LETTER FROM A FORMER COTS RESIDENT

Excerpts from a thank you letter to COTS staff from former residents of our Center for Homeless Children and Their Families (names changed):

Dear COTS friends,

Hi everybody, sorry it has taken me so long to write but I never have been much of a one for writing.  Everything is going really great.  Tom loves his job.  The kids are back in school.  Next week I can start job hunting.  Before I turn this letter into a book I have some things that Tom and I would like to say to all of you.  First of all …

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you for your help and understanding when the van broke down on Tom on his way home from work that time, and we couldn’t make the meeting that day, so that we could go get it.  And for always being there if and when we needed you.

Thank you for the Children’s Haven, the kids’ new school clothes, back packs and school supplies.  You really made the kids feel good that first day of school.  Thank you for your special way you have for caring about the kids and everything you do for them.

Thank you all for everything you do and for giving up your nights with your families to stay with the families at COTS.  I know it’s your job but I also know you guys do a lot and put up with a lot for all of the families that come through there, and we just want to make sure you know that we really do appreciate your being there.

Thank you for the cooler, which we are using until we can get a fridge. Thank you, too, for the mandatory savings program, which helped us save enough for our rent through the first month, deposits on our utilities, my care payment, Tom’s student loan, gas for the cars and food for the first month.

Thank you for the workshops at COTS.  I started out thinking I didn’t need the workshops. Through one of the meetings I finally after more than 30 years came to terms with something that happened to me, which I think you know what I am talking about.  For the first time in my life I really opened up and talked about it, which I never thought I could do.  Now, I have even been able to talk to Tom about it and what’s really great is, I feel better about myself.  I don’t feel ashamed to talk about it and even the dreams seem to have finally stopped, or at least for now.

Also, through some of the meetings we found out what is on our credit report, which we are working to clean up so we can buy a house.  We learned what to do, how to act and what landlords are looking for when we are house hunting.  We also learned how to make budgets that work and how to manage our money.  Thank you!

When we first went to COTS we just wanted to get it over with and then forget it ever happened.  Now, we don’t ever want to forget our time there for two reasons.  One, because we believe that is what is going to help make sure we never end up like that again.  Before we just kind of thought it didn’t matter what we did, somehow everything would be okay.  Now we know, everything can only work out only if we work hard and make it work.  Second, we never want to forget all the people, staff and residents.  We made some really good friends that we hope to know for a long time.

For the first time in almost a year, we feel like we are going in the right direction again and this time we know we are going to make it.  We have our own home again, our bills are getting paid and we are starting to pay off our debts.  So, for everything you all do, and for everything you all did for us, there could never be enough or the right words to really express how grateful we are to all of you.

Thank you!

Tom, Mary, Billy, Cindy and Sarah

UPDATE:  Shortly after we received this letter, we got another message from this former COTS family.  They continue to do very well!  Mary is succeeding in a new telemarketing job. They just saved $1500.00 to pay for a car repair.  Their daughters’ birthdays are coming up and for the first time in a long time they will be able to purchase gifts for their children and have special birthday celebrations for them.