We are having a hard time making our monthly budget.We are making it but the economy has halted our expansion plans.seem to be extremelyfor this bad economy and we need to expand fast to be able to handle the needs of the new breed of homeless people.

Breed... this means we are seeing many new faces of first timers whonever beenin the past but now are because they simply can’t keep a roof over their head. are the first timers in the world of homeless shelters.

So many new faces, so many new stories, and so many new reasons to expand.We need to finish paying off the money we used up to pay off our main mortgageand that is going good.We also need to finish paying off the latest two new homes we bought for the elderlythe families who are not making it on their own.comes to a new total of $265,000.00 just for the homes.

We also need to put an air conditioner in our kitchen area for the cooks, it is just too hot for them and that will be a fee of about $5,000.00. We alsoto one new central AC in my office.

Yes, my office, as most of you know we all work about 18 to 20 hours a day with no days offand I live in my office and frankly it is so stressful with the current AC system not doing what it needs to do to keep the temperatures down.With working so many hours we have to make sure the stress levels remain low.

The cheapest unit we found is going to cost about $9,000.Also I need to hire someone to help me because we are getting behind and that will cost us about $30,000 a year.

Then of course we have to do some maintenance the front of the building to keep our shelter looking as nice as some of the other buildings on Federal highway.We had the bricks donated and we need another $3500. to dress it up to keep the city off our backs.

The next move will also cost us about $450,000.00 and that is to add another 60 beds to our bed inventory.The good thing about our beds is that they are muchthan the counties beds.They cannot run a shelter like we canbecause we keep our costdue to keeping our expenses down.

Then we just have a little clean up to do at the main shelter which will cost us about $65,000.00and that is it.

The good thing about our budget is that we were able to get rid of some rentals that were costing us about $3500.00a month. We bought some new property to lowermonthly budget therefore actually adding another ten beds for no cost whatsoever.even got all the furniture for free. This was just a great thing.

We were really hurting for a while because of fuel cost but that has gone down saving us another $1800 a month.food cost has gone out of control.It seems that even with gas down the grocery stores did not lower their food prices as of yet.Hopefully they will in time.

The total we want to raise for this Christmas Campaign is quite a bit of money but it is essential at this time.is very reachable and we will make it. Before I give you the final amount we have to raise I want to talk about many of youup your own . it does not always take money to open up your own agency.

Many things can be done with no money at all or with less than a few hundred dollars for state fees.This is a great gift you can give the world or maybe the gift is just for one person only.’s look at one of the cheapest agencies you can open that will put a thousand smiles on the faces of the old or the terminally ill.

Before you help us this year think about starting your own agency.Nursing homes or hospice centers have many people who sit and lay in bed each and every day with no visitors.No friends or family to sit with them for a few hours now and then letting them know that you love them and you want them to be happy.

Imagine being 70 years of age with children who do not come and visit you in the nursing home.This happens all the time to the elderly parents who took care of their children for a life time.of courseare those who had no kids and everyone they know has died and reallyhave not one person to call a friend.

This plan is so easy to do and it will make a world of difference to many sick and dying people.You do have the love in your heart because you apparently bought our paperyou are 80 percent already there to start your own agency.That is correct you have what it takes to make a world of difference.Today it is us who isgoing to also give you a Christmas Present.kind of Present can the homeless give you?How can Sean Cononie ask you the public to give us donations to help us grow but at the same time offer you a Christmas Present?

, can because I believemuch that it is vitally important for you to start your own agency to help make the world a better place. Whether it be a teen at risk program, an adopt a nursing home program or even a program that gets food from restaurants that are left overbring it to your local homeless settlers. all does the world a bit of good.

 And when we involve our children it helps give them bonds and ties to the community which helps develop them into great caring adults. The present is this, we will be offering meetings once a month forquestions and answer period on how to start your own agency.This will go on for a whole year.

Allyou have to do is send in your plans to this email address, helptheworld@homelessvoice,org and we will send you an email to the meeting dates and times.In some cases we may even try to donate some money if we can afford it or help you get the state fees paid so you are a real not for profit charity.

You may ask again how can we do this when we are asking for donations ourselves, it is simple. We have been blessed and we must give back in either time orif we can.You do know if all the not for profits in the world did this and helped others out,world would simply be better…

 We at the Homeless Voice have always done things that other not for profit would not do and I think this is why we are blessed.first major effort was-worming one million people of Haiti. That project has resulted in many homesorphansonly supported by us but many others have formed coalitions to open up more homes and now many kids in different parts of the world have been saved from the streets.

 just a few months old that the parents could not help because they were so sick and they could not afford to get them medical treatmenteven food for their tummies.Peace Inc. has grown to providing many great programs and was even featured on CNN heroes and the Larry King show.SO in a nut shell we can offer love and compassion to many others in the world and all it takes is a idea in your head and then to go ahead and start it up.

Now back to us and our Christmas Campaign.We only need to raise $827,000.00 and you know what? We can!Many of you buy our paper each and every month. If all of you sent in just an extra $25.00 in the month of November and December we will meet our goals.

This is not unreachable but we need you to all reach out and tell your friends and relatives. At the work place you all can give checks to us instead of exchanging presents, this works real well.Last year an Insurance Agency reached out and all their 85 employees instead of giving gifts to each other sent in 85 checks which totaled$1700.00 then some of them also reached out with their family and friends and raised another $3200.00.

This was a very simple plan and it worked. It does not matter the amount of the donation all it matters is that you gave fromheart.Even if it is one dollarthat is all a person can afford and they send it in that dollar becomes such a greatit’s straight fromheart.

So from me to you, this year have a safe holiday season and yes it will be the great start for the new year as well.

Also, let’s allday for a cure for Cancer and food for the.Each and every day please say a prayer and ask fora cure for all Cancer.

Written by Sean Cononie