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<DIV>The following is an article I wrote for Sojourners' Alliance's quarterly newsletter. For those of you who don't know - Sojourners' is the local transitional homeless shelter. In addition to the shelter, we have an emergency rental assistance program, and a Food Bank and Thrift Store in Troy, Idaho. </DIV>
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<DIV>We are facing a critical end-of-fiscal year funding emergency. (Too much year at the end of the grant money!) </DIV>
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<DIV>If 500 people in the area each donated $20 - that would alleviate our crises, and give us a small cushion to face the next emergency. Please donate today! Your donations can be sent to: </DIV>
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<DIV>Sojourners' Alliance</DIV>
<DIV>627 N. Van Buren</DIV>
<DIV>Moscow, ID 83843</DIV>
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<DIV>Thanks in advance!</DIV>
<DIV>Bev Bafus</DIV>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">It amazes me when I look at our donor list, and realize how many businesses and well-off individuals do not donate to Sojourners’.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When I’ve solicited for donations, the excuses run the gamut…<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We just really can’t help right now.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(And you can, when?) <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“Why would we help those people?”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(As opposed to which people?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We’re all people.)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We already gave.”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(Thank you very much, but you could give again.)<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>“We have a homeless shelter in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City>?”<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(Yes, we do.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And the need is growing.)</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">The idea that there isn’t a homeless population in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City> is a fantasy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We don’t have people living in cardboard boxes under overpasses, but we do have folks camping out at local campgrounds.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We have people who couch surf between friends.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We have families bunking with relatives, trying desperately to save up enough for first month’s rent and a damage deposit.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And we have people who have lost everything, due to various demons in their lives.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">I was oblivious to this problem as I raised my children.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We were chasing the American Dream.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The house, the three cars, the boat, the large lot.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Dreams of an acreage, and more toys.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Then my husband had a stroke.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thank goodness he had signed up years before for a disability policy – it meant we wouldn’t lose the house.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>But when you have payments up the ying-yang, depending on a double income – and that income gets slashed in half – suffice to say we had to face reality in a hurry.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Now I am grateful every day that we have a roof over our head.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We have adequate food on the table.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This is more than many families in our area.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Job losses have hit certain sectors hard, and it may get worse.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">There are families just weeks away from being evicted from their apartments – luckily our rental assistance program can help with that to some extent.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There are families that have to spend every extra penny for medical bills, and groceries are the last thing they can buy.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Luckily, our food bank can help with that.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">And there are those who have lost everything.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>They need a hand up, not a hand out.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Luckily, our shelter is here, to help them transition back into a productive life.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">If Sojourners’ wasn’t here – what would these folks do?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">If you have a roof over your head, and enough food on the table – please donate today.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Every dollar will help keep our organization stable, and keep a safety net in place for our area.</FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">Bev Bafus, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:City></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Board Treasurer</FONT></P>
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