See Beautiful

Hey All.

Here we are once again for "This Moment See Beautiful" hosted by SUGAR.  Momma and I see it every single day in so many different ways.  One of those ways is at a homeless shelter.  A homeless shelter really?!  Yep.  I know that many of you know that my momma works at a homeless shelter, The Lantern House.  In fact many of you have help support the shelter with your generous giving to help build a pet area. Momma calls it "Gooses Pet Park" because my angle brother worked so hard to help raise funds to build it.  But the beautiful does not stop there.

This here is The Lantern House.  That main big building is where people, men, woman, children and their pets can have a clean, safe, comfortable place to lay their heads.  And within that building are dedicated people who help all those in need get help so they can become self sufficient again.  The small stuff work tirelessly each and everyday to make life better and beautiful for all who come there in need.  The smaller building on the left is the kitchen and dinning hall.

Yep you read right.  Last year The Lantern House provided over 40,000 shelter nights!  Some might see this number and feel despair that so many were in need a place to lay their heads.  But we See Beautiful in the fact that such a place exists so that all those people didn't have to worry about where they would sleep.

Not included in that 40,000 number is all the shelter nights that were provided to all the doggies (and cats) who stayed at the shelter with their humans.  You know that is beautiful.

Unbelievable!  30%!!  But do you know where the beautiful is in this?

Right here in this sweet beautiful face.  Sure he may have started his life in a homeless shelter, but because of that shelter he will have all he needs to thrive, not only a family room to stay with his mom, and food in his belly.  But selfless case managers work very hard for him and his family to get them into housing. 

It can be a little scary I imagine for little kids to come into a strange place.  But when they walk into their room look what greets them.  Cheerful colors and a welcome package with soft stuffies, pajamas, books and more.

Not only that, in each family room there is a beautiful mural on the wall (each room has a different one) and a care package for the adults.

And look at this!!!  Just two weeks ago The Lantern House put in a play ground for the children.

Thanks to the generosity of a family the children at Lantern House have a safe place to play.  Momma says I can slide down the slide.  I am so looking forward to that.  Yep a playground at a homeless shelter is beautiful.

 

This here is where my momma spends a lot of time, the kitchen.  Momma is the kitchen manager and cooks lots and lots and lots of meals.  In fact Lantern House served thousands and thousands of meals last year.  I'm not kidding.  On average she serves 8 to 10 thousand meals each month.  Food is always beautiful don't you agree?

 

And check this out.  That there is a cooling table.  As the name suggest it keeps food and drink cool.  Beautiful right?  And apart of that beauty is this fact.  A little while back See Beautiful choose Lantern House Kitchen as one of their giving initiative to buy this here cooling table.  So every time someone purchased one of the See Beautiful products (which are VERY cool) they could choose Lantern House Kitchen Giving Initiative and See Beautiful would give money to buy this cooling table.  And boom!!  Just like that my momma got a cooling table which is oh so beautiful in so many ways.

 

 

Even though my momma works long, long hard hours (which she loves.  She always says what greater job is there than to feed those who are hungry) we both sleep better at night knowing a place called Lantern House exists to bring so much beautiful into so many lives.  So you see my dear friends when you open your heart, and not just your eyes, you can indeed See Beautiful, even in what some say is the most unlikely places and situations.

 

Blessings,

Buddy.