11/06/2026
This time of year is always CRAZY at Soap2Hope!
Between planning our annual gala, preparing for winter outreach, reaching out to sponsors, collecting raffle donations, picking up items, buying supplies to put baskets together, and everything else that goes into making this event happen, it can get overwhelming!
And somehow, in the middle of all of it, our team continues showing up, running our programs, hitting the streets, building relationships, and making a difference in people's lives.
Our gala tickets went on sale and SOLD OUT in just SIX DAYS! Every year, I am overwhelmed by the amount of support our community gives us. Every gala has been magical in its own way, but this year is different.
FULL CIRCLE.
This year, people we once met on the streets who have found their way into recovery will be standing in that room, sharing their stories, celebrating their lives, and reminding us why we do this work. Our team is working to remove barriers so they can be there and experience a night that celebrates how far they've come.
And while all this planning is happening, the work doesn't stop.
Yesterday, we heard from a young woman I've been trying to help for YEARS. Through everything, she had a baby who is now six months old. The last time we found her and her baby, they were in an environment no baby should have to be in. Then she disappeared.
Yesterday, she reached out. She asked about a women's and children's treatment program for herself and her baby.
That is HUGE.
We know reaching out is only one step. She will have to make some decisions and take action herself. But we will be right there to support her, help navigate the barriers, and empower her to make those decisions for herself and her child.
Then there's another woman we've known and meeting for years. She has lived through some incredibly dark chapters. For months, she fought for housing, jumped through every hoop, completed every step, and kept pushing.
She sent us pictures of herself inside her very own apartment.
HER OWN APARTMENT!
After years of knowing her story and seeing what she has survived, those pictures mean more than I can explain. She is making decisions that could change the direction of her life.
These are the moments that keep us going.
Not every story has a happy ending. Not everyone is ready when we want them to be. Sometimes it takes years of showing up, having hard conversations, building trust, watching people disappear, and hoping we see them again.
But when that phone rings, when someone asks for help, when someone sends a picture of their new home, or when someone we once met in survival mode is standing on a stage celebrating recovery...
THAT IS FULL CIRCLE.
So yes, this time of year is overwhelming. But in the middle of all the chaos, I am reminded that this is so much bigger than planning a gala.
To our team, volunteers, sponsors, tickets, donors, and everyone who continues to support Soap2Hope, thank you. You are part of these stories, whether you realize it or not.
We meet people where they're at. We don't give up on people. And we celebrate every step forward.
This is why we do what we do.
