One homeless family gets a priceless holiday gift, thanks to Grand Circle associates
 On December 12, 2009, a woman named Alketa and her two-year-old daughter, Deniz, received an early Christmas gift that they won't soon forget. They moved into their very own apartment—which was cleaned, furnished, and a world away from the last place they called home.
Alketa and Deniz were the 24th family to move out of the Boston Family Shelter (BFS) with the help of Up & Out, a program begun in 2006 by Grand Circle associate Chris Penn. For the recently homeless, finding an apartment is just the first step on the long and costly path to independence. Acquiring items like furniture, bedding, kitchen appliances, and even cleaning products can seem insurmountable for families struggling to get back on their feet. Under Chris's dedicated leadership, Up & Out relieves them of this burden. The costliest furnishings—like beds, tables, couches, etc.—are purchased with proceeds from Grand Circle's annual holiday raffle, which raised more than $20,000 for Up & Out in 2009 alone.
But it takes more than furniture to make a house a home—and that's where Grand Circle's 
generous associates come in, donating new and gently used house wares and decorations. Volunteers also pitch in to clean the empty apartments and assist with packing and moving. By the time the apartments are ready for their new residents, there's even food in the cabinets and refrigerator.
For Alketa, the move marked a major turn in a long and difficult road. After being awarded a Green Card through a diversity lottery, she had immigrated to the United States with high hopes of raising enough money to bring her husband over to join her. Finding employment, however, proved far more difficult than she had imagined. At first, she stayed with distant relatives and paid rent out of her savings—but when those savings dwindled, her relatives turned her away. Desperate, Alketa and Deniz entered Boston Family Shelter in the spring of 2009.
 Fortunately for Alketa, BFS offers ample opportunities for those who are willing to work hard to change their situation. With Deniz in daycare, Alketa received job search training and attended workshops to improve her English-speaking skills. Soon, she was awarded a paid internship with Eastern Bank. While searching for a full-time banking position in Boston, she worked as a cashier in a local convenience store—and she quickly made such a good impression that she was asked to train for a managerial position.
Despite her hardships, Alketa remains optimistic about the future. She dreams of completing the GMAT and TOEFL so that she can someday advance to business school—and ultimately reunite her family by bringing her husband to the U.S. For now, though, her immediate goals involve what's best for her daughter, and providing a permanent home was at the top of that list.
With one phone call from Grand Circle volunteers, this  dream became a reality. In keeping with Up & Out tradition, it wasn't until everything was cleaned, unpacked, and put away that Alketa and Deniz were invited to come home for the very first time. Chris Penn personally led them inside, where the team of volunteers was waiting to welcome them. After a tour of their new home and a celebratory sparkling cider toast, the volunteers bid the family farewell, leaving them to begin their new life.
For Alketa, it is finally the beginning of the life she imagined. |