Home and Community: Reflections of an Avalon Supporter
Judy Carty is a long-time supporter and friend of Avalon Housing. We asked her to jot down some of her thoughts about our organization and our work.
I heard a song on the radio the other day, “Where do you go when you can’t go home?” It made me think of the line in a Robert Frost poem “Home is the place that when you go there they have to take you in.” I can’t imagine not having a place where you would feel welcome and have a family to take you in. And that got me thinking of Avalon Housing.
I first became aware of Avalon Housing a few years ago when I attended one of their fund raisers at the request of my niece who works there. I knew very little about it at the time but what I knew sounded good and I knew my niece. The need for housing for those who are out of most options is critical and seems to be growing by the day. Sometimes the problem seems so huge that we may be tempted to throw up our hands and give up. But that is not the way at Avalon. They started small and after fifteen years have grown from 6 units to 190 units. But what really got to me was the way they created not just a roof over their heads for their tenants but a community and a family. I will never forget the pride that was evident in the faces of the people that I met there. This was theirs and they wanted to show it to me. They not only had a place to live but they had a responsibility to others living with them and a support system to let them know they are not alone.
There are a number of temporary shelters for those in need, but we all need permanency in our lives in order to thrive. This, I think, is the greatest thing about Avalon. It gives a sense of permanency and support like a family would. My hat is off to the staff of Avalon that shows such commitment, perseverance and forward thinking. Now, I guess what they need is for those of us who appreciate what they are doing, to become more active in our support. Then we can truly answer the question in that song. We need to be sure there is a place to go when they can’t go home.
