Family Stories

Following Church, in a rush to get home for the playoffs we grabbed a bite to eat on our way to Lowe’s. Little did we know we would be sidelined by a unique homeless man (not asking for help) with a precious Fur Girl, who reminded us of our own Angel (ShyAnn’s Pup). Alex and Alana. The temps in Colorado were dangerously low. It was so cold the police were canvassing the streets in search of homeless people to take them to shelters or motels. By the time we met Alex, the motel vouchers were exhausted. After visiting with him we arranged for Motel 6 and managed to fit his lifetime belongings within a shopping cart in the back or our vehicle for transport. You all managed to provide Alex and his fur baby, 3 nights at a motel. We did all we could do, also providing food and necessities. Sadly, we have lost touch which is a hard reality. Special Appreciation to our Idaho and Colorado donors for your quick and faithful donations.

 

A and her 3 children were introduced to ShyAnn’s Hope in 2018, she is one of our first families. We’ve provided items for back to school and Christmas for several years. Recently, A voiced to us that she would really like to start her own cleaning business but doesn’t know where to start. We are excited to sit down with her and help in any way we can to kick-start her dreams. Our vision has always been to support in any area to help bring opportunity and solutions to be more self-sufficient. “I really appreciate you. You have been very sweet and kind since the day we met, I consider you a friend.” A

During Christmas we received a referral for a family in Pocatello with 6 children who had purchased a sofa from work, only to discover that it had bed bugs, they lost beds and furniture. He had no choice but to scrape up $1500 for a burn exterminator. When we called him, he was almost speechless and probably thought the call was some kind of a scam. Things like this keep us moving forward with faith and hope to meet more families and offer a little relief, solutions, combined with long lasting friendship.

Lara is a hardworking, devoted single mom with two children. Like many, no child support. Even still she has donated numerous items to our ShyAnn’s Hope families. Sadly, during Christmas, due to several unforeseen circumstances, she ended up behind on her car payment and could not find any assistants. Especially, since her job pays too much for any state help, but not enough to make ends meet. Her plates expired, her insurance lapsed, her car was repossessed, and fees on top of fees were tacked on to the past due amounts, including a $400.00 repossession fee. If this wasn’t enough, her washer and dryer died. Together we partnered with other entities and managed to get her back on her feet with blessings for Christmas. Including a gift card for her to shop for herself.

A Sweet Story: For our Fundraiser sale a dear friend donated in excellent condition two North Face Coats with ski pants and gloves (among many other things). I was determined to get top dollar. Late morning a family stopped by except for the 15-year-old daughter who did not speak English. I had $25.00 on each coat, which I felt was fair to dicker with. The lovely young girl brought the coat over and asked what was the lowest I would take. I lowered $5.00, then $10.00, each time she spoke to her mom in Spanish and mom said no. I knew all bets were off as this was something the young girl really wanted but wasn’t likely going to get. Finally, I told her, I didn’t want anything, I just wanted her to have it. I shared about ShyAnn’s Hope and who ShyAnn was and knew my daughter wanted her to have the Coat. She couldn’t believe it and was beyond grateful. Her little brothers who spoke no English were bringing things to me and asking how much? Free I responded. By then I couldn’t hold back the tears and shared about my niece Theresa who died this summer. The young girl, Mazzie asked if she could hug me, of course I said yes. A few minutes later she brought me $5.00 and a chain and asked me to please take them and to think of her when I looked at the chain-Wow. Not only will I think of her, but I will also be praying for God to bless her, protect her, and give her favor with many, many moments with Him.

Lara is a hardworking, devoted single mom with two children. Like many, no child support. Even still she has donated numerous items to our ShyAnn’s Hope families. Sadly, during Christmas, due to several unforeseen circumstances, she ended up behind on her car payment and could not find any assistants. Especially, since her job pays too much for any state help, but not enough to make ends meet. Her plates expired, her insurance lapsed, her car was repossessed, and fees on top of fees were tacked on to the past due amounts, including a $400.00 repossession fee. If this wasn’t enough, her washer and dryer died. Together we partnered with other entities and managed to get her back on her feet with blessings for Christmas. Including a gift card for her to shop for herself. Special Heartfelt Appreciation to Dr. Charlie Wohlwend and Mountain Springs Church.