Community Partner: Home2 Suites Bloomington

You may not think much about sheets and towels, but these items are an essential part of the support we provide families in need. Earlier this month, Home2 Suites Bloomington gave us more than 25 extra-large bags of bed and bath linens and we are extremely grateful for this valuable donation.

When families come to New Hope, we welcome them to a shelter house fully stocked with all the items they need. And when families leave our shelter for their new home, we send them off with a fresh set of basic home goods.

The staff at Home2 Suites Bloomington operate an extended-stay hotel and they understand what it takes to provide a safe, comfortable room for families. Last December, the staff there turned their empathy into action by volunteering to provide one of our families with gifts for the holidays. And when COVID-19 struck, hotel manager Keith Richardson and sales manager Sally Todd offered 15 of their suites to us at a steep discount for families who needed shelter during the pandemic. This allowed families in crisis to maintain safe social distancing while working toward stable housing. Since then, all of those families but two have moved on to their own affordable lease.

When the Home2 Suites staff learned that we rely on donations for bedding and towels, they quickly jumped into action, packing one after another 30-gallon bags full with lightly used sheets, blankets, bath towels and more from their own stock to donate for our families. Keith and Sally and the Home2 Suites team know that fresh sheets and comfy towels can make a big difference on a family's first night in a new and unfamiliar place. Thanks to this generous donation, we are able to provide even greater comfort and support to families when they enter shelter and when they move out to their new permanent home.

We could not do the important work that we do at New Hope for Families without the generous support of our community and valuable partners like Home2 Suites Bloomington.

New Hope for Families is a community leader in social services for families in crisis. We administer an emergency shelter program for families experiencing homelessness and offer nationally accredited childcare and early learning programs that give children the good start they deserve for future success in school and life.

Our residential shelter program offers emergency housing for up to seven families at a time. In response to the increased demand for services created by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have temporarily increased the number of families we are serving by more than double that amount. Our staff serve families with respect and compassion, providing a safe place for parents and children to stay together when they need each other most. Through housing and childhood development services, we are committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness and poverty, one family at a time.