Newsletter, Fall 2015

Mamma’s Hands
Fall 2015
Here’s to 25 Years & New Adventures!
2015 marks the 25th Anniversary of the miraculous journey of Mamma’s Hands. It’s been an
incredibly wonderful, challenging, heartwarming, exhausting, rewarding, and blessed quarter century
for us — something we are so grateful to have been a part of on the front lines, along with the many
individuals who been an integral part of the journey.
We want to assure you that Mamma’s Hands will always be in our lives, and that we will be back
before long. In the meantime, we are embarking on a new adventure! With much enthusiasm and
anticipation, we begin a 1-year mission with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Having felt great joy in serving others as the founders of Mamma’s Hands, we are excited to
devote our time, attention, and efforts to helping those we are called to serve. This was a decision
made close to our hearts. Taking time away from family and friends will be difficult, but we feel we
have much yet to give. It is a yearning that we both have always felt, and we hope to come home
with a new perspective and a greater sense of purpose and joy in our lives.
While we’re away, Mamma’s Hands will continue to prosper under the guidance of our wise and
compassionate Board, our Executive Director, Amy Hardebeck, and a valued staff. We are so very
grateful to everyone who has given Mamma’s Hands their generous and invaluable support, and we
hope you will all continue to be a part of helping Mamma’s Hands to help those in need.
With love & gratitude, Denny & Leslie Hancock
Inside This Edition
From the Founder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A Tribute to Our Founders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
From Our Executive Director / Get Involved! . . . 4
_
HOUSE of HOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Volunteer Spotlight / Phone Home Program . . . . 8-9
Auction! / Kind Hearts & Helping Hands . . . . 10-11
From the Founder
I am Inspired Every Day
by the Families at the HOUSE of HOPE!
I
have always cherished my “Uncle Denny” status among the families at the
HOUSE of HOPE. I know I have been blessed to be par t of these families’
lives. I truly do love these families from the moment they become part of my life.
Many families come to us battered and bruised, with children so deeply scarred by physical,
psychological and sexual abuse that you wonder how they can keep from just giving up. Many
come to us with the mother fighting to leave the temptations of drugs and alcohol, and the
children trying to figure out what school grade they should be in. And many of the families that
come to us are on the verge of being split apart.
Sometimes it’s hard not to judge the women for the poor decisions they’ve made in the past, but
it’s easy to find joy in the fact that they recognize their mistakes and want to know how to make
things right. You witness the mothers trying to do right by their children, and you see the children
reaching out for their mothers, and it helps you to understand how much we need each other —
how strong a force love really is.
When I see these families struggling to stay together, I am always reminded of what is really
important. At the HOUSE of HOPE we give them Hope, and the appreciation the mothers have
for their ability to keep their children is often shown with tears of joy and gratitude.
Some of the children’s prayers are so deeply touching. They pray for things and are thankful for
things that I grew up taking for granted. A 4-year-old praying for food for Christmas, another
little boy praying, “Please God, don’t let them take my Mommy away.”
I am inspired every day by the courage women in crisis demonstrate as they struggle to rebuild
their lives. When we started out, we thought if we could just help one woman and her children, it
would be worth the effort. Since 1995, the HOUSE of HOPE has helped hundreds of women get
their lives back together and to hold on to their families.
Thank you for being an important part of the Miracle That Hope Brings !
In gratitude and appreciation of your incredible support of our programs,
- Denny Hancock, Founder
Page 2
A Tribute to Our Founders
25 years ago, Denny & Leslie Hancock loaded their five
young children into a converted carpet van and took to the
streets of Seattle to feed the homeless. The result was the founding of Mamma’s
Hands, and the beginning of something unique, special, and very important.
In 1995, they opened their first HOUSE of HOPE, they built a second House in 2004,
and opened a third a few years later. The street program still takes volunteers out to
interact and aid the homeless each week, and the HOUSE of HOPE program has
helped hundreds of women with children to overcome crisis and rebuild their lives.
Denny & Leslie would say that the success of Mamma’s Hands is due to the many
people who have volunteered, donated, and supported the program these many years.
And while that is certainly true, no doubt any one of Mamma’s Hands’ supporters
would name Denny & Leslie’s unwavering devotion, belief, and infectious enthusiasm
and optimism as the driving force behind their own participation.
We wish them every success on their 1-year mission. We know that wherever they are,
they will be fully involved in helping others to find their way. We will miss them and
are excited for their return. (They remain on our Board of Directors)
In their absence, we will continue to guide Mamma’s Hands to be the success and the
recognized and vital resource it has been in the local community for 25 years.
We Thank You in advance for your continued support!
The Board of Directors of Mamma’s Hands,
Jon Rands,Chairman
Jerry Carlson
Lori Krueger
Ed Mobley
Becky Rands
Mark Sanelli
_
Page 3
Warm Gratitude from Our
Executive Director
On
a weekly basis, I receive emails, texts, and phone calls from businesses,
organizations, and individuals wanting to volunteer their time, donate goods and/or
services, or just to ask how they can help.
As a small non-profit organization, Mamma’s Hands relies heavily on volunteers and
donations to maintain our operations. We are experts at providing a safe, happy, and
loving living environment for homeless individuals in Seattle and for our mothers and
children, on a shoestring budget! Counseling, progress, goal attainment, and ultimately
graduation of our HOUSE of HOPE residents, is our destination. It is our mission to
help them become self-sufficient, productive members of society, and our standards
and expectations are the highest to that end.
My unending and eternal gratitude to those who reach out to us wanting to help; you
are the change-makers, and without you we simply could not fulfill our mission.
Thank You!
We Need You! . . . Getting Involved
♥ To get involved with Mamma’s Hands, please check our GET INVOLVED tab
on our website regularly for new opportunities: www.mammashands.org.
♥ LIKE Us on Facebook for quick volunteer sign-ups
♥ Email: [email protected], and let us know how you’d like to help!
♥ See the Wish List for the HOUSE of HOPE on the back cover & on our website
♥ Maximize Your Donation: Do you have a Matching Gifts Progr am at wor k?
Page 4
HOUSE of HOPE
Back in a Real Home at Last!
M
elissa and her 6-year-old son came to us in July. Our Program Director, Jodie,
had learned that a homeless women was watching over her son as he slept on
the chairs at the Starbucks. Within 2 hours, Melissa and her son were at the
HOUSE of HOPE, each with a backpack holding everything they owned.
Jodie had immediately sought out the homeless woman, and in talking with her, quickly assessed that she
would be a good fit for our HOUSE of HOPE program — Melissa was clearly a caring mother committed
to finding a path to a better life for herself and her son.
For many years, Melissa and her son lived in a nice apartment. In her spare time, she worked with many in
crisis, helping them to find necessary resources and offering them a meal. Suddenly her situation changed.
Under new landlords, her apartment would no longer be available — in an instant, they were homeless.
She found herself on the other side of the dire situation she had helped so many others deal with for years.
Melissa was overjoyed to arrive at the HOUSE of HOPE. To everyone’s delight, her young son who had
been holding tightly to his mother and his toy truck, began playing with the other children right away.
After almost a year of being homeless, Melissa was visibly grateful as she saw where they would sleep,
their own bathroom, and the loving, family-oriented house that would put them back in a real home at last.
Melissa keeps everyone at the house laughing with her incredibly
joyous personality and keen wit. Her son starts 1st grade this year,
and Melissa, who has an engineering degree, is working hard to
build a future for both of them.
She is a smart lady who just needed someone to help her to regain
her dignity and give her a fresh start. We know she is going to do
great things . . . she already is! ♥
The day Melissa and her son arrived at the HOUSE of HOPE,
Seattle Councilwoman Kathy Lambert was visiting to see
the King County Metro Van that she helped to have donated.
She was thrilled to witness our program in action!
Melissa and her son at
the HOUSE of HOPE
If you would like to see firsthand what we’re doing to assist the
families at the HOUSE of HOPE, or witness our Phone Home
program in action, please let us know!
At the HOUSE of HOPE, we give families Hope.
_
- Denny Hancock, Founder
Page 5
HOUSE of HOPE
“The HOUSE of HOPE Saved My Life!”
A
s we celebrate 25 years of Mamma’s Hands, we were absolutely thrilled to hear
from a HOUSE of HOPE graduate this summer!
“Shelly” lived at HOUSE of HOPE with her 3-year-old daughter 10+ years ago. She had come from
a horrific abuse situation where at one point her husband held a gun to her head and threatened to kill
her. Fortunately, she went to DSHS where they put her in touch with the HOUSE of HOPE.
In recalling those days, Shelly said, “You get in such a dark place that you don’t even see God. The
HOUSE of HOPE saved my life! It’s hard to put into words, but I think the HOUSE of HOPE is the nicest
place on earth. I didn’t ever really know God loved me until I lived at your house.”
“After the counseling I received at the HOUSE of HOPE, I got down on my knees and wrote down exactly
what I wanted in a man. I have now been married to that man for almost 10 years, and am about to be a
stay-at-home mom.” ♥
Thank You for helping deserving Moms like Shelly!
Early Neglect Affects Brain Development
R
ecent studies comparing the brain size and formation of a well-loved child to that
of a neglected child show that if a child is neglected within their first 2 years they
actually suffer irreversible brain damage.
In studies of 3-year-olds, neurologists discovered a remarkable and shocking fact: the brain of a neglected
child is smaller and lacks some fundamental areas of development, while the child with a more fully developed brain was cherished by a mother who was constantly and fully responsive to her baby. The difference
in brain development is the result of an infant’s interaction with the main caregiver (usually the mother).
The damage caused by neglect and other forms of abuse comes by degrees: the more severe the neglect, the
greater the damage. 80% of brain cells that a person will ever have are manufactured during the first 2 years
after birth. If the process of building brain cells and connections between them goes wrong, the deficits are
permanent. Parents who were neglected themselves often neglect their own children, furthering a cycle of
deprivation across generations of a family. (Excerpts from an article in The Telegraph, UK)
At the HOUSE of HOPE, we are sometimes fortunate enough to have a mother with a newborn, and
are able to guide the mother’s parenting in a positive direction from the beginning. For others, when parenting is an issue, we are able to assist the mother with parenting classes, counseling and guidance. Also, as her
own self-esteem recovers, she is better equipped to nurture her children, resulting in an all-around positive
outcome for the mother and her children. ♥
Page 6
HOUSE of HOPE
“Mamma, Are We Lost?”
M
ichelle came to HOUSE of HOPE as a 4-year-old. She and her
Mom, Linda, had been living in a car. Now a remarkable young woman, Michelle
shared her story at our 2015 Auction, and we share it here.
“Mamma, are we lost?”
“No sweetie, I don’t think we’re lost anymore.”
“I can still hear the crunch of the tires as my mom’s ‘85 Blazer moved up the driveway. A soft glow was
coming from the house and women were standing out front waving. With my 4-year-old face pressed
against the glass, I waved back. We were greeted with hugs, and I didn’t quite know it at the time, but
this was going to be home.
For the first year, my mom and I lived as residents while she got back on her feet, away from the streets
of Renton, the drugs, the bad influences — and I made more friends than any kid can imagine. Every day,
I was outside playing in the trees, and as the outgoing kid that I was, I was leading the pack.
After a year of living at the house filled with hope that I had come to love, Denny offered my mom the
position of resident manager. For the next 4 years we lived onsite, my mom working hard and me enjoying every second. I remember a little girl with curly blond hair that I watched Monsters Inc. with an infinite number of times. I remember Christmas morning, seeing presents piled 4 feet high, one woman’s
fantastic fried chicken that I would beg for, a 5-day power outage when I huddled by the fireplace,
soccer, Girl Scouts, and the endless forts we built — all made possible by the HOUSE of HOPE.
Ultimately, because of my unique childhood at HOUSE of HOPE, I became the person I am today.
It was there that I came to love music, in piano lessons and Uncle Denny’s songs.
It was there that I came to excel in school and value the importance of an education.
It was there that I came to value life and the ups and downs that come with it.
And it was there that I came to understand that the world is not black & white, that people are not good
or bad, but some are just unlucky, and some just need to be shown kindness.
Today, I play the trumpet, work at the local train depot, baby-sit, volunteer, and plan to go to college to
become a social worker so I can help people the same way that Denny and the HOUSE of HOPE helped
me. Who knows where my mom and I would be if we had continued staying on friends’ couches, and
worse, living in a car. Instead we came upon a true blessing of love and kindness, one that inspires me to
be a better person every day.” Thank you. - Michelle
Denny Receives a Special Text (Sept. 2015): “Hey Uncle Denny! I just realized that 12 years
ago I got on the school bus for my first day of kindergarten from the HOH, and this year
is my last year of school (before college, of course). All those years ago, and God only
knows where I would be now if it weren’t for you and everything you’ve done for my
mom and I. Thank you, Michelle” ♥
_
Page 7
Phone Home Program
Volunteer Spotlight
K
elly Trsek is a Super-Star Volunteer!
As a high school student, she earned the
Mamma’s Hands’ “Gregory Award for
Outstanding Service” for her exemplary and
tireless dedication to helping the homeless on
the streets with our Phone Home program.
We missed her as she went off to her college years —
but she is back, and out there with us every week!
James with Volunteer Kelly Trsek
James, a homeless per son we’ve come to know well, shared his thoughts about Kelly:
“Kelly came to me 3 years ago, sitting on that bench. Kelly sat down and talked to me. She wouldn’t
leave. I know she’s always late getting back on the bus! But she wouldn’t leave, and she inspired me.
She inspired me with the right things. That’s a blessing.
Kelly is a most beautiful, intelligent person. She stays with us. She helps these people out here.
God gave us a gift, and she’s the gift.” ♥
Kelly says: “The men and women I meet on the streets of Seattle are the reason I am involved with
Mamma's Hands. This is a beautiful organization that gives assistance to those in need, but our visits to
Seattle are much more of an exchange. I am continuously inspired by the men and women I have had
the privilege to get to know. I have listened to their truths, their struggles, their triumphs and their
goals. Listening to their stories has allowed me to expand my own understanding of the world we live
in and for that I am forever indebted to them. Too often the homeless men and women are regarded
as a homogeneous population, but my experience with Mamma's Hands has shown me that this is the
exact opposite. I am excited to take on a larger role in this organization, in the hopes that others can
also learn from the wisdom of these men and women.” ♥
At Mamma’s Hands, we are grateful to have Kelly
on our team. She is truly an inspiration to us all.
Thank you, Kelly!
Our THANKS to ALL of our
Phone Home VOLUNTEERS!
Page 8
Phone Home Program
Helps Cardell ♥
A
s a young teen, I was diagnosed with bi-polar and other mental disorders, and received
some support from the state. I was able to keep going to school while working part-time.
In 2005, my family moved from Seattle to Texas. I chose to stay in Seattle and because I was
only 17, I had to go to a group home. At 18, I had to find a different place to live, and I spent
a lot of time couch surfing. I had to give up high school so I could work more to pay rent.
Since then, I have worked on and off, but am now without a job, and the assistance I received
from the state has ended. For the first time, I am really struggling to get by.
My father in Texas has now been diagnosed with cancer, and I am very concerned for him.
It has been many years since I’ve been with my family. I love Seattle, but if I can get to Texas
to my family, with their help I can return to school and get my life started back in the right
direction. I would be so grateful for any help you can grant me to go to my family in Texas.
Cardell Brady
Mamma’s Hands saw in Cardell a sincere young man who truly wanted to get back into
the arms of his family, and to work at getting his life back on track. His desire to return to
school and work towards a productive life inspired us, and our Phone Home program was
able to help him on his way! - Denny Hancock
Did You Know?
♥ Since 1990, Mamma’s Hands’ Phone Home program has r eached out to the homeless on the
streets of Seattle, helping to reunite hundreds of lost souls with their families across the USA.
♥ Each week the Mamma’s Hands’ Bus takes volunteers to offer food and blankets and to interact
with the homeless, with the goal of extending to them a cell callBig
to re-connect
loved ones.
Rockwith
Youth
♥ Going Home: For those who want to make a positive change — leave the streets and return to their
family — Mamma’s Hands partners with their family to send them home. Our program has sent
hundreds of homeless individuals back to their families to regain their hope of a productive life.
♥ The Value of Reaching Out: Our Phone Home program has shown hundreds of youth and adult
volunteers the value and joy of reaching out and making a difference in the lives of those in need.
JOIN US on the Bus Wednesday Evenings!
_
Check it out: www.mammashands.org
Page 9
Auction 2015: Remembering Yesterday, Reaching for Tomorrow —
Celebrating 25 Years!
All-Star Auction Committee!
Genie Benson
Jerry & Nichole Carlson
Denny & Leslie Hancock
Amy Hardebeck
Lori Krueger
Amy McOmber
Laurie McQueen
Denise Mitchell
Ed Mobley
Ron Poborsky
Jon & Becky Rands
Lisa Sharp
Toni Thorley
Reggie Woods
♥
Thank You!
To Our Auction Sponsors
GIFT of HOPE Sponsors
Crystal Springs Foundation &
Mike & Joyce Murray
Esterline Corporation &
Al & Stacey Yost
25th Anniversary
Airline Sponsor
Delta Air Lines
HOUSE of HOPE Sponsor
Clark Nuber PS
All-Star Youth Volunteers!
Emily Angell
Taryn Bailey
Tess Bailey
Sabrina Barrios
Kylee Brusco
Anna Carlson
Jordan Carlson
Robbie Carter
Jahden Flaker
Alyssa Garding
Eli Gomez
Jordan Haverland
Chris Hill
Lauren Holden
Caitlin Johnson
Stephanie Johnson
Sarah Kime
Sandra Lopez
David Manning
Heather McOmber
Romney Noel
Kari Patterson
Mackenzie Rands
Mercedes Rogers
John Salurero
Martha Shepard
Cameron Unson
Maddie Williams
♥
Page 10
Phone Home Sponsors
Caliber Home Loans &
Ron Poborsky
JPMorgan Chase
Puget Sound Energy
Table Sponsors
Absolute Mortgage
Absolute Return Solutions, Inc.
Caliber Home Loans & Cory Flynn
Robb & Bess Carter
Ernst & Young LLP
Denny & Leslie Hancock
Hitachi Consulting
Perkins Coie Law Firm &
Perkins Coie Foundation
Private Advisory Group
Jon & Becky Rands
Greg & Katelyn Shriber
Marilyn Victor
Reggie & Michelle Woods
♥
Our Heartfelt Thank You!
to ALL of our
♥ Auction Attendees ♥
Photos (from Top): Robb & Bess Carter, Patrick Crowthers & Guest, Leighsa Francis & Guest, Howard & Amy McOmber, Reggie & Michelle Woods
Kind Hearts & Helping Hands!
Windermere Realty Service Day
Our Thank You! to the people of Windermere Bellevue South who once again spent
their annual Community Service Day working hard at the HOUSE of HOPE!
They installed security systems,
cabinetry and shelving, painted,
stained, weeded, mowed, did yard
maintenance, and even found the
time to roof a shed! Whew!
Windermere is celebrating
25 years of helping those
in the Puget Sound area!
♥ You are All Heroes! ♥
Thank You, Councilwoman Lambert!
Councilwoman Kathy Lambert came out to
HOUSE of HOPE to meet with Executive
Director Amy Hardebeck, Program Director
Jodie Cetnar and some of our residents, as
we showed off our Chevy Uplander minivan
she helped us to receive through KC Metro.
Thank you, Councilwoman Lambert!
We are eternally grateful for your generosity!
_
Thank You!
to the Thompson
Family—
Keith & Beverly,
Todd & Lori ,
who have donated
Harley-Davidson
motorcycles to our
Auction since our
earliest days.
We are so grateful
for your
AWESOME Support
all these years!
Page 11
Presorted
Standard
US Postage
PAID
Seattle WA
Permit No. 5544
Mamma’s
Hands
HOPE IN EVERY INDIVIDUAL
PO Box 40464
Bellevue, WA 98015-4464
Return Service Requested
Can You Help?
If so . . .
Please call:
206-915-2073
♥
♥
♥
♥
♥
HOUSE of HOPE
Wish List
Twin sheet sets, twin comforters, pillows
Bath towels, wash cloths, bath mats, shower curtains
Kitchen towels, paper towels
Anti-bacterial wipes, baby wipes, toilet paper, tampons
Full-size shampoo and conditioner
Thank You for Your Support!
Mamma’s Hands, PO Box 40464, Bellevue, WA 98015
www.mammashands.org • 206-915-2073 • [email protected]
501(c)(3) non-profit corporation • WA State Charity Reg. #2820 • EIN 91-1535909