We are starting the new year with full hearts! Not only did we have the pleasure of seeing many of our guests reach exciting milestones this month, thanks to your generosity, but... When we had an emergency situation at Evelyn's Place, we watched an entire community come together to contain the problem and make sure our guests didn't have to spend one night away from their TIS home (read more about this below). TIS and our guests are so incredibly blessed to have the support of so many extraordinary neighbors like YOU!

Scroll down to read what YOU made possible at TIS in January!

TIS Executive Director, Julie Lowe, expresses her deep gratitude to all of the community members who came together to help Talbot Interfaith Shelter during an emergency at Evelyn's Place.

When a pipe burst, our amazing community sprang to action!

Click the button below to read Julie's letter.

Our guests are thriving in the S4 Program, thanks to YOU!

Not to be outdone, the guests at Easton's Promise are also making great strides already this year! One of our families is readying to move into transitional housing. All of our Easton's Promise parents are now employed. Under our roof, we have a caregiver, a pharmacy technician, a cashier, a catering assistant, and our newest head of household just started a job as an automotive detailing technician.

Our parents have not only been working hard, but studying hard as well! Along with two guests from our transitional housing program, they have just completed the second half of our Money Fundamentals series, and many have already worked with our partners at Truist Bank to set up bank accounts.

The next class at Easton's Promise will be Getting Ahead in a Just Gettin' By World. This 13-week course has historically been one of the most impactful experiences for guests in the S4 Program. Together, they will explore the root causes of poverty, gain an understanding of the hidden rules of society that can help or prevent success, learn how to maximize the resources that are available to them, and discover the key elements needed to create lasting independence.

The guests in our transitional housing program are also making moves on their journeys toward success! This month, three of our apartment guests secured employment. One is now working at Heartfields Assisted Living, another earned a position as a CNA at a new facility in Easton, and the third is working for a local construction company. In addition, we have an entrepreneur in our midst, who is exploring an opportunity to start his own business!

YOU Make All Of This Possible!

To say that we are grateful for the response to our year-end appeal would be a serious understatement! Because of you, we not only earned the $60,000 match provided by two amazing TIS supporters, but we exceeded that match, helping us get that much closer to raising our $1.3 million operating budget.

Thank you to each and every one of you for giving from your hearts to support our guests on their journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Your ongoing generosity ensures that we can carry out our shared mission to bring our neighbors home. You are truly our partners in this work... It can't happen without YOU!

If you didn't get a chance to make a year-end gift, or if you want to kick the year off by giving someone else a new start, click the button below to learn about the many ways you can change lives in 2025!

We could never let a newsletter go by without sending tons of love and gratitude to our amazing volunteers! These incredible souls are the lifeblood of our organization. They fuel our guests for success with delicious meals delivered straight from the heart and save us thousands of dollars each year by providing essential supplies for our shelters and apartments.

Please help us give a special shout out to the Casey Family, whose annual sock drive has turned into a community-wide phenomenon! You know the saying, "Cold hands, warm heart," but for the Caseys, we think it would be more fitting to say, "Warm feet, big hearts!"

Thank you to the Casey family, and to all of our wonderful January volunteers!

You can change lives by volunteering at Talbot Interfaith Shelter. Even a few hours per month could mean giving love through food with dinner for our guests, or standing by to accept donations or answer the phone and doors at our shelters while our team is hard at work. Join Team TIS and become a part of a strong community that is collectively dedicated to lifting up our neighbors and helping them to achieve success!

Contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jesse Johnson, for information regarding upcoming volunteer opportunities and other helpful details. To get involved, visit talbotinterfaithshelter.org, call 410-690-3120 or click the "Email Jesse" button below. Thank you in advance for giving of your time and talents to help transform lives!

In case you missed it, our wonderful supporter Bonna Nelson wrote a fantastic article in the December edition of the Tidewater Times about volunteering at TIS. Click the button below to read it!

One major memory stands out in our minds this month. As you read in Julie's letter above, we experienced a flood emergency at Evelyn's Place, which also led to the discovery of a compromised gas line. As a consequence, the fire department evacuated the shelter and shut off all utilities to the building. What could have been a very dangerous situation turned into a front row seat to observe the very best of our community.

In just one day, all of the necessary contractors rushed to our rescue, and as each finished, a town inspector was on the scene right away to sign off on the work. It was astounding to watch the teamwork and everyone's determination to ensure that our guests could get back into their home that day.

We are beyond grateful to all of the people who moved TIS to the top of their priority list that day to keep our home safe. What a blessing it is to serve this extraordinary community!

WE BOUGHT A NEW BUILDING!

More Space For Single Guests

We reached a new milestone in our TIS-story this month with the purchase of 133 Vine Street in Easton. This building will be the home of our Development Office, Conference Room, and much of our supply storage. In addition, we plan to create a space where guests can visit to participate in various activities, including relaxing and centering yoga and meditation sessions.

With our Development Office and Conference Room moving out of Evelyn's Place, there will be two empty rooms in the house.

What are the benefits of donating your vehicle to TIS?

• Vehicle donations are tax deductible; you could reduce your taxable income.
• Donating is easy and pick-up is free.
• Donating eliminates the costs and hassles associated with keeping or selling a car, like paying for advertising, registration, insurance, or car repairs.
• You can free up space at home and/or stop paying for extra parking.
• Donating to a nonprofit feels good and makes a difference in your community!

By becoming a TIS Promise Keeper, your recurring support provides stable, predictable funding, which helps ensure that our guests receive uninterrupted services 365 days a year. We are so fortunate to partner with our recurring donors in the fight against homelessness in our community!

We would be so grateful for your help stocking up on the following items:

** items are high-priority needs

These and other items can be found on our Amazon Wish List by clicking the button below. Please include your name on the Amazon order so that we can thank you for your generosity!

Donations can be dropped off or shipped to the address below:

Talbot Interfaith Shelter

107 Goldsborough Street

Easton, MD 21601

Thank you SO MUCH for helping us to provide our guests with basic essentials!

Follow our Facebook page or check the donate page on our website for weekly updates on our most pressing needs each Wednesday.

Have you heard about our 2024-2025 Board of Directors? TIS is lucky to have these talented individuals as ambassadors for our mission to fight homelessness on the Mid-Shore. Each Board Member brings immense talent and dedication to their role, and we are so grateful for their selfless service and effort!

Peter Woicke (Board Chair)

Ross Benincasa (Vice Chair)

Lawrence Neviaser (Treasurer)

Ben Jensen (Secretary)

Michele Dappert

Ann Davis

Ingrid Diaz-Lopez

Charlene DeShields

Debra Kamsheh

Craig Postlewait

Meghann Rauch

Jim Reed

Rudy Reyes-Delcid

Sharon VanEmburgh

SAVE THE DATE! The most joyous night of the year returns on Saturday, April 26th, 2025 at the Waterfowl Building in downtown Easton. Get ready to join in on the fun and help decide who will be this year's Lip Sync Champions! Tickets will go on sale soon, so stay tuned...

Do YOU have what it takes to light up the stage or screen and get a little silly for a great cause? If you would like to participate in our live or video competition click the button below to fill out the team registration form by February 17th!

Lip Sync Battle is one of the most highly-anticipated community events of the year. It presents lots of opportunities for YOUR BUSINESS to take center stage. Sponsorship opportunities are available at every level. Click the button below for more information, and contact Laura Richeson to sign your business up TODAY!

lauraricheson@talbotinterfaithshelter.org | 443-786-6962

Blue Heron Catering

Blue Heron Coffee

Eastern Shore TItle Co.

Scossa Restaurant

Shoreline Pest Solutions

Wawa