, even giving us all instructions on the interview. Once the camera started she became quiet except when I asked her for her three wishes.
Taylor only had one wish and that wish is still messing me up.
Elections are coming…
…and as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we’re unable to suggest who you should vote for (other than imploring you to exercise that glorious right as a citizen). But we wanted to give the following tools to our thoughtful supporters, as a way to enhance their ability to advocate for vulnerable families in our communities.
This tool is the easiest we have seen to find the relevant legislators and contact information, using your home address. There are few things as powerful as citizen advocacy – simply picking up the phone to let your legislator know that need them to remember the most vulnerable families in this environment of budget reductions at all levels of government.
VIDEO: New Faces of Poverty
Johnson House
Dear Friends,
We have heard from a few of our partners with questions regarding our decision to sell one of our properties, known as the Johnson House, on the corner of 7th and 2nd in downtown Puyallup. This was a difficult decision that was made based on the age of the home and the expense of its upkeep, as well as the fact that one of the units is a very small one-bedroom unit, not really appropriate for the majority of our families. The funds from the house will go into an account that will help our organization as we develop new housing programs for homeless families in our community.
Thank you for your care for the families of Helping Hand House!
Best Wishes,
Nola Renz
Executive Director
VIDEO: Family Banquet
Learn more about the Homelessness to Hope Benefit Breakfast
2010 Annual Report and 2011 Summer Newsletter is here!
The 2010 Annual Report and our Summer Newsletter is here – combined in one document to save costs on printing and mailings (hey – there’s a recession on here!). We are excited to feature our Community Garage partnership with Our Savior Lutheran Church, as well as great family stories and an update on how we are changing to meet the needs of the community most effectively. And of course, our financials are included.
We look forward to hearing any feedback you may have after reading the report! Find us on Facebook or make a comment below.
MAP: Lahar (Volcanic Mudflow) Evacuation Routes
Helping Hand House has 72 units of housing spread throughout eastern Pierce County, giving us a significant interest in emergency management, particularly as it relates to Mt. Rainier. We are posting the following as a resource to our community in the Puyallup area, and was obtained from the City of Puyallup’s Emergency Management Department (Information about which can be obtained at: http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/emergency-management/).
The following is a map (covering Puyallup city limits only) of the probable areas that would be covered in the event of a lahar (mudslide), potentially to the depth of up to 20 feet. Sumner would likely be buried to depths of 30 feet (Source: USGS). Please be aware of the evacuation routes as you consider your family’s emergency plans.
DOWNLOAD MAP OF THE LAHAR EVACUATION ROUTES (PDF)
The trigger to listen for would be the lahar warning sirens to sound continuously, or the notifications that you would get through the emergency alerts on your cell phone if you have signed up for them (you need to sign up for both Pierce County AND Puyallup).
Additional Information
DOWNLOAD “MT. RAINIER: LIVING WITH A VOLCANO IN YOUR BACKYARD” SAFETY GUIDE FROM U.S.G.S. (PDF)
VIDEO: Keys to Ending Family Homelessness
A hospital stay or unexpected job loss can cost a family its housing. In the middle of a housing crisis in the U.S., the National Alliance to End Homelessness is helping families—including the almost 1.35 million children who experience homelessness in the course of a year. This video profiles three communities that are providing fast, safe housing, and making great strides towards eliminating family homelessness. Video and explanation courtesy of the Gates Foundation.
