Dear Friends of ECHOS,
As September begins, I want to share a story that reminds me why the work we do together matters so much.
We’ll call her “Sally.” She is the mother of four young children, the oldest just seven years old and a child with special needs.
Sally came to ECHOS after leaving a domestic violence situation. For four days, she and her children stayed with a friend. When that was no longer possible, her friend gave her $400 so the family could stay temporarily in a motel.
And then something important happened.
The motel staff knew ECHOS. They had worked with us before, and they referred Sally to our team.
Sally enrolled in one of our Family Stability programs. Our staff first helped her address the family’s most immediate need: finding a safe, appropriate place for Sally and her children to live. We helped her navigate the housing search, identify a home that met her family’s needs, and establish a stable place from which they could begin rebuilding their lives.
But finding housing was only the beginning.
Our team continued working alongside Sally to identify the barriers standing between her family and long-term stability, set goals and develop a plan for moving forward.
One of Sally’s goals was to build a career that would allow her to support her family. She enrolled in school to become a medical assistant, and our team helped her navigate the process of securing FAFSA financial aid to support her education.
Today, Sally is in school and working odd jobs while caring for her children. In about a year, she expects to complete her training and begin a career with a steady income. Her seven-year-old is also receiving the special services he needs.
Sally’s story isn’t finished. But look how far she has already come.
She came to ECHOS at a moment of crisis without a permanent place for her children to call home. Today, her family is safely housed, her child is receiving needed services, and Sally is working toward a career that can provide lasting financial stability.
That is what family stability looks like.
And Sally is not alone.
Through July, ECHOS has provided nearly $288,000 in direct financial support to families, including more than $213,000 in rental assistance. For the families we have been able to reach for follow-up after receiving housing assistance, 95% remained safely housed 90 days later.
Those numbers matter. But behind every number is a family like Sally’s — a family working hard to overcome a setback, regain stability and move forward.
As we begin this new season, I hope you will continue to stand with ECHOS and the families who come through our doors. Your gifts allow us to respond when a family is in crisis, but just as importantly, they help our staff do the work that comes next: finding safe housing, identifying barriers, setting goals, connecting families to resources and helping them build lasting stability.
Sally is doing the hard work. ECHOS helped make sure she didn’t have to do it alone.
If you have supported ECHOS, thank you. You are part of stories like Sally’s. If you have been thinking about making a gift, I hope you will consider doing so today. And if you know someone who would be inspired by this work, please share our story.
Together, we are doing exactly what our tagline promises:
Meeting Needs. Transforming Lives.
With gratitude,
Cathy Moore
Executive Director
Epiphany Community Health Outreach Services (ECHOS)
“Sally” is a pseudonym, and identifying details have been limited to protect the family’s privacy and safety.”
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