Patty Long lives a life full of service to others. As a Special Education teacher, she is constantly assisting those in need, but her work doesn’t end in the classroom. About three years ago, Patty and her husband Jim, a CPA and financial planner, became Family and Senior Homeless Initiative mentors through their involvement with Cherry Hills Community Church. Through the FSHI program, Patty and other volunteers like her are paired with a homeless family to help provide the first month’s rent and deposit, as well as help them acquire the tools needed to sustain permanent housing.

          “Jim and I have always been impressed and inspired by the great work done at the Denver Rescue Mission, and we try to be involved whether through this program or donating clothes and food. We also think very highly of Mayor Hickenlooper and his plan to end homelessness,” Patty says.

          With the assistance of her husband and fellow FSHI team members Nancy Griebling and Sara Todd, Patty is helping turn the life around of 29-year-old Shanika Neal, a single-mother of two in need of financial stability. Although employed at the time she came to the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative program, Shanika was living with family and friends and was in need of stable housing for herself and her daughters Jordan (7) and Y-Anna (2 months). Both Patty and Shanika admit they were initially unsure of their pairing, but their relationship has grown significantly since Shanika’s entrance into the program almost 10 months ago.

         

"Shanika has a plan for her life, and it's very rewarding to know that we helped her get there," mentor Patty Long says.

“Initially, I just wanted to get into the program so I could get a deposit and first month’s rent for an apartment, and I didn’t want anything to do with the mentor team. My first thought was they would just be a bunch of people who I could never relate to and who would judge me; but they are such awesome people and not at all biased towards me,” Shanika says.

          Patty’s reflection on their relationship is equally as positive. “It wasn’t until a meeting our team had with Shanika recently that I realized how she really felt about us. She told us that, ‘when you get good people in your life, you should keep them,’ and that she wanted to stay in contact with us. That was really heartwarming to hear.”

          Through her work with her mentor team, Shanika has gained valuable financial advice from Patty’s husband Jim, as well as counsel on the importance of education. Although she lost her job in September after a high-risk pregnancy forced her to miss too many days of work, Shanika was able to maintain her housing and now has the tools to have a bright future. She is planning to attend Aurora Community College to prepare for a profession in medical billing and is currently looking for employment. Though the financial and educational advice Shanika received are valuable, she still says that having people like Patty to vent to was her most treasured part of the FSHI program.

          “Sometimes just having someone there to listen to you is the best thing. They didn’t force anything on me, but you just know what kind of good, church-oriented people they are. I would recommend this program to anyone,” Shanika says.

          Shanika is not the only one who has gained a lot from her interaction with her mentors; Patty says the FSHI program has opened her eyes to a whole different world. “I would tell mentors with my background, expect to be surprised with your suburban outlook at how heartbreaking a lot of these families situations are. You have to be willing to just listen, respect them and make sure that you will go the distance. For a lot of these families, we are the only stable adult figures in their life, and that’s something that everyone needs. You can’t get ahead if you can’t get a break.”

          Based on Shanika’s progress, Patty is confident that she will be able to maintain permanent housing for her and her daughters. She says that her mentee is “a very smart, absolutely highly employable young woman,” and she is thrilled to play a part in helping Shanika get back on her feet.

           Of her FSHI experience, Patty reflects, “You think, ‘Yeah, I’m only making a small difference,’ but really, knowing that you are helping a family find secure housing, and how important that is in their life, is extremely rewarding.”

          Thank you to all those like Patty Long and the Cherry Hills Community Church mentor team who help make the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative such a success. Your commitment to restore broken lives is inspiring and greatly appreciated!

By the Numbers