Dream Center Helps Transitioning Families Feel At Home
By: Sophie Nielsen-Kolding WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: February 28, 2013
PEORIA- The Peoria Deam Center has transitional housing for families in need, and it's come up with a small gesture to make them feel more at home.
"As we have new residents come in, we wanted to make them feel like this was a new start. We wanted to welcome them in with a sense of like, hey, this is the first day of a new beginning for you," said Matt Larson, Director of Programs at the Peoria Dream Center.
Larson and other staff members are putting together welcome baskets for new families moving into the center's transitional housing.
"A lot of these people come with nothing, and so for them to be able to have some of the basic necessities to get going is a really good thing," Larson said.
Thursday they delivered the very first basket to a new resident, Yolanda Britton, a mother of two. Britton and her kids just moved in from a shelter.
"My daughter will go crazy over this little blanket," Britton said, grabbing the pink and purple blanket laying on top of the basket.
They're simple items, but Britton said they're taking a large burden off of her shoulders.
"It's hard especially when you know, you're a single parent and you're just trying to make ends meet so, I mean this really helps me out a lot," she said.
Britton said she hopes to one day live in a house of her own, and that this basket is a start.
The Dream Center is accepting donations so it can continue to give welcome baskets to new families.
These are some items it says new families might need:
1. Household items:
Cleaning supplies that will help keep apartment clean: mop, bucket, oven cleaner, laundry soap, dish washing liquid, glass cleaner, all purpose cleaner for floors, garbage bags, All purpose cleaner to clean walls, all purpose cleaner to clean bathroom, cleaning pads, paper towels, cleaning rags, toilet paper, etc.
2. Personal Items:
Soap, deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, sanitary items, perfumes, body wash, hair products, house shoes, sweet treats, shampoo and conditioner, blankets, etc.
3. Kitchen items:
Cookie sheet, mixing bowls, cake pan, measuring cups, cutting boards, storage bowls, place mats, napkins & holder, grease container, spices & rack, etc.
