Emergency Housing Retention

Just Imagine... being a small child in the winter - a child with no home.  There is no warm bed to sleep in...no hope of a happy Thanksgiving or Christmas.  The cold and the hunger and the constant runny nose make life really hard.  Mommy is very sad, so you try to be good and not complain.

Just Imagine... being a small child in the spring - a child with no home.  The flowers bloom, the trees bud.  The rain comes, and there is no place to stay dry.  There is nothing to do on a rainy day when you live in a car.  Maybe tomorrow it will be sunny and you can play in the park.

Just Imagine... being a small child in the summer - a child with no home.  The other children laugh and play, run and shout.  They carry their swimsuits and towels, looking forward to cooling off in the pool.  For you, there is no escape from the heat - no towel, no swimsuit, no money to get in.  You must be content to play in the drinking fountain, when it works.  For you, it is the only refreshment you know.

Just Imagine... being a small child in the fall - a child with no home.  The leaves are turning, children's thoughts turn to the excitement of a new school year.  Oh, how you long to go to school.  But you can't.  You don't have an address. Only children with addresses get to go to school.  Your Mommy tells you how smart you are, but how does she know?  You don't get to go to school and do worksheets and draw pretty pictures for her.  Oh, how you want to go  to school!

Who Does Emergency Housing Retention Benefit?

While assisting our families with rental, mortgage, small home repair, and utilities assistance we are providing hope to our families.  Hope that they will be able to stay in a stable situation, hope that their children will be able to stay in the schools they know, and hope that the crisis will be over.  The Emergency Housing Retention (EHR) Program is intended to provide short-term assistance.  Through partnership with area churches and agencies we ensure that our services are able to reach all those in need.

The impact of moving children and families from the despair and pain of being homeless, or from becoming homeless, benefits us all.  It affords all families in the St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties to become active, participating members of the community.  The children go to school, the parents move toward permanent employment and the family begins to stabilize.  Living in a healthier, stress-free, environment helps to reduce the amount of illness caused by unsanitary conditions and lack of proper personal care.  We increase the independence and ability of the families to be self-reliant and decrease their reliance on social service government programs.