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I was introduced to Family Scholar House over 4 years ago, shortly after moving to Louisville and immediately was inspired by the mission. Since connecting with FSH, I have seen a legacy of strong women connecting and building each other up which extends to our families, staff, and community. It's been such a beautiful and important thing to witness and be a part of. My personal experiences and obstacles both in and out of higher-education have also helped me understand what a huge void FSH fills which is what really drew me to the organization.

I first learned about the Homes for All Americorps program through Family Scholar House. I started as a Response Center Representative at Family Scholar House in August; in my role I mainly worked with community members in need, connecting them to resources and getting them signed up for our program. During a meeting with my supervisor, I mentioned that I wanted to go back to school in the Spring of 2022, but I was worried about how I would manage it financially. She proceeded to tell me about the Americorp program, and the service that I could still do at Family Scholar House while also earning an education award at the end of my service term. It seemed like the perfect solution as it would allow me to keep my connection with Family Scholar House while also furthering my education. From the moment I started at FSH, I knew I was a part of the team but in that moment I realized the staff truly cared about assisting me in reaching my goals too.

As a graduate of Family Scholar House, I have experienced first hand how impactful it is to be a recipient of the Adopt-a-Family program. Not long ago, Family Scholar House staff brought out a cart full of wrapped gifts to my car which allowed me to exhale, let go of the mounting stress and know that my son would have a beautiful Christmas. It was overwhelming to know that someone I have never met took the time to ensure my son and I woke up to a tree surrounded by gifts on Christmas morning.

Our Adopt-A-Family program ensures that Santa finds all the children at Family Scholar House. We have been extremely blessed to have over 300 donors this year, making sure all of our families have a happy holiday. Many of the donors include individuals who once lived with us that have exited the program, achieved self-sufficiency, and are now able to give back.

We start each board meeting hearing from a participant. This provides an opportunity for our board members to interact with individuals we serve and hear how FSH has impacted different families. Earlier this month, Valissa spoke to our members. You don't have to be around Valissa long to know her future is bright. Check out her letter to FSH (and all those that support our mission) below.

Over the years, Family Scholar House has given me more support than I could have ever imagined. From participant to now full-time staff member, I'm grateful for everything that FSH has enabled me to do as a student and mother. Encouraging me to do anything and everything I can put my mind to while taking care of my son.