July 16, 2026 – 🌭 Brat Stand Fundraiser! Join us at Festival Foods on Mall Dr 📅 Saturday, July 18th ⏰ 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Brats • Chips • Drinks All proceeds support the Hike for the Homeless & Beacon House 💜 Come grab a bite and support local families in need! #HikeForTheHomeless #BeaconHouse #EauClaireEvents

July 15, 2026 – What Community Looks Like — What Gives Me Hope As I reflect on what response is and does, how relationships move mountains, and the impact of coordination, I keep coming back to one question: What gives me hope? The answer is people. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to meet community members, partners, volunteers, donors, housing providers, educators, healthcare professionals, faith leaders, and advocates throughout the Chippewa Valley. In different ways, each conversation has reminded me that community is not built by one organization or one person. It is built by people who are willing to keep showing up. What gives me hope is not that any one person has all the answers. What gives me hope is knowing there are people who care enough to answer the phone, make an introduction, share a resource, offer their time, or say, “I may not be able to solve the whole problem, but I can help.” That kind of response matters. Every conversation, every partnership, every act of support, and every opportunity created for a family becomes part of something larger. Community is built by people who believe families deserve dignity, opportunity, and the chance to move forward. If you believe that too, I invite you to be part of this work. Volunteer. Give. Open a door. Make an introduction. Share a resource. Become a partner. Every step forward matters, and every person willing to show up helps build a stronger community for families. To learn more about Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley, visit www.familypromisecv.org.

July 14, 2026 – Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors! 🧡 Your generosity and support help make the Hike for the Homeless possible. Every contribution plays an important role in helping us provide hope and support to families experiencing homelessness in our community. Thank you for partnering with us and helping make a difference. We truly appreciate your support! 🥾💙 #HikeForTheHomeless #ThankYouSponsors #CommunityStrong #EndHomelessness #ChippewaValley #FamilyPromise #BeaconHouse

July 9, 2026 – A heartfelt thank you to our Silver Sponsors! 🤍 Your support helps make the Hike for the Homeless a success. We are incredibly grateful for your generosity and commitment to helping families experiencing homelessness in our community. Thank you for standing with us and helping make a difference. We couldn't do it without you! 🥾💙 #HikeForTheHomeless #ThankYouSponsors #CommunityStrong #EndHomelessness #ChippewaValley #FamilyPromise #BeaconHouse

July 8, 2026 – Your support helps turn a house into a home. Every day, families staying in our shelter rely on everyday household essentials to keep their living spaces clean, safe, and comfortable. As these items are used quickly, we're asking our community to help us restock our shelves. Our most urgent needs include: 🧺 Garbage Bags 🧴 Laundry Detergent 🧼 Disinfectant Spray 🫧 Bleach We're also in need of: • Conditioner • Hand Soap • Window Cleaner • Floor Cleaner If you'd like to help, you can purchase items directly from our Amazon Wishlist, and they'll be shipped straight to our shelter: https://a.co/0dPksKF8 Every donation, no matter the size, helps us provide families with the basic necessities they need while they focus on building a brighter future. Thank you for helping create a welcoming place where families can feel safe, supported, and cared for.

July 8, 2026 – What Community Looks Like — Coordination Creates Stability This week, I want to talk about coordination, and it's impact on families. When families experience housing instability, the challenges they face rarely exist in isolation. Housing may be connected to employment. Employment may be connected to childcare; Childcare may affect transportation. Healthcare, education, benefits, and family support often intersect in ways that are difficult to navigate, especially during a crisis. Many communities have resources, while there may not be enough of all the right resources, I find the challenge is not always the absence of support. Sometimes the challenge is expecting families to coordinate those supports while they are already carrying so much. Families should not have to navigate complex systems alone. At Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley - Beacon House, we often find ourselves helping connect the pieces. Not because we are the answer to every challenge, but because stability becomes more possible when organizations work together around the family. The strongest communities are not those with the most services - They are the communities that connect those services effectively. Coordination creates access, opportunity, and stability. If you are a housing provider, employer, service organization, faith community, or community leader who believes families deserve pathways to stability, I would love to connect. To learn more about Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley, visit www.familypromisecv.org

July 7, 2026 – Thank you Gold Sponsors! 💛 Your generosity and commitment make the Hike for the Homeless possible. Because of your support, we're able to bring our community together to help families experiencing homelessness and make a lasting impact. We couldn't do it without you—thank you for being an essential part of this event and our mission! 🥾💙 #HikeForTheHomeless #ThankYouSponsors #CommunityStrong #EndHomelessness #ChippewaValley #FamilyPromise #BeaconHouse

July 6, 2026 – A huge THANK YOU to our Platinum Sponsors of the 2026 Hike for the Homeless! 💙 Your generosity and commitment to our community make this event possible. We truly couldn’t do it without your incredible support! 📅 Tuesday, August 18 🕔 Registration begins at 5:00 PM 📍 River Prairie Park, Altoona Join us as we come together to support families and children experiencing homelessness. Every step makes a difference, and we’re grateful to have amazing community partners walking alongside us. #HikeForTheHomeless #ThankYouSponsors #CommunityStrong #EndHomelessness #ChippewaValley #FamilyPromise #BeaconHouse

July 4, 2026 – Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Independence Day.

July 2, 2026 – What Community Looks Like — Relationships Before Crisis Last week, I shared a reflection about the importance of a response. This week, I find myself thinking about what makes those responses possible. Most times we see the phone call: What is not always seen are the conversations that happened months before. The introductions. The coffee meetings. The community events. The relationships that were built without knowing exactly when they might be needed. Recently, our Manager of Shelter Operations and I attended the Chippewa Valley Partnership Summit. The room was filled with people working in housing, healthcare, education, transportation, public health, economic development, local government, and community services. At first glance, it looked like a gathering of professionals. The conversation centered on building community and strengthening collaboration. Because when families face housing instability, the barriers they encounter rarely fit neatly into one category. The solutions often require people and organizations willing to work together. The partnerships that help families move forward are often built long before a crisis occurs. Community is not built during a crisis, It is revealed during one. And it is built every day before it arrives. If we've not met yet, I'd love to connect. Every meaningful partnership starts with a conversation. To learn more about Family Promise of the Chippewa Valley, visit www.familypromisecv.org