Worldwide, 2020 has not been an easy year. You know the story: a global pandemic, the Great Pause of quarantine, the widespread revealing of crimes of racism that continue to plague our nation, and the expressions of pain and anger that followed.

What I have learned from life in the city is that love grows deepest amid difficulty. Violence bonds survivors together, marching against what robbed them of peace. Shortfall brings about the miraculous deliverance of God--and the communal gratitude of the delivered. The challenge of faithfully walking with children from hard places--shouldering with them the burdens they carry--forges a team bonded in unforgettable ways. The hardest years become powerful memories of the ones who loved us fiercely during those times.

So it is with 2020. This year, when our community faced unprecedented challenge, love was forged into something unbreakable. When income was low, our parent church and incredible individuals came through with rent and groceries for our families. When stores were looted, teachers from our elementary school brought thousands and thousands of dollars worth of clothing to give away. When pharmacies were closed, companies came through with truckfuls of health and hygiene items. When children were hungry, partners and restaurants loaded us up with exquisite meals.

2020. It has truly been an unforgettable year.

Elizabeth Galik, Executive Director