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If you have ever moved into a new place, you know the feeling.
You have the big things covered. A bed. A couch. Maybe a table.
And then you realize how many small things you still need.
Forks.
Plates.
Towels.
Dish soap.
A shower curtain.
It adds up quickly. And it is surprisingly hard to keep track of it all.
Many of us have experienced this in one way or another. Moving into our first apartment. Helping our kids get settled into a dorm or their first place. It takes more than we expect to turn a space into something that feels like home.
Now imagine starting from nothing.
No kitchen supplies.
No bedding.
No furniture.
No extras tucked away in a closet somewhere.
That is the reality for the people we help move from homelessness into permanent housing.
Over the past several years, we have walked alongside over 100 people in this exact transition. And it is one of the most meaningful, and complex, parts of our work.
Because getting someone into housing is not the finish line.
It is the beginning of something new and challenging.
And that beginning requires… everything.
This is where all parts of EChO come together:
Our ReSale Shop keeps a steady inventory of household goods set aside specifically for client move-ins. They are constantly watching for the right furniture, the right pieces that can help turn an empty apartment into a home. We even maintain off-site storage units so we can be ready when the opportunity comes.
When something is missing, we reach out to our volunteers, who almost always step forward to fill the gap.
Our case managers are working every day to identify housing opportunities and walk alongside clients throughout the process and long after.
And when the day comes, we load up the truck and help move it all in.
Piece by piece.
Fork by fork.
In reflecting on this process, one of our clients said something I have not forgotten:
“I felt like someone was on my team. I needed everything, and they even thought of things like paper towels and dish soap.”
That is what this is really about.
Not just providing items.
But creating a sense of belonging.
Of being supported.
Of not having to do it alone.
These are the small rebellions that happen every day at EChO.
Not dramatic.
Not always visible.
But life-changing.
And they only happen because a community chooses to show up.
That is what our Rebels of Hope mid-year campaign is all about.
We are continuing toward our goal of:
100 Rebels of Hope
One hundred people willing to step forward with a gift of $2,500 to help make moments like this possible.
And just as important, many others choosing to give in ways that fit their lives right now.
Because every act of generosity helps furnish more than an apartment.
It helps create a home.
Become a Rebel of Hope.
Help ensure that when someone takes that step into housing, they do not walk into an empty space.
Become a Rebel of Hope
So, the next time you pick up something as simple as a fork, I hope you think about what it represents.
Not just a utensil.
But a place at the table.
A new beginning.
A small rebellion that says this person belongs here.
Hope is a small rebellion.
And together, we keep choosing it.
With gratitude,
Dale Flanders
Executive Director, EChO
P.S. We are still building toward 100 Rebels of Hope. If you are able to give at that level, we would be honored to have you join. And if not, your gift at any level helps turn empty spaces into homes:
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