Greetings!
As Thanksgiving approaches and 2020 starts to wind down, I’ve been thinking about this past year and the struggles that we as a nation have been going through. I’m fairly certain that I don’t need to remind anyone of how different our lives are now from just a year or even six months ago. From civil unrest and distrust in our country’s leaders to COVID and the resulting impacts on everyone, the year 2020 will probably go down as one of the worst in history. It would be easy to be depressed and dispirited – and I admit that there have been moments when I have felt these emotions. But I am by nature a very happy and optimistic person, so I started to ask myself, in the midst of all of this strife, am I doing my part to spread lightness, joy, and thankfulness to those around me?
I began to think about my role and my responsibility as the Executive Director of Halo House, as a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, a mother, and a citizen and I realized that I am surrounded by things that brighten my day and that one of my obligations is to make sure that I am a projector of that light! The innocent joy of a child’s laughter, a smile from a random stranger, the good news that someone’s cancer is in remission, a beautiful sunset or sunrise, or the realization that we live in the best country in the world, to name just a few, are all things to be grateful and thankful for. Perhaps, I thought, instead of lamenting what our world has come to, we should be basking in those things that are wonderful and bring us joy. After all, how can we live any other way since the alternative is despair?
At Halo House, what brings us joy and makes us thankful is that we can be here to serve our guests and make their lives easier. In fact, this is our mission as an organization. We do the big things, like take care of a 33-unit facility, but we also try to do the little things to make each person’s stay with us one that always feels warm, welcome, and supported. We know that more often than not our guests come to us scared, overwhelmed, exhausted, and emotionally spent and that if they are living at Halo House then chances are they still have a long road ahead of them before their cancer journey is over. What better time than this to help unload a vehicle or bag of groceries, to replace a lightbulb or worn out rug, to research the best place for Italian food for someone who isn’t computer savvy, or to lend an ear or strong shoulder to those who need to cry?
We are so thankful that Halo House is surrounded by a community of people and companies who know the value of the service we provide and who continue to support us. We are so thankful for the doctors, nurses, and social workers who speak to patients about Halo House and recommend us as a resource, and we are so grateful for our volunteers who have stood by, waiting patiently for us to be able to call them back into service.
From the bottom of all of our hearts, thank you all and may you and your family and loved ones enjoy a fantastic, safe, and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Kristen Stubbs
Executive Director
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REGISTER, REGISTER, REGISTER!
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It’s not too late! NOW is the time to REGISTER for the 10th Annual Halo House Virtual Gala! Our gala is fast approaching, the silent and live auctions are open, and the countdown to November 14th has begun. Click here to register to “attend” the gala virtually or to host a Gala Watch Party. Share the link with your friends and family and invite them to help you support Halo House by joining us on November 14th and don’t forget to purchase your raffle tickets to win a 64GB Apple iPad Air.
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We are excited to share our latest newsletter feature called, “A Conversation With…”, a monthly discussion with one of the many people who are on the front lines and who contribute to Halo House’s success in some fashion. We hope you enjoy this first installment of A Conversation With… Tracey Reeves, MSW, LCSW.
Tracey Reeves, a licensed clinical social worker just celebrated her 20-year anniversary at Methodist Hospital in Houston, TX. I sat down with Tracey to discuss her role in the lives of patients and how she is connected to Halo House.
Where did you go to school and why did you choose to become a social worker?
I received my Bachelor of Psychology degree from Texas A&M (gig em) in 1988. My degree focused solely on psychological conditions and I soon realized that what I was really interested in was focusing on the strengths of a person and not just the pathology or causes and effects of someone’s condition. At that point, I decided to obtain my Masters degree in Social Work which I completed in 1991.
How did you end up at Methodist Hospital?
While receiving my master’s degree, I interned for a year at Methodist where I received valuable experience and was impressed by the organization and their contribution to the medical community. There are various licensing categories in social work and after working at Methodist under supervision for a few years, I received my clinical social work license in 1995 and transitioned into my role as a transplant social worker. I worked primarily with heart...
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Halloween Door Decorating Contest |
In the spirit of Halloween, we held a “spooky" Halloween Door Decorating Contest for our guests. Similar to our previous Spring and 4th of July contests, we supplied the guests with paper, markers, and other decor items. One of our wonderful volunteers, Laura Ducoff, brought some really amazing decorations for everyone to use! All the residents who participated were extremely creative and fully utilized the supplies provided while also adding their own special touch.
Our first-place winner was Tierra Lee and Mary Lee-Talley from Greer, South Carolina.
Congrats Tierra & Mary!
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Featured Family -
Jill & Eddie Champagne
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Jill and Eddie Champagne of Gulfport, Mississippi first started their cancer journey in 2012 when Jill was diagnosed with breast cancer. After Jill’s initial diagnosis, the Champagne’s decided to travel to Houston for a second opinion and her treatment. While in Houston, they found shelter at the St. Dominic Archdiocese of Houston and were blessed to attend mass every morning of their stay. By 2014, Jill’s cancer was in remission and she and Eddie were able to carry on with their very full lives.
Unfortunately, in June 2020, Jill became fatigued and decided to have some bloodwork done. The next day she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) which was caused from her breast cancer treatments seven years prior. “It was like a rollercoaster”, said Jill, and they soon packed their bags and headed to Houston since they knew that was her best option for treatment.
Jill spent 28 days in the hospital for in-patient treatment and because of COVID...
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Join Rewards Programs to Benefit
Halo House Today!
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Are you an Amazon shopper? Do you ever go to the grocery store? Did you know that your shopping can benefit and help support Halo House?
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support Halo House every time you shop, at no cost to you. Activate AmazonSmile at smile.amazon.com on your web browser or in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop at AmazonSmile, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added benefit that AmazonSmile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to Halo House!
When you shop at Kroger you can also support Halo House through the Community Rewards Program. Simply visit http://www.kroger.com and login or create an account, search for Halo House Foundation by name or with our NPO (non-profit organization) number (UC540) and click enroll. You must swipe your Kroger rewards card each time you shop for purchases to count towards Halo House. If you do not have a Kroger rewards card, you can pick one up at the customer service desk at any Kroger.
Thank you for signing up today for these two easy ways to support our work!
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