From the CEO - A Time for Celebration & Reflection

2022 Memorial Service remembering our neighbors who passed away

Dear Friend:

There is much to celebrate in June, as we mark the true start of summer. It also is a time to celebrate Pride Month and Juneteenth.

But we also mark solemn moments of reflection. The Juneteenth national holiday surely is cause for joyful celebration. It also is an important opportunity to learn and to gain a deeper understanding of how far we still must go to dismantle the systemic racism that affects the Black community. Challenges also remain in terms of creating an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment for the LGBTQ+ community.

An additional cause for solemnity was a service honoring the memory of 60 members of our community who experienced homelessness and passed away over the past year. Alongside our partners in Montgomery County – governmental and political leaders, and service providers - our staff members shared beautiful details about each person who had been served by Interfaith Works. These included their love of family, their personalities, their hobbies, and the impact they had in their communities.

This event, sadly, is an annual one. It underscores the undeniable fact that experiencing homelessness takes a tremendous toll on people’s health. This is particularly true against the backdrop of the pandemic. Housing is indeed health care.

We draw solace from the knowledge that all whom we remembered were either housed or engaged with Interfaith Works and other community partners to get the help they needed. But we also look forward to the day when this annual ceremony is no longer needed.

We will remember you, Aliya, Blanca, Jose, Lilly, Mary, Mikey, and Tuan. I invite you to learn more about each one of them here.

With your faithful support, we continue striving to provide the vital programs needed to meet the needs of our neighbors and help them move forward on pathways to stability.

 With gratitude,

Courtney Hall

CEO