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Dear Friends,
My children are out of school and grown, but I know many of your homes are abuzz with back-to-school excitement. Enjoy this time – it really does fly by!
Kids have so much to think about at the start of the school year. Who will I sit with at lunch? What if I can’t get my locker open? Will I have a lot of homework? But for some, the question is more urgent: “Where will I sleep tonight?”
According to 2024 data from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, 19% of those experiencing homelessness are under the age of 18. Alarmingly, the percentage of all minors in the U.S. who are unhoused increased 33% from 2023 to 2024, and the percentage of unhoused families with children increased more than 39%.
At LHM Foundation, we are grateful for the frontline heroes in our schools who work tirelessly to support these children, including teachers, guidance counselors and other staff. We look forward to caring for these special students – and their parents – through the Horizons transitional housing program.
With gratitude,
Amy
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Amy C. Foerster, CEO
LHM Foundation | | For up-to-the-minute Foundation news, follow us on social media, too! | | | | |
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We recently had the chance to discuss the Horizons transitional housing program with abc27's Valerie Pritchett, as part of the Hot Topic Tuesday series.
Click here to watch the interview or read the transcript.
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What does home look like at Horizons? | | |
Have you ever found yourself wondering what a resident unit will look like at LHM Foundation’s Horizons transitional housing facility?
The 58 resident units are of varying sizes, such that they can accommodate individuals, couples and families with children. Every unit has a full private bathroom, a small kitchenette, ample closet space, and at least two windows to allow in the sunlight.
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We’ll be filling the units with sturdy dorm-style furniture, including an extra-long twin bed, four drawer chest, and small table and chairs, as well as a microwave and minifridge. Available furniture will scale up according to family size.
While the furniture will be simple, it will be attractive and comfortable – because the way a space looks and feels sends a message to the people in it. Research shows that if a facility is furnished poorly or is unattractive, it may communicate a low regard for its residents. The Journal of Community Psychology recently published a study entitled, “The Impact of Living in an Un- or Under-Furnished House on Individuals who Transitioned from Homelessness,” which reinforces the importance of furniture in helping people form an emotional bond with their physical environment or home, called “place attachment.” That sense of attachment will help create a restorative environment, making participants feel at ease and at home, and resulting in better outcomes in community participation, goal attainment, and overall well-being.
Thank you for helping us to make Horizons a home!
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Mention LHM Foundation or our unique code (50322) when donating clothes at any CommunityAid store. LHM Foundation gets paid for every pound donated! | | | | |
DID YOU KNOW?
HYGIENE POVERTY
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Hygiene poverty is the lack of access to essential personal care items like toothpaste, soap and deodorant. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits – previously known as food stamps – help low-income individuals and families purchase food for their household. But these funds cannot be used to buy hygiene or cleaning supplies.
While most of us might not give these items a second thought, “hygiene poverty” can have devastating impacts on those in need. Poor hygiene can lead to illness and infection. Without appropriate personal care products, adults face challenges in finding or keeping jobs. And in one study on the topic, 34% of teachers reported students skipping class due to hygiene issues. Cleanliness impacts confidence, social relationships and physical and emotional well-being.
| | Our friends at LHM Physical Therapy Institute recently collected personal care items at their annual summer picnic for use at the Horizons transitional housing facility. Their generosity netted quite a haul, including: |
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- 342 rolls of toilet paper
- 277 bottles/bars of body wash/soap
- 192 tubes of toothpaste
- 110 rolls of paper towels
- 50 boxes of feminine care products
- 46 containers of wipes
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- 43 bottles of shampoo and conditioner
- 31 toothbrushes
- 10 boxes of garbage bags
- 4 boxes of tissues
- 1 box of laundry detergent
- And more!
| | What a blessing for our program participants! | | | | |
POWERED BY PARTNERS
THANK YOU, BUSINESS PARTNERS!
| | LHM Foundation’s business and industry partners play an invaluable role as we prepare to open the Horizons transitional housing program to unhoused individuals and families in January 2026. | | | | Thank you to RCM&D for its generous gift! RCM&D’s strong commitment to the communities it serves is at the heart of its corporate culture, and that commitment shines through in its support for the Horizons program and those experiencing homelessness. |
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We are also grateful to DDMP Investment Advisors for its generous naming gift for the first floor community space.
In this cozy space, Horizons program participants will be able to relax and unwind, and connect with each other to offer advice, share stories and find support.
Thank you, DDMP, for your support and your commitment to building community!
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The LHM Foundation campus includes almost 15 acres of lovely trees, bushes and lawns. We’re lucky to be able to offer the Horizons transitional housing program in such a peaceful setting. | | |
With this summer’s rainy start, however, our grounds GREW! We were in desperate need of weeding, trimming and chopping. And that’s exactly what our amazing Beam Team volunteers did!
On August 5, more than 30 Beam Team volunteers descended on the LHM Foundation campus to trim hedges, trees and bushes.
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With seemingly limitless energy and smiles, they also weeded garden beds and laid mulch to create a welcoming entrance to the property. After sprucing up the front of the building, volunteers worked their way to the back of the property, where they cleaned courtyards and freed several trees from invasive vines. One volunteer even took a chainsaw to a tree that had fallen.
Thank you, Beam Team volunteers!
Interested in volunteering with LHM Foundation? Please visit our volunteer page to learn more!
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
DAN "BEAKER" STUCK
| | Meet Beaker! Dan “Beaker” Stuck is a Community Relations Liaison for LHM Physical Therapy Institute, an active member of the greater Harrisburg community, and a huge hockey fan. Beaker is also a dedicated LHM Foundation Beam Teams volunteer! | | | | |
As a member of our Beam Teams, Beaker serves lunch at a local shelter, packs boxes for those in need, and helps with groundskeeping on the LHM Foundation campus, preparing it to welcome the first Horizons transitional housing program participants!
When asked about his Beam Teams experiences, Beaker shared, “they have allowed me to meet new people with a vision to impact and support those in need.” As a volunteer who always seems to be smiling, Beaker added, “Everyone needs a little sunshine in their lives. Getting to help another person puts a smile on everyone’s face!”
| | Thank you, Beaker! You truly are a bright light at LHM Foundation! | | | | |
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YOUR GIFT CAN TRANSFORM LIVES
Support LHM Foundation as it prepares to open its transitional housing program to homeless individuals and families in South Central Pennsylvania.
A generous donor is matching dollar-for-dollar the first $3 million raised!
| | To learn more about ways to support LHM Foundation's work, please contact: | | | | |
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