I’m emotional today.
I finally finished the pages of a children’s book I’ve been working on for what feels like forever. It’s a book about poverty and homelessness, and it’s finally being illustrated. As I look over the first pieces of art, created by the only person I’d ever trust to bring these penned words to life, I’m reminded why I wrote this book in the first place. These words are meant to start conversations with children about the issues so many people overlook. They’re meant to open eyes, soften hearts, and help the people I love so deeply stop being unseen. I want homelessness to be a conversation we ALL feel responsible for.
Finishing this writing pulls me right back to the people behind the work we do. These pictures, just the few I’ve shared, show faces the world has too often ignored, dismissed, or tossed aside. But the people we serve at Oaks are not numbers. They are our family.
They are the midnight phone calls when my friend needs a ride to probation the next morning. They are my friends who ask for help to pay for new glasses. They are my senior citizen friend, who needed a place to sleep after two weeks in 30-degree weather with busted-out car windows. They are the mothers who arrive with little ones who haven’t had a warm meal in days. They are the ones who show up shivering after nights on the street, yet still carrying a quiet kind of hope.
I’ll never forget my first Christmas at Oaks. I sat with a 7-year-old boy named Isaiah; while matching kids with sponsors, I asked him what he wanted for Christmas. He looked at me, like something pulled from a Hallmark scene (the kind that wrecks you) and said, “I’ve never had Christmas. What do you put on a list? I guess… warm socks?” I cried for two hours in my car afterward, and honestly, I’ve never stopped crying in my car after leaving Oaks since. And the truth is, Isaiah isn’t an exception. He’s the norm.
Some carry a visible ache; others a quiet pain only Christ can fully see. But all of them share the same longing, not just for shelter, but for dignity, compassion, and the assurance that they are not forgotten.
These stories aren’t stories to us. They are our daily reality. They are our family. They are our people. And most importantly, every single one of them is deeply loved and sought after by God.
Now, I need to publish these pages. It is going to cost $5,000 for the publisher to publish, print some copies, market, and help me get started / launch this critical text. I am hoping this letter will help encourage people I trust and love to consider making a charitable donation to help me achieve this dream. 50% of all proceeds of this book will go to Oaks, forever. I plan to use it as I speak to classrooms, churches, etc. This will help further Oaks’ mission and my dream of making poverty and homelessness a conversation in households, schools, and so many more spaces all over our country.
Why a Children’s Book?
Children are naturally empathetic, curious, and open-hearted. By speaking to them early, we plant seeds that grow into lifelong compassion and awareness.
This book aims to:
- Normalize discussions about poverty and homelessness.
- Teach dignity, empathy, and the idea that “every person is worth seeing.”
- Reduce stigma surrounding homelessness.
- Offer adults a gentle, accessible way to guide difficult conversations.
This aligns directly with our organizational values: dignity, compassion, community, and the belief that every individual deserves to be seen and loved.
