Invitations have been out for weeks, plans have been months in the making, and tonight is the night for ACO’s Big Birthday Bash! It will be THE party of the year, and I’m hoping that you’ve all purchased your tickets and will be there. (If not, there’s still time if you hurry- read below.)

We’ll be decked out in our 1980’s garb (yes, I was one of the blue eyeshadow wearing, big hair teens of the 80’s) and we will be dancing to all our favorite tunes from our proms and that we played on our car stereos. The food and drink will be fabulous, there will be fun silent auction items for bids, and a big dance-off for those willing to show off their moves.

Homelessness. It’s a word in our mission statement: “Preventing Hunger and Homelessness…” It’s also a reality we see on the news and on our streets. But the real question is—what are we doing about it?

On a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, I was struck by the overwhelming number of people living under bridges and downtown. I watched a driver ahead of me hand cold bottles of water to homeless individuals at a highway on-ramp—an act of kindness on a hot day. But while compassionate, it didn’t solve the deeper issue.

Some of you may have already heard this story, but I wanted to share one of my most embarrassing moments with you. I donated my mother-in-law to ACO! Let me explain.

I married a wonderful man ten years ago. Five years into our marriage, we finally moved into a larger home. Like any big move, we began the huge task of packing—and of course, sorting what to keep and what to donate. In the midst of that chaos, one item I didn’t recognize—a decorative piece that looked like a Greek column garden ornament—was placed in the “donate” pile.