My college art professor called them "aha!" moments.  It's that very second when something right in front of your face becomes illuminated and we remember why we were on that path in the first place.  Our passion is revived and our energy, renewed.  Earlier this summer, after seven months as the Community Outreach Manager at WCF, I experienced an incredible "aha!" moment.  

As clients transition out of the shelter and into independent living situations, WCF does its best to provide each woman or family with the items they need to comfortably set up a home.  While we have no staff person for this; no moving truck, no budget; no warehouse full of choice, we have many generous donors, incredible volunteers, and advocates working together to ensure that the best possible scenario becomes reality.  These variables complicate an already complicated process.

However, this was not the case a few months ago.  One of our clients, Jane, a young woman with two small children, was ready to transition to independent living. Jane was a shining success - contributing to shelter life, befriending other clients, helping staff, and making sacrifices to keep her full time job which required a lengthy business commute in addition to her 12 hour work shift. 

In my mind, the mission was simple - pick up the items and drop them at Jane's new apartment.   Little did I know what the evening had in store for us.  The volunteers did exactly what I expected them to do, and then some.  Not only did they move everything into the apartment, they transformed it from an empty space into a home.  They assembled everything, arranged the rugs, made the beds, hung pictures on the walls, and washed all the dishes before tucking them away into the kitchen cabinets.  No detail was overlooked.  Before they left, they presented a few small gifts to the family and showered them with hugs and well-wishes.  I stood in awe of this group and wondered if the client had expected such a whirlwind of kindness.  From the expression on her face, my guess is "no."

Anyone who has ever moved any distance knows that moving is a difficult process  yet in one swift swoop, this small group of dedicated volunteers  saved one woman countless hours of work and headache.  The simple gift of time changed three lives forever. 

Jane's story is but one of the reasons we do what we do, and is why you are reading this newsletter.

It is because together can make a difference.