Meet The Family: Sarah Dixon

Sarah Dixon started out as a board member of Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels in 2013 soon after they had their first guests. She now serves as the Executive Director.

Sarah says it is hard for her to pick just one thing that she loves about FPGNB. Here are a few of the things she loves.

She loves being able to see people changing their lives.

“Our families work so hard to turn things around and when they reach their goals and see how far they have come, it’s a blessing to witness.”

Sarah loves the simple act of sharing a meal with a stranger and how that can start a relationship that strengthens both people. She also loves that the most vulnerable people, the children that go through the program, can look back at that time in their lives and remember happiness, friendships, being a part of a big family for a while. And, Sarah Dixon loves seeing the entire community come together for the most fundamental purpose: to support each other in a time of crisis. That is what makes this a community where she wants to live.

As FPGNB continues to grow, she would like to see a team of Family Promise Ambassadors who go out into the community and share the story of what Family Promise does.

“If more people take the time to think about the needs of others and the small ways we can all help, we can make a big impact for generations to come.”

Sarah says she is really proud of how everyone involved in FPGNB has stuck together during the pandemic. It hasn’t been easy, but FPGNB is still serving families, keeping them from being homeless, and giving them the tools to make things better for tomorrow, whatever that looks like.

What are you grateful for this year? Be sure to add THIS to your list.

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a unique year. As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, many of us will be reflecting on the things we are grateful for. There is a good chance that our list of gratitudes will be a little different this year.

I know my list will have some new items. For example, this year I am extra grateful for hugs. Or seeing a friend or loved one or even a colleague in person rather than on a video call. I am more grateful than ever for good health and when I pray for the health of those I love, it has a little more punch in the midst of a pandemic.

As you are making your list of things you are thankful for, I challenge you to add one more thing to it. And that is: The ability to sleep in your own bed.

Having a bed of your own is one of those things that is easy to take for granted.

Here is a sobering number.

In Comal County last school year, over 600 children were identified by the school district as being homeless or “home insecure.” This means that they do not have a stable, permanent home and, in most cases, they do not have a bed to call their own.

For many of us, the word "homeless" conjures up an image of a single adult sleeping under a bridge — desperate people living on the street. And while a few kids may find themselves in that scenario, the overwhelming number of children classified as homeless aren't living under bridges. Instead, their families are enduring periods of unstable housing. This looks different for every family but usually involves some version of moving from place to place, sleeping in motels, emergency shelters, cars, houses of relatives or friends, and so on.

Regardless of the details, experts agree that unstable housing often has serious consequences for kids.

"Homelessness is devastating to all aspects of child development," says Barbara Duffield, the executive director of SchoolHouse Connection, a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., that studies homelessness and education.

It is tempting to turn a blind eye and tell ourselves that homelessness is not a problem in New Braunfels.

The truth is, it is here. Especially as we realize the impact COVID has had and continues to have on our local economy. Many families in our community have lost income, jobs, and housing.

Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels works very hard with local families to address the challenges of homelessness in the following ways:

First, we have our prevention program. If we are able to connect with a family before they fall into homelessness we can often assist them and help keep them in their home. This has become especially important during COVID when our ability to shelter families has been significantly reduced.

Next, we continue to shelter families who qualify for our program. We help them meet goals so that when they move into their own affordable housing, they are able to sustain long term independence.

Finally, we support families as they learn to build savings, manage budgets, sustain employment and generally make life work. Our program is very successful helping families make amazing, transformational changes in their lives.

Our ultimate goal is for every kid in our area to have a bed that is their own. We want every child in our community to be able to say, “I am grateful to sleep in my own bed.”

As this tumultuous year comes to an end, there is a lot to be grateful for including your bed as you snuggle in each night. Consider offering a prayer and/or a donation for those who find themselves without a bed to call their own.

The Gift of a Donated Vehicle

In many parts of the world, a car is a luxury item. However, in our little corner of the world, it is extremely difficult for a family to manage life without a car.

In more metropolitan areas, of course, public transportation is available. But in New Braunfels, not so much. A single person who lives close to their work and the grocery store could probably manage on foot or with a bike. The needs of a family are many and a car is an important part of establishing sustained independence.

Often, obtaining a car is one of the more difficult obstacles for a family to overcome when lifting themselves out of crisis and homelessness.

In order to keep a decent job, get kids to and from school/daycare, do the grocery shopping, go to appointments, and all the other things that families do every day to keep the wheels turning on their lives - a car is essential.

Sometimes families come to us with a car. Sometimes they have a car but cannot afford repairs. When that is the case we can usually assist with repair costs or, at least, help them figure out how to get their car fixed.

Many times for a variety of reasons, families who are working toward graduation do not have a car or do not have hope of buying one. And, in order to graduate from the Family Promise program, a transportation plan is one of the goals that must be met.

One of the greatest ways to support Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels and one of the biggest gifts you could give a family is to donate a gently used vehicle.

The process is simple.

First, call us. We will have a brief conversation about your vehicle to determine if it would be a good fit for donation.

Then, once we decide to move forward, you take the vehicle to Christian Brothers Automotive for a free assessment.

They will thoroughly inspect the car and determine what the cost might be for updates or repairs. Christian Brothers will call FPGNB to give us the estimate (since we would cover the cost to get the vehicle in good working condition). We will determine if it is a vehicle we can accept. If it is, then you will transfer the title of the car to Family Promise and we will get you all the paperwork needed to be able to make a deduction on your taxes.

We will then match the vehicle to a worthy family.

As the year is coming to a close, consider donating a vehicle to Family Promise of Greater New Braunfels. This tax-deductible gift can have such a big and positive impact in the life of a family.