Winter Emergency Bed Program Donors

Ellie George and Gareth Evans from Church of the Good Shepherd, Acton, donating the funds to pay for LTLC Winter Emergency Bed Program cots in 2015.

The Lowell Transitional Living Center’s Winter Emergency Bed Program, an essential life saving service for people on the streets, is possible because of donors and supporters. Year after year, people in the Merrimack Valley come together to make a donation that pays for cots, food, and extra overnight emergency staff.

A few weeks ago I was invited to spend the day with Ellie at Church of the Good Shepherd in Acton, MA. She has been promoting Undies Sundays to her parish to help LTLC clients who enter the shelter with almost nothing, and was starting a donation basket to help support the Winter Emergency Bed Program. I learned that for years Ellie has been a WEPB cheerleader, taking an active role in reaching out to shelter staff to find out what we need the most.

I’ve been managing media content for Lowell Transitional Living Center for a few years now, but I’m new to my role as the Development Manager, and certainly new to being asked to speak at a podium at a Mass. I already felt pretty awkward because I haven’t been in a church in so long, but Father Gareth Evans led me through it, and inspired me to spend some time talking to the congregation about my own personal reasons for supporting the shelter. He felt that people would really connect with my message, and I’m glad I believed him and put myself out there.

Being there was a beautiful experience for me, and I’m so grateful to their hospitality. Plus, there was awesome homemade shortbread (and I got the recipe! but I know mine won’t be as good…), and afterwards Ellie took me out to lunch with her husband Charlie.

The donation basket is up to $3,000 as of today… What a positive way to start planning for winter! Thank you so much.