Taking Action and Making a Difference
More than 20 years ago, our book club stirred more than a discussion after reading Barbara Ehrenreich’s Nickel and Dimed: On Getting By in America. We took action to help those families in Howard County who are facing eviction stay in their homes. We’ve all been there – unexpected car repairs, family member needs a place to stay, emergency medical expense. While many families can swing these added expenses, many cannot. Sometimes one unexpected expense starts a downward spiral that just gets deeper and deeper. That’s where we wanted to help.
Our initial goal was small – maybe 1-2 families a year. We weren’t wealthy, but we were living good lives, in a home we owned. But we also knew we were extremely lucky, blessed, whatever you wanted to call it. Some people we interacted with daily were not so lucky – those who trimmed our hair and nails, workers at the supermarkets, fast food restaurants. How do they get by, other than by working one or two jobs (or three) to make ends meet? And when that $1,000 car repair hits, or injury prevents you from doing your job? But sometimes that’s STILL not enough to get them over the hole they find themselves in.
Fast forward 20 years, and thanks to our network of family and friends, and others that have been inspired to give, we have managed to help hundreds of families stay together in their homes. In our last fiscal year we assisted 15 families, with an average amount of $3,156. Yes, our name, One Month’s Rent, is not as realistic these days, as people often need more than just one month.
Some of our policies: We never solicit more than once a year (we ALL hate getting those emails and letters from charities weekly/monthly. Can’t they spend their donations better?) ALL of your donation goes to help those in need. Fees are a pain, but our donors are special. This has been our policy before online donations became popular, and we’re sticking with it. (A special thanks to those who cover their own fees).
We put together an annual newsletter. Feel free to check out our most recent from last year https://onemonthsrent.org/2024-newsletter/.
If you’re interested in learning more about the work we do, check out the newsletter, our website at onemonthsrent.org, and/or follow us on Facebook, @onemonthsrent. Donations always welcome and put to good use to help those who need it.