A NOTE FROM BETTY: REMEMBERING THOSE WE'VE LOST

I remember November 20th vividly. I was with a group of fellow Evanston executive directors, and we were talking about how to help our staff deal with the trauma they saw on an everyday basis – the trauma of our participants lives. In the middle of that meeting I got a call telling me that one of our participants had been brutally murdered.

Tanuel, sometimes known as Daisy, had been found beaten to death on the steps of First United Methodist Church. Our Connections' community, and the community at-large, was in shock. 

​Losing even one person in your community is terrible, but the loss has continued. On December 5, we learned that Daniel had passed away from an accidental overdose. On January 28, we were notified that Larry had died as a result of gun injury.  

And just two weeks ago we learned that Christopher taken his own life. Chris had just turned 32 in November. 

All four of these individuals were part of our community. All four had trusted us to help them, to partner with them in their lives. And now all four are gone. 

I recently listened to a voicemail message we received (about 150 people call each month requesting our assistance). This caller ended by saying "to me, it {her impending homelessness} is a matter of life and death." Those words stung as I thought of Tanuel, Daniel, Larry, and Chris.  

More than 50 individuals utilized our facilities each day as a warming center during the polar vortex.

I can think of many consequences of homelessness, but before this winter I generally didn’t put death at the top of that list, even though I knew it was possible. Having now suffered the loss of four of our neighbors in less than three months, I am more resolved than ever to prevent the same thing from happening to even more people. And, together, WE are doing more to prevent such tragedies. 

​I am so grateful to our partners at First United Methodist Church, Interfaith Action of Evanston and many other Evanston faith communities for responding to the news of Tanuel's death by stepping up to open the emergency overnight shelter every night this winter. I want to thank our community for answering our call for support as we opened our doors 24 hours a day during the polar vortex. This winter we’ve gotten started and we’ve made great strides, but there is much more to be done. Connections is committed to working with and leading our community to do more to ensure these lives were not lost in vain. To ensure that no one in Evanston has to sleep on the streets, ever. Together, we will make that vision a reality. 

I hope you will consider joining us as we gather to grieve, celebrate and remember Tanuel, Daniel, Larry, and Christopher. Held in collaboration with our partners at Lake Street Church, a Community Memorial Service will be held on Monday, March 18 at 5:00pm, to honor these individuals and renew our commitment, as a community, to ending homelessness, one person at a time.