
400 Letters, One Mission: Making Room for the Families Still Waiting
My wrist hurts—but the families waiting are worth every note and signature.Right now, 2,419 families are on our waiting list at The Store.
That number doesn’t feel abstract to me. It’s not just a data point—it’s a responsibility.
So this week, I sat down and signed over 400 letters, each one with a handwritten note. Each one going out next week with an update on our capital campaign.
It took about a day and a half. And it was a labor of love.
Our staff and volunteers were also a huge help with the stuffing and hand-addressing. As I wrote, I recognized so many names—long-time champions who’ve been with The Store from the very beginning. And new supporters just getting involved. It reminded me: behind every envelope is a person who believes in what we’re building.
And inside each letter is an invitation—to help us make room for the families still waiting.
We’ll also be sharing updates through email in the coming weeks, with blueprints, timelines, and stories of what’s ahead.If one of those messages finds its way into your mailbox or inbox, I hope it stirs something in you.
Not urgency, but clarity.Not pressure, but possibility.
Not just giving, but engagement.
Engagement in a movement where dignity, hope, and choice are the real outcomes—and where 2,000+ families are counting on us to keep going.
With over 2,400 families on The Store’s waiting list, every signature, envelope, and handwritten note becomes more than a task—it becomes a promise. In this behind-the-scenes look, we share how a stack of 400 letters is helping move a capital campaign forward, one personal connection at a time.
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