Your Spark is Spreading

Grateful heads, hearts and bellies

We have a lot to be thankful for this month

Surviving to Thriving

From curiosity to kindness, we're feeling a lot of inspiration

Generational Growth

A look at some of the ways we bring 2gen to life.

COMMUNITY CORNER

Opportunities, shout-outs, and requests

DONATE

Invest in ending homelessness.

Lighting a Spark

Dear friend,

We hope that as you sat around the Thanksgiving table last week, your heart was flooded with things you're thankful for.

As we gathered at our own tables, our minds lingered on the everyday experiences that fill our hearts: moms helping one another learn in our classroom, kids playing games in the courtyard, and alumni uproariously laughing over a game of bingo.

All of these are because of you.

We spent a lot of time this year reflecting on the people whose belief in families molded our program and whose passion continues to inspire our priorities.

That list of people would be incomplete without you. You light a spark in our families through countless acts of kindness, your bracing support and gentle encouragement. That spark has ignited change.

Our current families recently spent several hours at Roadrunner Food Bank, volunteering their time to assemble nearly 160 food boxes to distribute across the city. It meant a lot to them to now be on the giving end of this act of service after having been a recipient of these boxes before.

We know that once this spark is lit, it spreads.

Every first year child is provided with a backpack full of school supplies and clothing essentials. This simple act touched one of our mothers so much that she took over the project during her second year and even continued to volunteer as an alumna, sorting donations of clothing and toys for new families.

Stories like this are why we want to turn today, Giving Tuesday, on it's head and say, "thank you". Thank you for lighting this spark. It gives us, and we hope it gives you, innumerable things to be thankful for.

See even more examples of how your spark has spread on our social media pages.

Grateful Heads, Hearts and Tummies

Thank you to American Home Furniture and Mattress!

A bed that they can call their own is one of the things that families tearfully rejoice to see on their first day at Saranam. It shows them how important they are and is a glimpse into the breadth of the change that is in front of them.

This November, American Home Furniture and Mattress donated 35 new mattresses to Saranam- a gift valued at over $13,000! This generous contribution will provide all the families who join us in 2022 with a safe, comfortable place to sleep and a part of a home all their own.

Head over to our blog for some special interviews with American Home and Saranam about what this incredible donation means to us all.

Read here

Local organizations fill our hearts and bellies

Thanksgiving symbolizes all that families can enjoy when they join us- home, family, friends, and the opportunity to enjoy worry-free time.

We couldn't make the day so great without the help of some very special community partners.

Thank you to the Rotary Club of Albuquerque Del Norte for once again making sure our families have a full spread for Thanksgiving. It is always a treat to see the sparkle in families' eyes as they plan their big meal.

And a big cheer for the YMCA as well, who provided Thanksgiving boxes with all the trimmings for some alumni families. They were positively overflowing with food and love.

Thank you for giving families the ingredients for a special day!

Generational Growth

Inspiring the Next Generation

One of the people whose memory continues to shape our work is Sean Hopkins, Saranam's former Development Director. One of his greatest passions was helping the kids at Saranam have access to new creative outlets and experience new activities.

We continue his legacy through our Sean Hopkins Memorial Fund, which gives kids the chance to participate in extracurricular activities. The fund helps families cover the cost of equipment or program fees that would have otherwise put the activity out of reach.

We are so thankful that, because of Sean's preciously held dream, kids can enjoy the teams, the lessons and the fun that these activities have to offer.

Read more about Sean's legacy

Not just housing, stability

Ending generational homelessness, we know, is a complicated task. It requires not only addressing the factors that led to crisis, but interrupting the ripple effects that continue long after.

Simply finding housing, a recent report showed, often isn't enough to create generational change. Kids need stability to make lasting gains.

The report looked at students in New York City who had previously experienced homelessness and found that, without supplemental measures to ensure financial and familial stability, kids continued to face chronic absenteeism and have lower test scores than their peers.

This deeper look into life after homelessness sheds some light on how 2gen programs like ours can steady families and equip them with the tools needed to end stubbornly cyclical poverty.

Thank you!

We don't want to let the holiday season fly by without thanking a special community partner who made it extra fun. Thank you to ABQ Involved for hosting a Halloween party for our families!

We had a great time decorating bags to hold all of our candy loot, and shared crafts, games, and most importantly- lots of laughter.

We are so grateful to ABQ Involved for all they do to support our mission. Have you ever wanted to learn more about how their organization works? They have phenomenal ways for families to get involved in the great work being done around the city. Check them out today!

Holiday Cheer

Do you want to help make the holidays special for our families? We have a number of ways to spread some cheer this year.

Tie a bow on a present from our Holiday Wish List or our Amazon Wish List, which includes items our families need year-round.

Gather some friends and host a gift-card drive for families. Gift cards to places like Target and Walmart give parents the agency to be gift givers themselves.

Remember us in your year-end giving, so we can continue the programming that delivers families out of homelessness for good.

You may not have a big red suit (or maybe you do), but we are so thankful for your help making this season memorable.

Donations are due December 10. Contact Sunny Holmes for more information or to coordinate a donation drop off.

We're Hiring!

We're hiring! We are currently accepting applications for an Alumni Coordinator. This team member helps our alumni group maintain their stability, facilitates fun community activities, and guides them through their next steps toward financial security.

Applications are due December 3. Learn more and share with anyone who may be interested in joining our team!

Leaving a Legacy

Have you ever wondered how Saranam became what it is today? We've been celebrating our roots with a special tribute series on our founder, Frances Thaxton Ash.

Make sure you hop over to our Facebook or Instagram page to learn about how her legacy gift has made it possible for families to live together, dream bigger and strengthen our community.

ICYMI

In case you missed it, here's what happened this month...

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