So, if I'm going to write about a new corps and all that things that contribute to it's growth, or lack thereof (god forbid), then I suppose I should write about things that distract us as well.
One such area was a grant that I have been writing. I actually didn't write most of it . . .well, here's how it started. Within a week or two of being here, we had to go to a meeting at the Capital Bldg in Sac (which took a whole day) and they told about funds being released by HUD to help the homeless. You could apply separately or as a group – since we didn't know anybody, we just thought we would apply separately. However, that day, we found another group of people from our county and they talked us into joining their group because it would add much more money to the table and . . .well, anyway, we said okay, let's try. It didn't require much from us except agreeing to be part of it and referring people to another group who would administer the money.
However, that group couldn't be the lead agency (for whatever reasons) and they asked us to be. Nah. We weren't really thinking we could handle it .. .new to the area . .too little staff . . etc. Howver, the grant covers hiring people, it would provide the county with a MUCH-needed HMIS system (a way to track the homeless population and provide stats so we can get more money) and help get the continuum of care off the ground. We agreed to do it and then for the next week, my life was taken over by this “effort.”
In the middle of it, I got sick – but thanks to miracle of modern day medicine, I just kept going. By the end of it, I didn't even need to recuperate because I was done being sick – so I felt great! Don, however, was sicker than a dog and he had to be the one to deliver it for me - by 4:00pm at the Capital Blgd. He did though with an hour to spare - LOL!
But the interesting thing is that even though we didn't do much in the way of church growth, we are meeting all kinds of agencies, their directors, their staff – it seems like everyone in the whole county is pulling together to make this happen. Even if we don't get the money, it was amazing to see everyone go get the signatures, write the different parts of the grant, proofread what I put together, come up with statistics for a county I have never lived in before, design a budget – wow, what a process it was and what a TEAM EFFORT. Not to mention the fact that everyone had vacations scheduled before this came out so key people kept leaving on vacation - but everyone did their part before leaving! So it happened.
If we get it, it will mean a LOT of work, though – and so I'm not so sure that I care to actually get it. Even if it means helping the homeless, it might mean the end of sanity as I know it. Wait, I'm not sure that I actually live a sane life right now . . .
well, all I know is that my big sister writes grants so that she can keep her Drug Court program going in the county she lives in – she's the administrator for it – and I have a whole lot more respect for what she does. I think I should get paid if I have to do anymore of these!
Sigh – but as I said before, it's out of my hands. And I feel good about that! Let somebody else decide – we did what we could. And we will do what needs to be done, regardless.
Now, on to more important things . . .like the Back to School Party scheduled for all the kiddos who need school supplies – that's tomorrow – YIKES!!!!
I'm outta here - and on to something else.
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