We can change the world. If we make one person’s life better, we have made the world a better place. Its the star fish principle. The media doesn’t spotlight simple, practical solutions because the media wants hype and drama. This is a drama-free solution, but what an amazing difference it would make to someone struggling to find meaning and value in their life.
Homes and Havens
Having a safe and restful sanctuary is critical to good mental and physical health. Its a simple idea – go in and decorate a living space for a person recovering from trauma so they feel like they have a home. Homes and Haves describe the work they do as: “We partner with local ministries that are helping women overcome abuse, addiction, homelessness, sex trafficking, and incarceration by helping furnish and decorate their new living spaces after graduating local programs. We design each space to be therapeutic and healing.”
A volunteer’s story of her experience said she was expecting the usual dismal, bland furnishings that people usually give away for free. Something so worn out it couldn’t be sold on e-bay. Something with no value left so its given to charity. But instead she found Homes and Haven were providing lightly used furnishings, and using quality, cheerful paint to fix them up.
She found Homes and Haven operate on a principle all of us know: “The message: this furniture was to show women that they were worth something really nice. Surroundings could boost their self-esteem. As a volunteer, I did not merely take something substandard and make it satisfactory. No, I actually helped to create something beautiful which these women so heartily deserve.”
I would love to see this happening in every community.
