Homelessness has always been a cause close to Sarah’s heart, ever since she was a little girl.
“My heart goes out to them, and I’ve always felt that I needed to help.”
Sarah initially found out about Streetohome through her mother, who, knowing Sarah’s passion for the homeless, sent her Streetohome’s newsletter. Our story and mission resonated, and Sarah made Streetohome her charity of choice.
“We donated every year, and when I sold my company, I had the overwhelming desire to be more involved in the community. I was already familiar with Streetohome’s work, and asked if there were volunteer opportunities,” said Sarah.
Sarah chose to spend her time working on the Life Intentions Action Planner initiative. The project provides an opportunity for vulnerable individuals to assess, prioritize and track their goals, and find resources that resonate and are a good fit for their needs.
“Having all the resources mapped and being able to tailor resources to individuals’ unique needs and desires gives them an opportunity to take charge and move along their preferred life path,” she says.
Once digitized for use on mobile and web platforms, the project will have the ability to find a best-fit match among services to address basic things often taken for granted, such as a new pair of glasses, a skill development opportunity, or even joining a community of people with similar interests. The digital version is designed to include self-affirming exercises; a unique function to help individuals stay motivated and achieve the goals they choose for themselves.
“I’ve learned so much by helping to focus test the paper tools and subsequently pilot them with almost 200 tenants. There was a woman who got glasses after she went through the Life Intentions Action Planner – that small thing made such a positive impact in her life and she was so proud of the goal that she set and achieved for herself. Along the way, we’ve gotten so much positive reinforcement from tenants and service providers alike. I’m very hopeful and excited to launch the digital version of the app and see many more individuals achieve the desires that they have for their own lives.”