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To Whom it May Concern
For four years now, we have had the extraordinary opportunity to
become involved with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, and
in particular, The Forum Apartments. The Colorado Coalition for
the Homeless owns The Forum Apartments, and has as its mission to
provide permanent solutions for the homeless. Within that philosophy,
the Forum is an 100 unit apartment building for people who have
been homeless. The purpose of the Forum is to provide subsidized
studio apartments for the homeless. Their mission statement is to
hold a safe space for the formerly homeless to live independently
and maturely, with dignity, in a compassionate atmosphere.
The Chenault Family has taken on providing funding for the Forum
Apartment residents to be able to have traditional Thanksgiving
and Christmas dinners. Everybody gathers in the dining room for
a wonderful, hot, home cooked meal with candles, table linens and
music. It is a time that brings people together and gives everyone
something to be grateful for. Our family helps serve the meals and
we always spend time just sitting and talking with these wonderful
people and walk away even more blessed than when we walked in.
In addition, we gather ALL of our family and friends together a
few weeks before Christmas and put together huge gifts bags for
every one of the Forum residents. They are packed full of essential
toiletries such as soap, shampoo, razors, toilet paper, lotion,
tooth brushes, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, shaving cream,
and other goodies. This year, we were able to put together a ?blanket
drive? and were able to give everyone a brand new blanket or quilt.
We had so many extra that after the 100 residents received one,
we went out to the City Park and gave other homeless people a new
blanket also. Talk about a life changing experience!
We put together the gift bags partly so that each resident will
receive a Christmas present, but also because these people have
very little money that they are able spend on what we would call
essential personal care items. These are items that will last months
and months and are really a luxury for many of the people who live
at the Forum. We assemble the gift bags in a half a day at our home,
with the help of about twenty friends and family. It is a military
operation by now, with an assembly line feel! After that, we load
up the bags into several trucks, (this year we had a trailer to
tote along the blankets), and head to downtown Denver.
With the help of many eager children, we personally deliver each
bag to every resident in the building with a cheery knock on their
door and almost inevitably, followed up by a hug. We are blessed
to say that we have the trust and affection of 100 new friends.
The Forum Apartment project has brought on so much love and support,
that in the year 2003, we will add another endeavor. We will take
on doing the same for another Colorado Coalition building that houses
mentally ill women. We have already been able to supply them with
several new twin beds, and it is only January!
These projects have given us far more than we have put out in time
and money. They have given us those things that are life changing.
The idea of community, the feeling of compassion, the ideals of
respect and tolerance, the gift of love and giving. These are the
most important values we can pass down to our children, and we have
found that not just talking about it, but living our life this way,
has given us so much that we only want to do more!
Youngevity has been so very supportive with our projects
by sending hundreds of boxes of product from nutrition supplements
to personal care items. By being Double Diamonds in Youngevity,
we are able to create financial stability for our family, and, in
return, give even more to our community! Thank you!
Sincerely,
Tom and Denice Chenault
2430 West Long Circle Littleton, CO 80120
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