Why I Support
Sheffield Place
Maureen Purcell,
Advisory Council Member, Past Board President
There
was a time in my life when I stood on the precipice of becoming homeless with a
disabled husband and two young children. With the help of others and by
the grace of God, I was able to stay under my own roof. I will never
forget my lesson about the vicious cycle of poverty and the importance of
getting help that break out of that cycle. When I was firmly established in my
new happy life, I discovered Sheffield Place, a place that could have been my
home at one point in my life. I joined the Board in 2006 and have been a
steady contributor to help women with children who find themselves in the place
I almost was – homeless. I view it as my way to give hope to women as I
was once given by others. I know the huge difference it can make in to
have such support until lives can be turned around.
Over my
time and involvement with Sheffield Place, I have seen it grow from a single
facility with 20 units supporting 20 families and their children to serving
over 130 families a year. In addition to housing, Sheffield Place also
provides therapy, case management and group sessions on effective parenting,
mindfulness, nutrition, and money management. The number of hours these
services have grown from 3 hours a week to 23 hours a week.
What I
love about Sheffield Place is that they serve the entire family and integrate
services that address all the aspects that created the homelessness.
Unlike some shelters, the program offers shelter and supportive service
such as intensive therapy, addiction recovery, and life skills training for as
long as needed to stabilize the family, has some permanent housing available as
well as ongoing supportive services beyond their time within the Sheffield
Place housing. This gives the family the best possible environment and
support to make permanent changes to a healthier lifestyle.
I feel
so grateful to be considered part of the Sheffield Place family. I hope
others will consider joining us to contribute to create better lives for the
women and children Sheffield Place serves.
