John Tumino

In My Father’s Kitchen/Housecalls Fundraiser Thursday | April 11th | 5:30-7;30 PM (EDT) The Palace Theatre 2384 James Street, Syracuse, NY 13206 For the past 6 years In My Father’s Kitchen (IMFK) and Housecalls for the Homeless (Housecalls) have been collaborating to provide medical treatment, food, and material necessities to people experiencing homelessness throughout Onondaga County. The need for our services continues to grow every year. IMFK and Housecalls will be holding our first combined fundraiser! At this event, our guests will enjoy appetizers provided by Christiano’s check link below https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094721662097&mibextid=ZbWKwL tour our new outreach van, and hear about the positive impact our programs are having in our local community. All funds raised will be divided evenly between the two organizations and will be used to help HouseCalls expand its dental program and IMFK provide care for homeless women who have been involved with sex trafficking. We hope that you will join our effort and support this worthy event. We have five levels of sponsorship opportunities. To purchase tickets or become a sponsor follow the link below https://fundraise.givesmart.com/form/dHkG1Q?utm_medium=qr&utm_source=qr&vid=1389k5

Providing adequate and compassionate care for our homeless friends with mental health issues who reside in outdoor settings is a complex and multifaceted task. Our friends with mental health issues face many barriers to accessing appropriate services, such as stigma, discrimination, lack of trust, lack of identification, and lack of transportation. Moreover, living outdoors exposes them to harsh weather conditions, violence, infections, and substance abuse. These factors can exacerbate their mental health conditions and make them more vulnerable to physical and psychological distress. Therefore, it is essential to adopt a holistic and person-centered approach that addresses their needs and preferences in a respectful and dignified manner. Some of the strategies that can help in serving this population include:

– Building relationships and trust with the individuals through frequent and consistent outreach visits, listening to their stories, and respecting their autonomy and choices.
– Assessing their mental health status and needs using culturally sensitive and trauma-informed tools, and referring them to appropriate services as needed.
– Providing them with basic necessities such as food, water, clothing, hygiene items, and blankets, as well as harm reduction supplies such as needles, and naloxone kits.
– Educating them about their rights, entitlements, and available resources in the community, and assisting them with obtaining identification documents, benefits, housing applications, and legal aid.
– Collaborating with other service providers such as shelters, health clinics, mental health agencies, substance abuse programs, and police to coordinate care and ensure continuity of services.
– Advocating for systemic changes that address the root causes of homelessness and mental health issues, such as poverty, social exclusion, lack of affordable housing, and inadequate mental health care.

We know that serving our friends with mental health issues living outdoors is not a simple task. It requires patience, perseverance, and empathy. But we also know that it is rewarding and meaningful work. We see the positive impact we make on their lives every day. We see them smile, laugh, and express gratitude. We see them take steps towards recovery and stability. We see them as human beings, not as problems. Serving our friends with mental health issues while living outdoors can be a challenge. But it is also a privilege and an opportunity to make a difference in the world.

Since November 2022, when we launched Life House and welcomed our first resident, we have been witnessing our vision become a reality. It was a remarkable experience to see the impact of our work.

Life House provides four stages of healing and growth, Reset, Restore, Rebuild, and Relaunch, for each resident to progress at their own speed. The journey to health and wholeness is not immediate, but rather a personal journey, requiring a safe place to process and time to self-reflect.

We are proud of our current resident who has been working to adapt and reset her life. Our excellent Advocacy Team has been working to assist her in each new challenge and celebrate with her every personal achievement. Our staff is helping her right now with getting medically stable as well as working with her and a dentist to get her teeth fixed. She is learning how to communicate and live in a family environment.

Our resident is facing a challenging journey of healing and growth in the coming months. She will have to confront her past, examine her beliefs, and reconnect with her feelings. We are proud of her courage and determination to transform her life. She is willing to do the hard work that is required for change.

We are grateful to our Sous Chefs for their generous donations that enable us to offer safety, peace, and support to our residents. You are the ones who make this amazing work possible with your ongoing contributions.

We escaped like a bird from the hunter’s trap, the trap is broken, and we are free.

(Psalm 124:7)

Life House is a branch of the non-profit, In My Father’s Kitchen. We work with courts and law enforcement to provide a residential program for women 21 and older who have experienced the trauma of human trafficking. Our program helps them heal from their trauma and rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. We depend on the generosity of people like you to sustain our vital work and provide quality care to our residents. By becoming a monthly supporter, you can help us make a lasting difference in the lives of victims of human trafficking.

Please click the link below to join our community of compassionate donors and see the impact of your gift. Thank you for your kindness and support.

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At Imfk, we are passionate about serving our friends experiencing homelessness. Here is a photo of Alida, our IMFK Care-Manager, who was helping a Hire Ground crew participant with his foot problems. Alida washed his feet and helped him get in touch with Doctor Lehmann from Housecalls to the Homeless (H4H). Meanwhile, our outreach team was exploring a new campsite in the woods. It was an amazing sight, but also a sad reminder that no one should have to live like this. They deserve to be safe and warm and use their creativity for other purposes. IMFK is always thinking outside the box, so we can’t wait to meet our new friend and assist him into safe housing. Whether it’s supporting friends on a work van or finding new friends outdoors, IMFK will always be there for those who feel invisible, thanks to your support.

We are thrilled to share some amazing news with you as we enter the New Year of 2024. Six of our friends who are experiencing homelessness have been matched to Permanent Supportive Housing! JD and Eliesha (IMFK care managers) have been working hard to help our friends get to their appointments. Street Outreach is more than providing food and supplies to our friends, it’s about connecting them with service providers that can help them achieve a brighter future! The food and supplies are essential tools that enable us to build deep relationships with our friends outdoors. Just like you, our Sous Chefs, your partnership is a powerful tool that allows this mission to continue in our community! Once our friends move from the streets to housing, our care manager teams increase their efforts to coach our friends on how to live safely and comfortably in their own HOME. We provide them with groceries from our wonderful partners at Abundant Life Church, as well as microwaves, coffee makers, dishes, cups, shower rods, and curtains. These are some items that many of us may not appreciate enough, but to our friends, they are priceless gifts. Thank you for your incredible support in 2023 and we look forward to your continued generosity in 2024!

Together we are Building Hope and Changing Lives, We are YOUR Hands extended to those who Feel INVISIBLE!