Donations in Action: New beds for 10 siblings
"Donations in Action" is a regular series about the many ways The Salvation Army Northern Division and our supporters serve people and families in Minnesota and North Dakota. The stories below provide examples of how our staff, volunteers, donors, and partners are making a positive impact during these uncertain times.
Please join us by giving a donation. Your gift will provide emergency assistance for those who desperately need it.
New beds for 10 siblings
County officials recently called us with a challenging task: help a mother and father whose 10 children were without beds.
The county’s original request was for one queen-size mattress for a few of the kids to share. However, our caseworker suggested finding bunk beds so that each child could have their own space to sleep in and to conserve space in the family’s home.
The caseworker inquired through a number of channels, and support came pouring in – including donations of beds, twin mattresses, and dressers. It was enough for each child to have their own sleeping space and enough storage for all their clothes.
“The family was so grateful for our assistance,” the caseworker said. “God is so good.”
Small, humble moments
Sometimes, small and humble moments are just as rewarding as life-changing victories.
This idea was recently explained by a caseworker at our youth housing facility in St. Paul, called Booth Brown House (pictured). He’d been helping a young resident for several months, during which time the resident had overcome many obstacles.
“This young person was proud of staying in school despite all of life’s recent changes – being homeless, securing housing, moving in, and living alone for the first time,” the caseworker said.
The young resident now wants to reconnect with family and start repairing relationships that had been fractured.
“Booth Brown House has provided this young person with stability, reflection and growth,” the caseworker said. “When young people like this have the opportunity to reinvest in their future and rebuild what is broken, beautiful things take root. Small and humble moments like this happen day-in and day-out at Booth Brown House; our staff members lean into the lives of our residents so that their lives may change.”
Booth Brown House provides emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing for dozens of formerly homeless youth and young adults. The facility is a lifeline for youth with no place left to turn.
Welcome back
Several weeks ago, a woman came to one of our food shelves after first visiting us in October for Coats for Kids. During this time, she had battled through many difficult hardships.
When the woman originally came to us in the fall, her daughter had just passed away – leaving her with custody of all four of her grandchildren. After noticing how anxious the woman was, our caseworker helped her calm down and made sure she left with warm winter clothing for all her grandchildren.
Last month, the caseworker was thrilled to see the woman again when she came to our food shelf, where she received groceries, pet food, and hygiene products for herself and her grandchildren. Although the woman’s life is still difficult, she is much more stable.
“She told me that she was so thankful,” the caseworker said. “She said she always felt like she was so cared for when she came to the Salvation Army.”
Please join The Salvation Army in serving those affected by the COVID-19 crisis by giving a donation or signing up to volunteer. Your help will provide emergency assistance and hope for people and families in desperate need.