When You Believe In Home
Donor and Advocate Spotlight. Written by Dylan Novacek, Content Specialist.
“We were in need of more volunteers for hosting at Families Moving Forward (FMF). I brought this cause to my school’s volunteer club,” Anne Guidera, a senior at Orono High School said. “I shared how eye opening this experience was for me. These are real problems that aren’t talked about at school.”
Anne believes in home. As a student leader and emerging advocate, Anne fronts her school’s volunteer club, Youth In Action, among many other activities. Because of her experience volunteering for FMF with her congregation at St. Martin’s By-The-Lake, Anne felt empowered to invest herself in the issue of home.
“It was an awakening to me and my service,” she exclaimed. “I love service, community, and helping my neighbors. I’ve never had a volunteer experience quite like FMF. It’s face to face and centered on working with people. My family values giving back and working as a team with our neighbors.”
Playing with the children in the gym and seeing their smiling faces, Anne fell in love with service. She would describe it as summer camp mixed with babysitting. It was when she sat down with the families at dinner that everything set in.
“Seeing how somber the parents and adults were really resonated with me. The support FMF gives these families is so crucial for them. When I left volunteering that night, I got to go home. I can catch up on homework, sleep in my own bed, and attend my after school activities. These kids at FMF don’t have that home base to go back to. They are constantly on the move and don’t have a stable home.”
For Anne, home is a place where you can go to feel comfortable and welcomed at any time. When she received an unexpected gift, she knew she had to share it with a cause that meant something to her. Although we can’t share our time with families in person due to COVID-19, Anne is proud to support Beacon in anyway she can. Whether it be through connecting her peers to Beacon or educating herself.
“We need more affordable housing,” she continued. “I recently read Evicted. Once you can’t pay your rent on time and get evicted, you’re less likely to get into housing It’s a continuous cycle. Homelessness exists in every community. A lot of the time, the cause of this issue is the lack of awareness.”
Anne has found that once someone knows the weight of this issue, they are more likely to take action alongside her. With her advocacy and gift to Beacon, she is asserting that she values the creation of homes like Prairie Pointe and Emerson Village (pictured left); affordable homes for families with onsite services.
“I am inspired to support Beacon because I know it is the right thing to do,” Anne said with pride. “Being a part of a community is like being on a team. You aren’t a citizen to benefit yourself, but to help everyone else. If you can support Beacon, do it. Anything you can contribute helps our neighbors who need it. This work is so meaningful and valuable.”
Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do at Beacon. With a bright spirit, Anne is glad to advocate for housing stability so all her neighbors can be in a place of wellbeing. Set to attend a four-year college in the fall, Anne hopes to work to be the change she wants to see in the world.
“Families Moving Forward single handedly brought me into this issue,” she said with passion. “My experiences volunteering was so meaningful to me and kept me coming back. I am proud to support Beacon and the vision that all people have a home.”
Anyone can be an advocate for home, it just takes that next step. Learn how you can support our shared Beacon mission by attending Beacon Now: Weekly Virtual Tours. Whether you’re new to Beacon or a seasoned advocate, you will learn the innerworkings of what we do and what it takes to continue to build deeply affordable homes for our neighbors. RSVP today.
