The problem of homelessness in Collin County may seem surreal to many, especially those like ourselves who have access to many privileges and resources, but the reality is that homelessness is right on our doorstep. With affordable housing policies not doing enough, the homeless population of Collin County often finds charity the only solace to their plight. One such organization dedicated to combatting homelessness is the Collin County Mobility Collaborative, an alliance of 4 local nonprofits (AGAPE, Hope's Door New Beginning Center, Family Promise, and the Shiloh Place). CCMC seeks to tackle the problem of homelessness at the root through a four-pronged approach: helping single, homeless mothers access higher education, housing, transportation, and childcare. Pictured below is Christine Ortega, the executive interim director of CCMC.
Many of the women under CCMC programs have experienced domestic abuse or some other form of trauma in the past-- now, amidst a national pandemic, they must face additional burdens of job loss and health concerns. They are under immense pressure for both their own and their children's wellbeings. In hopes of alleviating some of this stress, CCMC put together a donation drive of self care items that were packaged into kits, and each kit contained letters written from members around the community offering words of support for these brave women.
This delivery was the first time during this quarantine where we had letter-writers write their own letters on their own paper, and we operated on a system in which an officer drove by each volunteer's house to collect the letters. The diverse array of unique shapes and styles of letters was breathtakingly beautiful! This batch of letters also marked the debut of our hand-made faux seals, which were affixed to the envelopes to hopefully add a more personal touch to the letter-opening experience. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to write a kind note!
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