Honor Someone Who Changed Your Life by Paying It Forward
The people who loved us well may not always be here, but the love they gave us can keep making a difference.
Who Showed You What Love Looks Like?
The people who loved us well may not always be here, but the love they gave us can keep making a difference.
For executive director Marie Livingston, that kind of love is part of her family's legacy. She remembers her grandmother serving others right here in the Georgetown community, giving of herself to help neighbors through life's challenges. From hand washing clothes for the sick to delivering home-cooked meals for families in need, she witnessed her grandmother, Marie Rutledge, share light and love. Years later, that same spirit of compassion continues through the work she does today at Friendship Place.
And for neighbors like Tammy, that compassion has helped her get APPROVED for her own apartment!
When Tammy moved to Georgetown, she had no family nearby. She was experiencing homelessness, and someone encouraged her to visit Friendship Place. At first, she was hesitant. She didn't have money to purchase a meal and didn't realize that the meals were offered at no cost. But what Tammy found was more than a place to eat for free.
She found people who welcomed her, cared about her well-being, and made her feel like she belonged. Over the years, Friendship Place has become what she prodly calls home. Through difficult seasons, Tammy has found friendship and practical support. You may remember the video we shared earlier this year when she was gifted a bicycle to help her get around. Today, with support from the Friendship Place team, she's has taken the steps to get approved for her own apartment!
As Tammy boasts about moving into her new home with a stove, her excitement is a reminder that the things we sometimes take for granted can mean everything to someone who has gone without. Her story is still unfolding. But one thing is already clear: the love she's experienced at Friendship Place has given her something that cannot be measured in meals, gifts, or resources alone.
This year, Friendship Place invites you to participate in A Light of Love, our year-end giving campaign celebrating the people whose faith, kindness, generosity, and encouragement have made a lasting difference in our lives. Perhaps you, too, remember a parent or grandparent who taught you the importance of helping others. A friend who stood beside you during a difficult season. A teacher, mentor, or neighbor whose compassion left an impression that continues to shape the way you live.
Some of these special people are still with us. Others have passed on, leaving behind a legacy of love that deserves to be remembered. Through A Light of Love, you can make a gift in their honor, in their memory, or in celebration of the difference they've made.
Your generosity helps Friendship Place continue extending that same love to neighbors like Tammy creating better pathways toward stability.
Marie's grandmother may have served a different generation, but the need for kindness, compassion, and community has never gone away.
Make your year-end gift through A Light of Love and help carry the legacy of love forward.