Word On The Street

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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!

A Story Of Hope

IMFK met Nakaa in September of 2022 living in an abandoned building, it was not until March of 2023 that I, Eliesha met her, and our connection was instant. Her birthday is one day after mine, which helped us make that initial connection. Like many friends we serve, Nakaa had braved times without a home and faced substance abuse, but her resilience made her eager to impact positive change and be an example to her community. When I asked her whether she would be willing to stay with one of her children she replied, “I am their mother, I should be taking care of them, not them taking care of me.” Her independence is crystal clear to everyone who knows her. From that point on, Nakaa and IMFK worked intensely with various organizations to better her life. She worked tirelessly no matter how tumultuous the journey often seemed. At the end of July, Nakaa was struck by a vehicle while walking along Old Liverpool Road. CPR was performed, 911 called and the damage to her body was extensive. I visited her often in the hospital to laugh and chat even when she was not able to communicate back. Nakaa is a fighter and day by day her condition improved against all odds, until she was healthy enough to be transferred out of the ICU, defying the very prognosis that was originally given by her team of physicians. Each week, I would visit her, and feel elated by the light I saw in her eyes. Her smile is big and beautiful. Nakaa’s loving family remained at her bedside and we worked conjointly to achieve the outcome we knew Nakaa desired: to be safe and secure. With the help of many thoughtful donations, IMFK was able to support her in her recovery journey by enabling the TV to be turned on for her long stay at the hospital and providing clothing, and shoes, along with some special sweet treats. Most of all we were a supportive presence and advocate when her family was not able to be there. Nakaa is now living with her son out of town advocating for herself and getting better daily. Even though she is no longer on my caseload, we still communicate, and I stay in touch with her family. Nakaa will continue to be an inspiration and example to myself and IMFK of how perseverance can bring about success and healing.

Eliesha (IMFK Care-Manager)

Thank you for your continued support, and for being the fuel that keeps our tanks full. In the New Year please consider becoming a recurring monthly partner or making a bold one-time year-end donation. Together we are Building Hope and Changing Lives

John and Leigh Ann Tumino
Co-Founder, Executive Director
In My Father’s Kitchen
315-529-3640

What a great feeling it is to assist our friends from the streets and into housing! C & H were living outdoors for some time and did everything they needed to get indoors. As Kevin says (IMFK Van Supervisor) “We can help you but you got to put in the footwork”. Well C& H did just the thing! The next step in assisting our friends is filling their fridge and cabinets with groceries provided by our partners at Abundant Life Church and providing the items they may need to make their house a home! It was a wonderful collaborative effort with the Housing and Homeless Coalition of CNY to make this placement possible. The journey from the streets is a process but our friends rose up to every challenge. T

Sous Chefs thank you for your continued support, please consider becoming reoccurring monthly partners or making a one-time year-end donation. Together we are Building Hope and Changing Lives 

John and Leigh Ann 

It was another great day on outreach partnering with Housecalls for the Homeless. We had Julia an MS1 student with Doc Lehmann learning all about compassionate care! Pictured here is Eliesha loving on our friend Sherman and his dog Deago. We will do whatever it takes to show our friends they are not Invisible. With your support, we are able to continue to serve those who feel like no one sees them. Thank YOU for your partnership!