Blankets. Cleaning supplies. Dish cloths. Silverware. For families moving into permanent housing after experiencing homelessness, there are numerous practical items that they need as they settle in.
While these items individually do not represent a huge expense, when combined, they can bust the budget of a family whose finances are already stretched to the breaking point.
That’s why Bremer Bank joined with the United Way this week to pack 600 “Welcome Home” boxes for families transitioning into stable housing as part of its “Home for Good” initiative.
“When the folks open these boxes, we hope they feel that someone, somewhere is thinking about them and pulling for them,” said Justin Butler, Bremer’ Banks executive vice president and chief risk officer. “We want to make those first few nights at home a little easier and more comfortable.”
This week several hundred Bremer Bank employee volunteers left their desks and duties at the bank’s headquarters, branch offices and service center to gather over the course of three days to work in shifts and assemble the kits filled with the household essentials.
“We had representatives from across our organization, from senior executives to our interns,” Butler said. “As as financial institution, we’re in the housing space as a home loan provider. We make mortgages but we also think about housing stability, which is is foundational to supporting thriving communities.”
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, more than a half million people experience unsheltered homelessness every single night. Even when these people find permanent homes, their transition can be precarious.
“The economy is humming, unemployment is low but housing prices keep going up. That’s real,” he said. “When people have to decide between buying food and buying cleaning supplies, that’s really not a choice. With this gift we are hoping a few people won’t have to make that choice on that day. This is not a long term solution to the bigger problem but it is our way of playing our part.”
This is the fourth consecutive year that Bremer has led the Home For Good initiative in collaboration with United Way. The United Way ensures the works with nonprofits and others in the community to identify those who would most benefit from the Welcome Home boxes and ensures that they are delivered to the right people at the right time. Get to the right people. The United Way.