Hope Holiday Mart Raises Funds for the Hope House
The Hope Holiday Mart, which was held this past weekend, provided more than an opportunity to get a jumpstart on Christmas shopping, but also a chance to support the Hope House Shelter for Homeless and/or Abused Women and their children, and Hope House’s current partner, the Carl Perkins Center.
The annual event, which has been held for 14 years in the county, brought several vendors with unique items for sale and shoppers ready to find that special gift for others as well as themselves.
“The Hope Holiday Mart is a major fundraiser for the Hope House Shelter and used to promote what we do in the area, and let people know we are here,” said Andrea Young, who has coordinated the mart for the past 13 years. “There were approximately 50 crafters, artisans, and vendors. As always, the quality of the merchandise that was sold has remained very high.”
Walking through the Hope Street building where the mart was held, shoppers found hand woven baskets and a demonstration of basket weaving, boutique booths, T-shirt vendors, jewelry, specialty foods, wood crafted items, skin care products, Christmas décor, handmade candles, Tupperware, and more.
“There were specialty foods like the fudge and coco bombs,” said Young. “I bought some hand-knitted socks, and the pecan brittle was to die for! The stained-glass ornaments and décor were wonderful as well.”
Young has been a board member with Hope House for 14 years. She describes the board as “an active working, hands on board.”
“I was asked to consider joining the board several years ago as they needed a financial person to round things out,” said Young who works as a VP Compliance and CRA Officer for Apex Bank and has 43 years of banking experience. “It seemed like God was putting clear signs in my path that this was something I needed to do.”
There were subtle experiences Young had that suggested she should be a part of the Hope House effort, but it was not until she was vacationing one fall in Georgia that God finally got her attention.
“I saw a huge billboard and you first noticed the beautiful flowers, and then realized it was a spray sitting on a casket,” said Young. “The caption read something like, ‘this time she got flowers’. That was the final affirmation I needed that God was calling me to serve here.”
The Hope House is an emergency shelter where stays are normally less than 30 days. In some instances, women have been permitted to extend their stay as they work to improve their lives and condition. Some women have children, and at times there have been women with up to six children in the house over the years.
“We often assist in providing a grant to pay some of the expenses of setting up a new home when they are able to move forward,” said Young. “We also try to keep a few items of furniture and household items that have been donated to help get someone set up in a new home. For every 10 or more calls we get, maybe one person shows up. It is very difficult for most women to break the cycle of abuse, and some wait too late, and others are lured back into the relationship due to economic circumstances. There are some tragic circumstances we have seen that would break your heart, but there are those that go on and restore their lives and we are delighted to have played a part in that. This is not a topic most people discuss, so it does not get the attention it deserves. Even when the person comes to us as just ‘homeless’, we often find abuse in their history that brought them to the circumstances they are in now.”
The Hope Holiday Mart raises money for the Hope House through food sales and vendor fees. Although the vendors that sell at the mart earn a profit, many like St. Mary’s Catholic Church, where one of our board members, Pat Pope, is a member, donate all of their proceeds to the Hope House.
“They [St. Mary’s] do very well and provide a very generous donation from their booth sales,” said Young. “My personal goal is to make enough off the event to cover the rent for one year at the Hope House. Thankfully, several churches give regularly, and individuals provide donations that cover the other expenses, such as the utilities, which can be quite high when the house is at capacity. This money is critical to keeping the house open and available.”
The mart raised over $7,000 for Hope House and with the additional sales and donations, Carl Perkins share of the booth, and food fees were over $2,000, which will be used to support the Hope House and the Carl Perkins Center. When people shop at the Hope Holiday Mart, their purchases of special gifts for family and friends goes further than helping the vendors at the mart. It also helps abused women and their children. The funds raised have much more of an impact than many realize.
Young encourages anyone who finds themselves in the position of being abused or needing the services of the Hope House Shelter to reach out for help.
“Anyone needing emergency shelter should contact Tony Hall, our executive director, at (731) 658- 9438,” said Young. “The Hope House is here to help you.”
The Hope House is a non-profit 501-3-c and has been operating since 2007. To bring awareness to the efforts of the Hope House mission, you may contact a board member to present a program about the shelter to your group or business. Contact Tony Hall or Andrea Young at (731) 609-9250.
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