Tag: homelessness

I am Beyond Thrilled

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on May 16, 2014. Posted in General. 6 Comments on I am Beyond Thrilled

I’ve had a book published, okay? I went through the fairly tortuous experience of editing and re-editing and receiving a proposed cover and approving the interior illustrations . . . I’ve done all that. Yet. I am beyond thrilled to see the examples of how Writing Our Way Home: A Group Journey Out of Homelessness might look. This isn’t...

I’ve seen the Glimmering

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 8, 2014. Posted in General. 2 Comments on I’ve seen the Glimmering

That little glimmer of hope that appears like a flickering flame when you’ve been immersed in darkness for so long you’ve allowed the prospect of success to dim, smoldering. Not a giving up—no way!— but a dampening down, a waiting, a refusal to let hope spring into false hope until real tender presents for a true igniting. That’s...

When Following the Money is a Good Thing

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on February 3, 2014. Posted in General. 4 Comments on When Following the Money is a Good Thing

My last blog post left several people wondering, what did Utah do? The state examined the amount of money homelessness was costing the state and implemented a “housing first” program that gives supportive housing to those who have experienced homelessness for an extended period and have a disabling condition. You can read more about...

Why Utah Set Me Off

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on January 31, 2014. Posted in General. 7 Comments on Why Utah Set Me Off

I want housing for the homeless to be designed by men and women who have been homeless. I want us to ask: where would be most convenient for you? What do you want in terms of size? What community space do you want? Do you want a front porch? I want us to care enough to design space useful to people instead of putting folks in available apartments...

The Silence of Joy

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 18, 2013. Posted in General. 2 Comments on The Silence of Joy

Writing Group is often hectic. We have, on average, 14-16 writers every Wednesday. Many of us only see one another this one hour per week. We use the time to catch up on the progress of the cancer treatments. Whether the child-custody hearings were held. How the visit with the grandbabies went. The latest on the wait for housing. What, if anything...

A Sister Sledge Moment

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 11, 2013. Posted in General. 2 Comments on A Sister Sledge Moment

“Like an adopted family,” A. said. We were bumping along in the church van. Ten of us crowded the back seats, plus the two church members driving the van. We’d eaten lunch, opened gifts, and enjoyed Christmas caroling. Now we were finishing up our shopping spree at Wal-Mart, returning home. As we traveled through the beautiful...

The Angel’s Beating Wings Fill the Room

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 10, 2013. Posted in General. 4 Comments on The Angel’s Beating Wings Fill the Room

The red table runners glowed, the tiny gold trees sparkled. The voices rang out in clear, clean notes—some among us could sing—and the warmth of the group welled up in me to the point I needed to leave the room. Not because I’m ashamed to cry in public, but because, over the years, I’ve grown tired of stifling the emotions Life knocks...

Don’t Give this Christmas – Take

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on December 6, 2013. Posted in General. 8 Comments on Don’t Give this Christmas – Take

I’m wading off into deep water here, but as you consider your charitable giving this Christmas, will you consider taking? Take a minute and find an organization that offers you the opportunity to actually talk to someone who is different from you. Take up your courage and go to that organization expecting nothing. Take your heart and enter...

“Christianity is Too Hard”

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on November 7, 2013. Posted in General. 2 Comments on “Christianity is Too Hard”

The man and I sat down at the art table, staring at the chip bags we would turn into crosses, when he asked, “What led you to do this?” I was preparing to give him my standard spiel about how the tragedy of 9/11 led me to make crosses from broken and found objects. But something made me ask, “Making crosses, you mean?” “No,”...

Don’t Talk—Edit

Written by Ellen Morris Prewitt on March 22, 2013. Posted in General. 2 Comments on Don’t Talk—Edit

Oh my goodness—I just typed “THE END” on the Door of Hope writing group’s book! It’s not the end. But the hard part is over. The assembling of five years of handwritten pieces; the typing of those pieces by volunteer typists. The merging of all that work into a single document that can be called a manuscript. And last,...