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Dear Friends of Harbor House,
We are preparing for our third annual fundraiser this Saturday, September 30. We hope we can count on you to support us in our efforts to help those in our community who need us most. As you know, we have been inundated with requests for help with rental assistance this year, and most of those requests are coming from our elderly. Many of them are now widowed and living on one income. While the cost of living has gone up exponentially for so many, most of our people are paying increased rents with less money than they used to receive. We hope you will join us in gathering to celebrate the great work you have enabled us to do and to ‘rally the troops’ to do more for those with so much less. Hoping to see you on Saturday, September 30, at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Thousand Oaks! Gratefully, Denise Cortes
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July 11, 2023
Dear Friends of Harbor House, In the wake of Independence Day, we remember those who have lived their lives in the service of others. There’s so much to be grateful for in our country, and still so much work to do. Affordable Housing is a loaded topic for many people. For those of us who walk alongside the working poor, it is a precious ideal and, for some of us, it is even a Godly mandate. What a real community we can be when the people who pour our coffee, clear our dirty plates in restaurants, change the sheets and clean the toilets in our hotel rooms and our own homes, can live and work beside us as neighbors. It is an ideal that is worth fighting for when we know the stories of these workers. Most of our hospitality workers have two jobs in order to make ends meet. While their wages remain stagnant, our community grows more exclusive. Poverty is increasing among our elderly neighbors and Harbor House staff are working hard every day to assist them. Widows and widowers are struggling daily to make ends meet on one income. So many of these elderly people did all the right things: worked hard, paid their taxes, and yet, in their later years, are left to struggle for every comfort they so deserve. We are so grateful for every meal you provide, every hour you volunteer, every dollar you donate to enable us to help those struggling to pay high rents, record high utilities, and rising costs of daily life. We are only able to do the important work we do because of your goodness and generosity. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House Dear Friends of Harbor House,
In the wake of Memorial Day, we remember those who have lived their lives in the service of others. So many people have died protecting freedom and we are indeed the beneficiaries of their sacrifice. Poverty is increasing among our elderly neighbors and Harbor House staff are working hard every day to assist them. We are so grateful for every meal you provide, every hour you volunteer, every dollar you donate to enable us to help those struggling to pay high rents, record high utilities, and rising costs of daily life. We are only able to do the important work we do because of your goodness and generosity. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org “There is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Harbor House staff are finding the struggles of the elderly in our community to be heartbreaking. We are working with so many people who have lost a spouse, and with them, their second income. Compounding this loss, many of these people are now struggling with the rising costs of rent, gas, and groceries. In the first 3 months of 2023 we assisted more than 50 seniors with rental assistance, utilities, groceries and other necessities. We are working with five of the mobile home parks in Thousand Oaks. So far in 2023, we have assisted 57 families or households with rental assistance, enabling 92 individuals to remain housed. Poverty increased among Americans age 65 and older from 8.9% in 2020 to 10.3% in 2021, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data. The increase in the poverty rate results in 1 million more older adults who rely on scarce resources to make ends meet. I'm so grateful to our staff and volunteers for working tirelessly to ensure our seniors can remain housed. The staff of Harbor House wish you all a very blessed Passover and Easter season and hope you find a bit of quiet in the midst of it all, ‘to be still and know.’ We are so grateful for the support and compassion we experience in partnership with you. The kindness and generosity that local low-income families experience because of your generosity is unparalleled. I am so grateful to live in a community that lives so generously. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org “Here is what we seek; a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it.” -Fr. Greg Boyle, Homeboy Industries Dear Friends of Harbor House,
We hope that 2023 has been good to you so far. As we prepare for daylight savings time, with longer daylight hours and shorter hours of darkness, we are full of hope for the struggling populations that we serve. We are facing the largest number of households in need of rental assistance because of the rise in costs and the difficult economy. The households we assist are primarily those with families who have children and the elderly. These households are struggling every day to hold on with accelerated rent costs, soaring utility bills, and the skyrocketing costs of groceries and life today. We make every attempt to help the elderly who are struggling. Those who have lived and worked and educated their children here, in our own community. As well as those who are currently working and living and raising their children in our community, our own neighbors. We continue, thanks to the assistance of so many of you, to feed people every single day at Holy Trinity Lutheran church from 4:30 to 5:30pm. We ask that when you know of people who are struggling to make ends meet that you make them aware of our services. Many people who are struggling find our daily meals very helpful because of the savings on groceries. So far in 2023, we have spent $22,815 paying for rental assistance for 45 families and 72 individuals. Your generosity is a gift to so many who need our help. We continue to give thanks for each of you for every dollar, prayer, or kindness you offer to the important work we do here, at Harbor House. May 2023 be blessed for each of us in ways we haven't yet imagined. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director The woman was old, and ragged, and gray, and bent with the chill of the Winter's day; the street was wet with the recent snow, the woman's feet were aged and slow. She stood at the crossing and waited long. Alone, uncared for amid the throng of human beings who passed her by, nor heeded the glance of her anxious eye.
Down the street, with laughter and shout, glad in the freedom of “school let out," came the boys like a flock of sheep, hailing the snow piled wide and deep; past the woman so old and gray hastened the children on their way. Nor offered a helping hand to her, so meek, so timid, afraid to stir, lest the carriage wheels or the horses' feet should crowd her down in the slippery street. At last came one of the merry troop, the happiest lad of all the group; he paused beside her and whispered low, "I'll help you across if you wish to go." Her aged hand on his strong young arm she placed, and so, without hurt or harm, he guides her trembling feet along, proud that his own were firm and strong. Back again to his friends he went, his young heart happy and well content." She's somebody's mother, boys, you know, for all she's aged, and poor, and slow. And I hope some fella will lend a hand to help my mother, you understand, if ever she’s old and gray, and her own dear boy is far away.” Mabel Down Northam Brine Dear Friends of Harbor House, As the Holidays come upon us, the staff of Harbor House continue to deal with a great many elderly folks, particularly women, who are living on $900 to $1200 each month. As the cost-of-living skyrockets, these elderly have a fixed income that is quickly growing less significant in the shadow of rising inflation. Everything in their life is more expensive – their rent, groceries, and healthcare costs. Harbor House is working to keep these fragile people in their homes. With each elderly person we meet, I am reminded of this famous poem that I learned as a child. At Harbor House we don’t want our elderly to ever feel forgotten or invisible to us. Please remember us as 2022 winds down. Somebody’s mother is out there. We want them to know that we see them and we hear them. Peace to each of you and deep gratitude for all the ways you bless our work, Happy Holidays! The Weary World Rejoices! Denise Cortes Dear Friends of Harbor House,
We are excited to share that we now have six boys living at Pi House. This is our transitional housing for young men aging out of foster care. These boys can save money while learning life skills and benefitting from mentoring and case management. They are learning skills that our average client has never acquired, and we find it is often these seemingly simple life skills that create the largest barriers we face when helping our current clients try to escape poverty. We are excited about our upcoming fundraiser on October 1. We hope we can count on you to help us raise money for those who need our help the most. Harbor House has never been so busy, and more people are in need than ever before. These are indeed hard times for those who are struggling to make ends meet. We stretch every dollar as far as it will go but the needs continue to outweigh the means. We, at Harbor House, are so grateful to you for your concern for those among us who are struggling…. especially the children. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House “The Bible insists that the best test of a nation's righteousness is how it treats the poorest and most vulnerable in its midst.” — Jim Wallis Dear Friends of Harbor House,
This month, we lost two of our long-time clients. They have both lived here in Thousand Oaks for many years, and we are sad to say goodbye. We wish their families peace as they grieve for their loved ones, and once again, we are reminded how short life is. We are only on this Earth for a brief time, so we must take every opportunity we can to impact the lives of others we pass along the way. The number of young men aging out of foster care and reaching out to us for case management, housing, mentors, food, and assistance in finding employment is growing every month. Staff at Harbor House and Pi House are grateful for every opportunity to touch a young person’s life, and even though not all of them qualify to live at Pi House, we are glad to walk alongside them. This week, I was struck by the realization that the poor ask so little of us. I met a young man who wanted to get a job, but his clothes were caked with dirt, and he was so hot and sweaty. So, I offered him a shower, and he was delighted. I cannot imagine the joy of a shower following so many weeks of homelessness and dirt. We have a young man who is homeless due to mental health issues, but he got a job last month. Now he is hanging on each night, sleeping on the streets and waiting to save enough money to get housing. Despite his battles with mental health, this young man always gets a job and works extremely hard. We have a number of teens living in Thousand Oaks who are calling on behalf of parents who cannot afford their rent. These highschoolers break my heart because they should have the privilege of worrying about their grades and schoolwork. Instead, they focus on worrying about when they will lose their housing again. So many of these students pray all day that their peers will never find out how they are living. We would like to thank you all for your constant support of both Harbor House and Pi House as we continue to help those most in need in our community. Without your help, we would not be able to provide these young people with the resources they need in everyday life. “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” — Mother Teresa Denise Cortes, Executive Director, Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Since childhood I have always envisioned Summer as hopeful and generous. As a parent, it has always been my favorite time of year. Children have fewer commitments and more time to be together. Time for family vacations and long days at the beach and longer, deeper conversations. And of course, books…and more books. For many of the clients we work with at Harbor House, Summer is no different than any other season. Parents often work multiple jobs and still have worries about bills, rent, groceries and the cost of gas on their minds daily. When school lets out, so does their childcare. The increases in the cost of living are felt by everyone these days, but none so keenly as those who work for minimum wage to feed their families. In fighting homelessness, our very first concern is keeping housed people. This means our greatest expense currently is rental assistance. This month we have spent $25,881 on 20 households with 37 individuals remaining in their homes – an average of $1,300 per household. Can you imagine a working family losing their housing for the want of $1,300 because they chose groceries for their children over rent? We aim to lighten the burdens of these families whenever we can. The very important work we do could never be done without your constant generosity. You make this work possible. And at Harbor House, we could not be more grateful to you. "Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send out a ripple of hope.” -Robert Kennedy Gratefully, Denise Cortes Director, Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org Denise's Prayer from the National Day of Prayer
Oh God, Hear our prayers this morning for all those who suffer the pain of poverty or homelessness. We pray especially for the children, the 225 children in our very own school district who live in cars or motel rooms, those crammed in small rooms because a room is all their family can afford to rent. Oh God Hear our prayers for those who struggle with mental illness. Those whose battles rage endlessly in their minds and who find no relief…no calm… no quiet…ever. Oh God Hear our prayers for the orphan and the 430,000 children living in foster care in America …who live with the daily reminders of being unwanted, of having no place to call home…having no parent to provide refuge, they live in the deepest loneliness Oh God Hear our prayers for the immigrant and the refugee seeking safety and peace, those seeking employment and decent living conditions And God, we pray for us too. We pray for the wisdom and the courage to remain awake and steadfast in the work that You call us to. We pray for the courage to speak out on behalf of those who have no voice…the courage to use our voices and our every vote for those in poverty. Give us the courage to battle greed in all its forms and to fight against the injustices that abound today. Give us the courage every day to live out loud and on purpose so that those who struggle will know that they really are Your very own. Oh God, we continue to ask you to heal what is broken, redeem what has been lost, and to help us to Heal the World. May is a very important month for the staff at Harbor House. May is both Foster Care Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. How real these issues are, daily in the work of Harbor House.
Today, there are more than 437,000 children in foster care in America. 55,000 of those are in California. An astounding 36% of California foster youth become homeless within 18 months of aging out and 46% do not graduate from high school. So many of the most tragic stories in our local community have come from children who aged out of foster care, straight into homelessness. As many of you know, we have recently opened a home for transitional age foster youth, called “Pi House.” Because of the relationship between kids aging out of foster care into homelessness, Harbor House is working closely with a number of young people entering young adulthood without support. Many who do not qualify for Pi House are still very much in need. We believe that one of the best ways we can have an impact on homelessness is by helping to improve the success rate of these young people who are so much at risk, before they become homeless. In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, a few of our Pi House youth gave me some quotes about what our work has meant in their lives. Juan says “Pi House has given me so much opportunity. I am grateful for not being alone anymore, not feeling like a single fish in the ocean.” Juan already has a driver’s license and is getting ready to transfer to a four-year university. He also has two part time jobs. James says “I am one of the boys at this beautiful home in Thousand Oaks. I would like to say that this house has helped me a lot. I came here from a tough situation, especially being homeless with so many hardships. Now I feel safe, and I am comfortable. This place is truly a blessing.” James has two jobs in local restaurants and is working on getting his driver’s license. P.J. says “I am one of the boys living at Pi House and this house has given me an opportunity to work toward my goals of going to college. It has also given me the opportunity to get my driver’s permit and now I’m working on getting my driver’s license. I have a steady fulltime job and a place to call home.” PJ is working hard and looking for a better paying full time job while practicing his driving skills. Mental Health is the number one issue we face in working with those who are chronically homeless. Finding them housing is a daily struggle and, in most cases, there is nowhere to house them. There are no mental hospitals or family or friends to take in the vast majority of those we work with. These are fragile people who cannot fend for themselves, and they are living daily at the mercy of strangers. We thank those who support us because this work is so important, and it would be impossible without you. We are so grateful that the unhoused, the foster youth, and the mentally ill in our community have strangers like you in their corner. I pray that if you are not contributing to this work and those who are affected by it, you will consider making this a cause you support. And, as always, we continue to ask God to heal what is broken, redeem what has been lost, and to help us to Heal the World. Denise Cortes Dear Friends of Harbor House,
January is always a reflective time for me personally, and for the staff at Harbor House. These recent Holidays we were able to provide Christmas to more than 1183 children. That is entirely because of you. Already in 2022, we have been able to have a tremendous impact on the community – all thanks to you. In 2021 we received a record number of donations, and with that support have been able to help more children, families, and unhoused community members than ever before. While this pandemic continues to ravage so many communities across the globe, I am ever grateful for you and your generosity that allows us to provide dignity and comfort for so many who have nowhere else to turn. I am confident that with your continued support, 2022 will again be a year in which we help more of our neighbors than ever before. “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked or homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty”. -Mother Teresa In gratitude, Denise Cortes Executive Director Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Staff members and volunteers at Harbor House are busy this time of year. We are working with those experiencing homelessness and assisting our local CVUSD students and families that have found themselves without housing in the wake of this worldwide pandemic. At the moment, 225 students who attend our local schools are sleeping in cars, motel rooms, or on friends’ couches or floors. Harbor House is able to help these families get a security deposit and first month’s rent for a room, studio apartment, or even a converted garage is available. This, and so many other services are possible only because of the goodness of you, our partners and friends. Your generosity is such a gift to those of us who are out in the community seeing the needs every day. All of the good that Harbor House does is possible because of each of you. Every contribution is meaningful and put to great use. We are proud and grateful to tell you that 81₵ of every donated dollar goes directly to client services. In this difficult year of 2021, together we have been able to:
And, as always, we continue to ask God to heal what is broken, redeem what has been lost, and help us to Heal the World. Denise Cortes Executive Director Dear Friends of Harbor House,
On any given night here in America, there are more than half a million people living on the streets. At Harbor House, we meet kids who have aged out of foster care and directly into homelessness and lots of grown children who have experienced trauma in their childhood. Many of our clients are elderly people who are making minimum social security and struggling to find a place they can afford in an increasingly unaffordable community. We have far too many children living in cars who attend the same schools as our own children and grandchildren. No doubt there is a lot of work to do, but on a daily basis the staff at Harbor House find ourselves saying how grateful we are for your generosity. We know that without you, we could not help those who need it most. We are thankful for everything you do and for every dollar you donate. We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and many reasons to give thanks. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director, Harbor House Dear Friends of Harbor House,
We are grateful to each of you who contributed to our fundraiser this month! We raised over $50,000 in a very short span of time. Thank you for every single donation that contributed to this great success. We plan to use these funds to assist with motel rooms for those who are living on the streets during the difficult winter months. While we still have a number of the elderly and those with disabilities in the Project Room Key program, there are still many who are sleeping on the streets. Currently in Conejo Valley there are 225 children who attend our school district who are homeless. These children sleep in cars, share bedrooms with extended family or friends, or jump from motel room to motel room. They go to school in the morning having had less sleep, less to eat, and all the hopes and dreams of any child in America. We make it our work to know these children and their stories and our staff works hard to help these families get housed. We have over 350 families adopted for the holidays and names are still coming in. We are working with local houses of faith to get each family adopted. If you would like to help a family in need with gifts and food for the holidays, please sign up with our Adopt-a-Family program. We get calls daily to help families and those struggling to pay their rent and utilities, and keep food on the table. We continue to hand out lunches and dinners at Holy Trinity between 4:30 to 5:30pm daily. As always, none of this would be possible without each of you. It doesn’t matter what we ask you for, but always you show up. We are deeply grateful to have your partnership in this important work. I pray that if you are not already contributing to this work and those who are affected by it, you will consider making this a cause you support. And, as always, we continue to ask God to heal what is broken, redeem what has been lost, and to help us to Heal the World. Denise Cortes September 21, 2021
Dear Friends of Harbor House, Staff and volunteers are working daily to help those who struggle most in our community. We feel at once extremely grateful and deeply concerned for the growing number of families in crisis. The important work we do is only possible because of the great generosity of each of you and the local houses of faith. None of this is possible without you. The pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on the underprivileged. In an effort to meet the increasing number of households in need, we are having a fundraiser on October 3. The event will be outdoors, under the big tent at Anthem Church. We ask that you join us to show our collective support for those who have been affected most by this COVID crisis. If you cannot join us in person, please consider contributing by donating online. Childhood, after all, is the first precious coin that poverty steals from a child. - Anthony Horowitz Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director-Harbor House Dear Friends of Harbor House,
While we are deeply grateful to begin returning to normalcy, we recognize that the pandemic has left a trail of destruction in its wake. Many of our local neighbors and friends are struggling to recover from the financial disaster they find themselves in. During COVID-19, when many businesses shut down and children were sent home from schools and parents sent to work from home, the staff and volunteers of Harbor House worked more hours than ever before. Because of your generosity, we increased our food program, housed more than 50 individuals in motel rooms to protect them from the pandemic, paid the utility bills for a record number of households, and provided daily meals to many households who had not needed food assistance before. Our staff responded to requests from the school district, police, houses of faith, and local officials. We want to take this opportunity to say thank you to each of you who donated more than you had before, for the volunteers that left the safety of your homes to bring food and to those who distributed it to the people who needed it. At Harbor House, our staff continue to work hard every day to minimize the damage that families will suffer. We ask you to join with us in lifting up those who continue to struggle to make ends meet. “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” - Victor Hugo Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Author Max Lucado asks the question, “What if every face we see each day were a billboard that announced the true state of its owner’s heart?” How many would say “desperate,” or “broken: in need of repair?” At Harbor House, that is a question we ask over and over. We meet people every day who are struggling. Some are addicted and can’t seem to get free. Others are living with the powerful effects of childhood trauma. Even more are hungry, lonely, and mentally fragile. At Harbor House, we offer a meal every day; the dignity of a shower, free laundry, and rental assistance for those who are trying to hang onto their housing; help with utilities and car repair, boxes of produce for families with children, and case management for all who want to move forward. We provide outreach in an effort to find the homeless that are not accessing food or services in the encampments. In the outreach process we often find young people who are in great need of case management. As most of you know, we have begun our work at “Pi House,” our transitional housing for young men who are aging out of foster care. These boys can continue to learn life skills and benefit from mentoring. They can finish high school or begin college, get job experience, learn how to drive a car or get a driver’s license. They can learn how to create a budget and open a bank account. These are all skills that our average 40-year-old homeless client has never acquired, and we find it is often these seemingly simple life skills that create the largest challenges we face when helping our current clients. The care that is offered by each of our volunteers and donors is extraordinary and we could not be more grateful. Please continue to contribute both financially and by volunteering. The needs in our community have never been so great in the wake of COVID-19. We have a tsunami of households who are struggling to get their lives and their children’s lives back on track. So many have massive utility bills and months of back rent due because of lost jobs. Please donate to harborhouseto.org or by mailing a check to Harbor House 430 Avenida de los Arboles, Ste 203A, Thousand Oaks 91360. We appreciate everything you do for Harbor House in an effort to lift up those who struggle most. With deep gratitude, Denise Cortes Harbor House Executive Director March 24, 2021 Dear Friends of Harbor House, “I believe in the sun even when it is not shining, I believe in love even when I cannot feel it, I believe in God even when he is silent.” This is the first thing you see when you enter our Pi House. These words were found carved into the cellar wall of a concentration camp at the end of World War II in Cologne Germany. As you know, we at Harbor House are in the midst of a wonderful new endeavor for the benefit of young men who are aging out of foster care. The excitement around this home is palpable at the moment. In America today there are over 440,000 children living in foster care. In California there are over 60,000. The trauma that these children experience in the midst of growing up is heartbreaking. The opportunity to make a small dent in these devastating numbers is a gift for which I am extremely grateful. This beautiful house is only possible because of the generosity of so many of you. We hope you share the joy and excitement we feel at the hope of this home for young men who need a caring and nurturing home in which to learn some of life’s most important lessons around successful, independent living. We ask you to join with us in asking God’s blessings on this project and on the young people it will serve. Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org Dear Friends of Harbor House,
We are embarking on an exciting new program! After several years in the trenches with those who struggle most in our community, it became clear to the staff that we needed to go deeper into the causes of homelessness. We discovered that an astounding 36% of California foster youth become homeless within 18 months of aging out of the system. 46% do not graduate from high school and less than 3% earn a college degree. In 2012 a new law was enacted enabling these youth to continue to receive benefits from the state until they are 21, as long as they are going to school and/or working. After they exit the foster care system, they can enter a transitional living house where they can continue to learn life skills and benefit from mentoring, while still receiving financial assistance. However, Ventura County tells us there is a dire need for adequate transitional houses run by people willing to help kids land on their feet after years of abandonment, trauma, and neglect. There are currently 187 youth that are eligible for this type of home in our county alone, but no space available. Harbor House would like to contribute to the lives of these young people. We have received the most generous gift from one of our largest donors, who bought a house that will become transitional housing for former foster youth. We will begin by housing six young men ages 18-21 and will open our doors to them on March 1, 2021. At this transitional home with the help of our case managers, they can finish high school, begin college, get job experience, or get a driver’s license. They can learn how to create a budget, open a bank account and pay bills. These are skills that our average 40-year-old client has never acquired, and we find it is often these seemingly simple things that create the largest barriers for those we work with. We hope you share the joy and excitement we feel at the hope of this home for young people who need a caring and nurturing home in which to learn some of life’s most important lessons around successful, independent living. We ask you to join with us in asking God’s blessings on this project and on the young people it will serve. Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in.” Archbishop Desmond Tutu Dear Friends of Harbor House,
As 2020 winds down, our hearts are full. The pandemic has impacted all of us. Our hearts go out to all the families who have lost loved ones and those who work on the frontlines in our healthcare system and essential services that have kept us all going. The needs in our community have grown exponentially during this very difficult time. Many families who struggled in poverty before are now facing eviction in 2021; those who were homeless are so much more vulnerable; the elderly who live alone are feeling very isolated. In the wake of this disastrous pandemic we, at Harbor House, feel called to live even more generously with a renewed hope of a better world, a more just world. We believe that what Harbor House does is surely the work of God’s people. Although the needs this year have been staggering, your generosity has continued to bless us. As this difficult year comes to a close and we celebrate the holidays, I pray that you will continue to support us as the needs grow and more and more families find themselves on the brink of disaster. The staff at Harbor House is grateful for all you do and for all the ways that you help to lift the heavy burdens that others bear. We thank you for lifting us in prayer and for your unfailing support. We pray that God will bless you and bring you peace. Happy holidays and may we all be blessed in 2021! Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House Dear Friends of Harbor House,
On any given night here, in America, there are more than half a million people living on the streets. At Harbor House we meet kids who have aged out of foster care and aged directly into homelessness. We meet lots of grown children who have experienced trauma in their childhood living on the streets. Young adults who are struggling with mental health issues and don’t want help find freedom on the streets. Elderly men and women who are living on minimum social security because they made minimum wage in their working years struggle every day to stay afloat. They are one broken car, or expensive medical bill away from disaster. Widows and widowers and others whose lives have capsized are living in cars all around us. Parents who used to work full time jobs in restaurants or motels have lost their jobs and are struggling to put food on the table for their children. There is so much we don’t know about humanity, but at Harbor House we are certain that these people belong to us. Father Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries says, “We are sent to the margins not to make a difference but so the folks on the margins will make us different.” The staff at Harbor House knows that without you, we could not help those who need it most. We are thankful for everything you do and for every dollar you donate. We wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and many reasons to give thanks. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Executive Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Staff and volunteers have been working hard to help families stay afloat in the midst of this global pandemic. We continue to feed the homeless and families in need, and the number of meals served continues to rise. We currently have more than 738 children signed up for our Adopt a Family program. Many of the households we have been serving have lost one or both incomes, leaving them unable to provide groceries or pay rent. In the years that I have been working with this population, I have learned so many important things. I have heard hundreds of stories from people and have been moved by more of those stories than I can count. The issue that has continued to haunt me is that of young people in foster care. Today, there are more than 437,000 children in foster care in America. Of those, 55,000 are in California. An astounding 36% of California foster youth become homeless within 18 months of aging out and 46% do not graduate from high school. Less than 3% earn a college degree. So many of the saddest stories I know have come from children who aged out of foster care into homelessness. Because of the relationship between kids aging out of foster care and homelessness, we are working more closely with young adults aging out and entering independent living. We believe that one of the best ways Harbor House can have an impact on homelessness is by improving the success rate of these young people who are at risk. In the midst of so much poverty and loss we remain hopeful in the work we do. We pray that you are well and staying safe. “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.” - Victor Hugo Peace, Denise Executive Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org Dear Friends of Harbor House,
It is time for our Adopt-a-Family program again. We are hopeful you will volunteer to help make the holidays joyful for children in our community who might otherwise go without. We all know what a difficult year 2020 has been, particularly to those who struggle in poverty. So many of our families who work in the hospitality and service industries have lost their jobs and are dealing with extreme hardships every day of this difficult pandemic. We currently have 500 children signed up and we have a waiting list of many others. I believe that with your help, we will be able to provide for all of these families. Our deadline for sign ups is September 30. I hope that you will take part in this worthwhile effort to provide gifts for those we serve. These children have been trying to cope with the fact that many of their families are living in poverty worse than anything they’ve seen. We seek to offer a small measure of hope in an otherwise dark time, to all those who need it in our community. If you are able to participate this year, please e-mail Sheri Groenveld (sgroenveld@harborhouseto.org) and please know how grateful we are for your support. “Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and the desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim your lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts, and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open--are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.” Keeping Christmas by Henry Van Dyke - Denise Cortes Dear Friends of Harbor House,
Who could have predicted the year we are experiencing? The global pandemic has affected so many people in so many different ways. Our local homeless are struggling to survive the pandemic and the now the heat. The elderly and those who are medically compromised are being housed at a local motel and the County is covering the cost. We are very grateful to the State of California for the funds to do this. In addition, Harbor House has been housing several other homeless who do not qualify for the County program but need a bed for a night or two due to the heat, illness, surgery, or if there are children involved. I am sure many of you read about the local homeless woman who walked onto the 23 freeway in the early morning hours on Thursday, August 20. She posted on social media her intention to take her own life and she succeeded in killing herself that morning. Her sad death highlights for all of us the need for mental health services for those who are suffering. She was a tortured soul and many in our community tried for years to support her. Another of the current needs in our community is for rental assistance for those families that have lost their employment and income and cannot pay their bills. The very first priority in fighting homelessness is keeping people who are housed in their homes. The families who have lost their jobs and their income are our neighbors. They have served us in restaurants, bagged our groceries, cleaned our houses, and babysat our children. Some owned businesses that have shut down. These are troubled times. We pray for peace in our community and in our country. We pray for an end to hatred and racism. We pray for those who are suffering most in our world and for mercy on the part of those in leadership. No matter what the news tells us, or the polls, or homeless counts, I have no doubt that in God’s mind man is heading somewhere. We need your contributions now more than ever. None of the important work we do every day could be done without the amazing support and unmatched generosity of this wonderful community. Gratefully, Denise Cortes Director Harbor House dcortes@harborhouseto.org “We seek a compassion that stands in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgement at how they carry it.” Fr. Greg Boyle |
Denise CortesDirector of Harbor House Archives
September 2023
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