SHERIDAN — When transitioning out of homelessness or a domestic violence situation, even a brand-new house or apartment might not feel like home right away.
That’s why Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Bighorns has launched a new program to help local families furnish new homes with furniture and appliances from the Habitat ReStore.
“Even though we’re focused primarily on housing, our overall mission is to see families be supported, happy and healthy, and this program is a way for us to help with that,” Habitat Executive Director Christine Dieterich said. “When you’re in a situation where you’re out of a home very quickly, a lot of stress goes into that, and a new house doesn’t always feel like home right away. That’s what we wanted to help with.”
Habitat’s Fresh Start Fund is unique to Wyoming with the first program launching in Laramie County last year, Dieterich said. The program has since been implemented in a handful of counties including Park, Teton and now Sheridan.
The local program, which is funded through a $5,000 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Caring Foundation, involves providing vouchers to three nonprofits helping families in crisis: the Sheridan Foster Parent Exchange, Advocacy and Resource Center and Compass Center for Families. Each nonprofit partner chooses clients who are in need — particularly those transitioning out of homelessness or domestic violence situations — to receive ReStore vouchers, which can be spent on furniture, appliances and home decor for their new homes.
Carla Trier, executive director of the Sheridan Foster Parent Exchange, said she has had one client family utilize the vouchers since the Fresh Start Fund launched earlier this year. Trier said she typically utilizes vouchers in situations where families are transitioning out of hotel rooms to a home of their own. They can also be used in situations where clients are coming out of drug rehab or are reunifying with their children.
“Once in a while, somebody just needs a little help getting back on their feet, and that’s what the Fresh Start Fund provides,” Trier said.
Trier noted the client family who utilized the Fresh Start Fund also received donations from three other nonprofits and a local school. She said the cooperation of local nonprofits to help families in need was inspiring and helped address needs the Foster Parent Exchange couldn’t handle by itself.
“I think we have to work together, or we won’t be successful in completing our missions,” Trier said. “There is no way I could do it all on my own.”
Dieterich said Habitat is pursuing additional funding sources for the Fresh Start Fund, which will allow for a potential expansion in coming years. The hope is to eventually partner with additional nonprofits and serve more families, Dieterich said.
“There’s certainly a need for it, and we’re excited to see where it goes from here,” Dieterich said.
To learn more about the Fresh Start Fund, see sheridanhabitat.org/fresh-start-fund or call 307-672-3848. Fresh Start Fund vouchers are only available to the clients of participating nonprofits and not available to the general public.
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October 11, 2021 at 11:45PM
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Fresh Start Fund helps local families settle in new homes - The Sheridan Press
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