In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson called for an end to poverty in the United States. Standing up for those who were "living on the outskirts of hope," Johnson promised, "it will not be a short or easy struggle. No single weapon or strategy will suffice, but we shall not rest until that war is won. The richest nation on earth can afford to win it. We cannot afford to lose it."
We're getting ready to enter into one of our favorite times of the year. It's award season! Every year, Phoenix Family recognizes three people we serve for thier courage, leadership, and determination with the Clifton R. Cohn Community Leaders.
Named after our founder, the Clifton R. Cohn Community Leaders awards are the highest honor we give and recognize the hard journey and the unwaivering determination of the people we serve to exit poverty and to impact the community around them.
The end of the year is often a time of reflection and joy for so many of us as we look forward to family gatherings and holiday celebrations. However, for so many of the families and seniors at Phoenix Family, it can be an incredibly stressful time. I recognize that holidays can be stressful for everyone, but it is exacerbated when you are worried about how you are going to feed your kids an extra meal every day when they are out of school for 10 days or how an already financially strapped household might find a few extra dollars for a gift or two. But this year, you eased that burden and offered those families and seniors something so much larger – hope.
Today was a normal day.
We haven’t had a normal day in quite some time here. Our breaks and holidays are stressful because it’s different. Our routine makes the kids (and the staff) calm back down into regular life and I am so glad it’s finally here.
Last week was a rough week. I found out that three out of my four teenagers were moving out. They had been evicted. I had no idea what was going on....