Help us take care of our VETS!

Ok, I know that Houston does not really experience cold weather compared to many other parts of this country.  However, when we are used to  100+ degrees in the summers that start in April and last till October, then when we are predicted to get lows in the 40's, it's pretty exciting.  So, we're not hitting the freezing point yet, but we are excited none the less.  With colder temps comes fireplaces, hot cocoa, and soup.  But it also can come with frozen pipes, broken heaters, and freezing rain (not really snow in these parts). And while many of us can become overjoyed with this weather (myself included) there are many who won't and can't.  There are many that suffer with cold weather.  This includes elderly living on their own, anyone living in poverty , and the homeless. With the homeless community growing, it now includes more and more families, children, and Veterans.

Because we are in the business of helping people to sell and purchase homes, we  become desensitized to this.  We get so caught up in finding people their perfect home, we forget about the growing percentage of people that this will never happen for.  Now there are many reasons why families, elderly, veterans and children can end up on the street and we are not going to debate those today.  But with this cold weather coming, it's so important for us to remember that our community includes taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves. And with today being Veterans Day, let's show our appreciation by doing what we can to help.

There are so many great groups and charities in the Houston area that help keep this community taken care of during this time of year.

1. Star of Hope -"...is dedicated to meeting the needs of homeless men, women and their children. Positive life changes are encouraged through structured programs which focus on spiritual growth, education, employment, life management and recovery from substance abuse. They are  funded through public and private donations, the United Way, churches, civic/community groups, corporations, grants and foundations. In addition, we are assisted by more than 7,300 volunteers." https://www.sohmission.org/ 

2. Angel Reach- This is a organization that specifically reaches out to children who are in foster care and will be soon be 18 and out of the system.  They will no longer have assistance and will have to figure out how to do it on their own, which usually will lead to them landing on the streets.  "Our goal is to break the generational cycle of abuse, neglect, and homelessness so that the lives of current and former foster youth can be enhanced." https://angelreach.org/

3. Houston Coalition for the Homeless- Mission Statement: The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide leadership in the development, advocacy, and coordination of community strategies to prevent and end homelessness. https://www.homelesshouston.org/ 

4. U.S.VETS- "U.S.VETS is the nation’s largest nonprofit provider of comprehensive services to homeless and at-risk veterans. Our Mission is to facilitate the successful transition of veterans and their families to civilian life through comprehensive support for housing, counseling and career development." https://www.usvetsinc.org/houston/

Each of these great websites give information on how to give, volunteer, or donate items to help during this time of year.  Please take a moment to take a look and give back, because we've been given much.

Let us know what you think or if you have any other great ideas about today's blog.  We LOVE your feedback!