Julie, a homeless mother, entered the clothing bank. A friend had brought her.
The mother had spent the past ten days in a lean-to on the property where the friend is living, warming herself with a fire on these freezing nights. “I am staying with my ex-mother-in-law,” said the friend. “I cannot invite anyone else into the house. I don’t know how to help my friend.”
When Julie finally left the clothing bank an hour later, St. Francis House had reserved a motel room for her for three nights. Her eleven-year-old daughter would be allowed to stay with her. The mom carried with her warm clothing, some blankets, and a treasured Christmas gift for her daughter. The hardness that had been in her face when she first came to the clothing bank had melted into a warm smile. Her eyes swam with tears as she
approached the check-out counter. “I feel so relieved,” she said. “To be warm and clean, to have my daughter with me, to feel a little hope. It is more than I dreamed could happen in one short hour. Thank you!”