Case Management Expansion and More Inside!

TIS January

Newsletter

Read on to find out what YOU made possible at Talbot Interfaith Shelter this month!

Donate Now

Thanks to YOU, we served 44 people this month, including:

8 Individuals

11 Families

21 Children

Guests ranged in age from 6 months to 45 years old

The new year means new beginnings, and we are very grateful to you for providing our neighbors with the opportunity for new beginnings every single day! You are changing lives!

Take a look at what you made possible this month:

Two families and three single individuals moved out of our shelters into their own housing!

While they chose not to continue on to the transitional housing portion of the S4 Program (Shelter, Stability, Support, Success), every single one of them made great strides during their time with us, and we are very proud of them.

Because of YOU, two mothers and their babies not only had shelter when they needed it the most - they had a home. You enabled them to work with a case manager who helped connect them with local services. One of our moms was able to put her child in daycare when he was old enough, which allowed her the flexibility to begin working and saving. The other was able to bring her newborn home from the hospital and begin to raise him in safe environment with other parents who could share their experiences and help her navigate the early days of motherhood.

Until June of last year, we did not have the capacity to assist single individuals because of the need to ensure that we had space available for families with children at Easton's Promise. Because of your generous support, we were able to open Evelyn's Place to give single men and women the opportunity to move from homelessness to self-sufficiency. This month, three of those individuals moved into their own housing. They were able to progress to this point because they had a home, fellowship, support, and services made possible by YOU.

You made an extraordinary difference in their lives, and the lives of so many others. We cannot thank you enough!

A new round of classes is starting at Talbot Interfaith Shelter! Life skills training is an important part of the S4 Program, and includes a range of topics aimed at preparing our guests to successfully navigate the world once they strike out on their own. The parents at our family shelter, Easton's Promise, recently began two new classes.

The Talbot County Department of Social Services (DSS) has returned to facilitate Parent Support Class. This was the very first life skills training offered to guests when we began developing the S4 Program. Due to COVID, DSS suspended in-person classes, and last year our service partners at For All Seasons stepped in temporarily to make sure our guests were able to continue receiving the support they needed. Thank you to For All Seasons, and welcome back to our friends and partners at DSS!

Social worker and TIS Board Member Sandra Rowland-Hack recently started teaching a new class called Character Counts for Adults. During these sessions, the guests are exploring the Six Pillars of Character - Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship - and how they apply to their everyday lives. For many years, we have integrated the Six Pillars into the Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin' By World Program, but this is the first time we are hosting a class specifically focused on the Character Counts curriculum.

DeWayne, the new case manager for our singles shelter, Evelyn's Place, is diligently training to be a facilitator for many of our classes, and will be launching new life skills training for our single men and women soon.

These learning opportunities are incredibly impactful for our guests, and are made possible by your generous support. Thank you!

We have added a third case manager!

Over the past 18 months, we have added a second shelter and several more transitional apartments so that we can assist even more of our neighbors in moving from homelessness to self-sufficiency. With more people to serve, it is important that each guest in the S4 Program has access to rigorous, personalized assistance. To that end, we have expanded our case management department once more.

We are pleased to introduce you to Roland Groce, who has joined Team TIS as the case manager for our transitional apartments!

Roland is the 5th of 15 children, born and raised in Caroline County. Growing up, Roland and his siblings worked in the family pig farming business, as well as helping to harvest crops for neighboring farms. He joined the military in 1980, and spent 40 years traveling, mostly in the West and Pacific Northwest. Roland is very proud of his son, who has a BA in Political Science and an MSW from the University of Washington. He loves gardening, traveling (his favorite places are New Orleans during Mardi Gras, Paris, France, and Germany), hiking, running, and cooking.

When Roland returned home from military service, he experienced homelessness, which, sadly, is a challenge faced by many veterans. He worked as a property manager in transitional housing programs for 20 years. He is currently in the process of completing his degree in Social Work and Sociology.

When asked about his time at Talbot Interfaith Shelter thus far, Roland shared,

"The people here at TIS are good people who inspire me toward service and change. The two houses are wonderful and being put to good use, and I enjoy... providing guidance in any way I can. I hope to grow with the team and share as much as I can contribute!"

Welcome to Team TIS, Roland! We are very glad to have your energy, experience, and expertise on our team

This month, we would like to shine our Team TIS Spotlight on wonderful volunteers, supporters, and ambassadors, Tom and Mary Lou Malone! Tom and Mary Lou have been volunteering for TIS since 2015. You can often find them providing shelter supervision at Easton's Promise or helping at various TIS events. Mary Lou recently helped to tutor one of our moms as she studied for her GED.

Last week, Tom wrote a beautiful letter to the editor of the Talbot Spy about TIS and our S4 Program. We were so touched that we had to share it with you! Please join us in thanking Tom and Mary Lou for everything they do for TIS and our guests!

Read Tom's Letter

We are so grateful to each and every one of you. Whether you are a volunteer, donor, cheerleader, ambassador, or any combination thereof, YOU are the reason we are able to fulfill our mission.

Are you looking for volunteer opportunities in the new year?

We are seeking volunteers to fill many roles in our organization, including shelter supervision and meals, event helpers, assistance with readying apartments for new guests, and more! If you would like to learn more about how YOU can help like Tom and Mary Lou, contact our Executive Director, Julie Lowe!

Click to Email Julie

or julielowe@talbotinterfaithshelter.org

Call Julie at 410-310-2316

The most joyous night of the year is on its way! Our 7th Annual Lip Sync Battle fundraiser is returning LIVE at the Waterfowl Building in Easton on Saturday, April 29th! We cannot wait to be back on stage with you, singing, dancing, and laughing along as a community, fighting homelessness through the power of joy. We will be launching ticket sales and announcing this year's teams soon... Make sure to save the date, and stay tuned for more information!

Are you looking for an opportunity to help change lives every day? Perhaps you know someone who is searching for a meaningful career opportunity. Talbot Interfaith Shelter is seeking several new members to add to our incredible, hard-working, dedicated staff. Click the button below to see the available career opportunities. We hope you will help us spread the word!

See TIS Career Opportunities

Become a Promise Keeper

Recently, Amazon Smile has announced that they will be stopping this service as of February 20th. If you've got any Amazon shopping to do before then, we hope you will do so through Amazon Smile and designate TIS as your organization of choice. Thank you very much to all those who have participated in this program on our behalf for the last decade!

Amazon Smile