Over the last few years, there has been a movement to stop using the word “homeless” to describe those who don’t have permanent housing. Phrases like “those with lived experience of homelessness” or “the unstably housed” have popped up to fill the void. Those advocating for the change intend to reduce the stigma attached to …
In June, Peace House Community sent out a supporter survey to give us a sense of why so many people give to PHC, and why they follow our activities through social media. The responses we received gave us a clear idea of your interest in PHC’s ministry. We heard repeatedly that PHC’s supporters love that …
Kat has been coming to Peace house Community for decades, so her desire to contribute to the community shouldn’t surprise anyone. But Kat does more than talk about how much she loves PHC; she puts her words into action. This spring, Kat got tired of the graffiti and stains on the porch area, so she …
Someone recently sent me an article that, among other things, lamented the busyness that people experience at their jobs and the amount of time and energy that this busyness wastes. The author’s goal was to get his readers to move from busyness to action, from working a job that may or may not pay the …
Like many nonprofits, Peace House Community relies on donations of both money and items to offer services to its community. Sometimes the items we receive are essential to our work, but often we receive donations that cause more problems than they solve. I used to work at a housing agency that had to deal with …
A few years ago I came across a list of questions employers could ask potential employees to test their creativity and their ability to adjust quickly to unexpected circumstances. My favorite question was “A penguin walks through the door wearing a sombrero. What’s the first thing it says?” I actually used this during a few …
Joy has had a tough life, but she continues to move forward, in every sense of the phrase and in every area of her life. From abusive relationships to disabling accidents to poverty to discrimination, Joy has faced enough challenges to last several lifetimes. However, as she says, she follows the dictum that power is …
Normally I use this space to thank our supporters for their generosity and goodwill. I am as thankful now as I have ever been, so thank-you to all of you who pray for, promote, and give to PHC. But for this newsletter, I want to use this space to make it easier for you to …
I’ve learned a few things in the last year about fundraising, like You can never say thank-you enough and Tell donors what you are doing with their money, because it isn’t your money that you are spending.” I’ve also learned that I need to ask Peace House Community’s donors a lot of questions, like How …
When people find out that I worked with the homeless, they sometimes ask me if they should give money to panhandlers. I used to give the standard social work answer: “If you give them money, it could be used for drugs or alcohol. It’s better to give them a snack, or to donate money to …