Relief And Hope During Stressful Seasons: Community Members Share What SPAN Means To Them

SPAN is… where my family, church and workplace come together to make a difference.

SPAN is… where my donation helps a family down the road.

SPAN is… where our scout group helps local families.

SPAN is… the first Turkey Trot 5K I ran.

SPAN is… where our community shows up for one another.

SPAN is… where our school’s food drive becomes meals for local families.

SPAN is… where our neighborhood comes together to make Christmas brighter for children.

SPAN is… one way that members of our community care for one another.

I love hearing the many connections people have with SPAN. Sometimes it is from helping the community through their church, collecting food and money with their neighborhood, or seeing the giant macaroni and cheese and Cheerios boxes in the Fourth of July parade – and sometimes it is a combination of memories and experiences.

Most of my conversations about SPAN are with our generous community members. Recently I asked some of our clients what SPAN means to them.

Several of them spoke about how SPAN helped when they really needed it, helping them fill in the space when work was slow or they were between jobs.

One shared, “SPAN felt like a little bit of a shoulder to lean on when I’m in a bind.”

The importance of relief and hope during a stressful time was reiterated. “Sometimes just knowing that there are people and organizations willing to help makes a huge difference. When you’re already dealing with difficult circumstances, being treated with compassion means more than people realize.”

Many of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck and earn just enough to cover basic needs. An unexpected expense can quickly make a difficult situation worse. SPAN’s support can provide a meaningful bridge during those times, helping people get back on their feet and move forward.

As one client put it, the assistance “helped take some of the pressure off of me and allowed me to focus on getting things back in order instead of constantly worrying about how I was going to make everything work.”

A common theme in my conversations with both donors and clients is that any of us may need help at some point. “Sometimes people are doing everything they can and still fall on hard times. Having somewhere to turn that offers support with dignity and compassion can make the difference between someone feeling hopeless and feeling like they can keep going. I’m grateful that SPAN is there for families who need that extra help,” another client shared.

Occasionally, I run into SPAN clients in my day-to-day life. It’s a wonderful reminder that SPAN truly is a local organization and that sometimes a little extra help is what makes it possible for a family to keep moving forward.

In the words of another client, “SPAN has helped my kids thrive. To the donors, what you are doing truly makes a difference. It may seem like a donation, a few hours of volunteering, food or financial assistance to you, but to the family receiving it, it can mean keeping the lights on, having food in the house, staying in their home, or simply being able to breathe for a moment.”

One of the events SPAN is known for, the Turkey Trot, is coming up on Saturday, November 7, at Kinder Farm Park. Choose between a timed 5K and a fun one-mile option. Group pricing is available, so gather your friends, sign up, and enjoy a fun morning together.