About Us ~ 

Two things happened in the last few years that brought this project to life. First, I interviewed a woman for a position at my company who changed my perception of homelessness forever.

Karen was modestly dressed, literate, drove a car, had two children and a husband who worked full time. Unfortunately she didn’t have the necessary skills for the job and I wasn’t able to hire her. But in the course of her interview we began talking and what she said astounded me.

Karen and her family had been homeless the entire time her children were in high school.

The family lived in transitional housing shelters and kept the circumstances of their lifestyle a secret, which made the kids lives even more awkward as they tried to maintain friendships. Living in a county where the median income was $76,000 per year, and with their combined incomes of less than $35,000, it took them four years and the generosity of a stranger to help them climb out of homelessness.

Then, in 2009, my older son spent a total of 6 months in the hospital, eight of those weeks clinging to life in the Critical Care Unit. I lived in the ICU waiting room for many weeks, praying and writing about his journey (www.leapoffaith111483.blogspot.com).

During those weeks I developed an uncommon friendship with a homeless man who came to the ICU waiting room every morning and poured himself a cup of coffee. He was so thin the string he used for a belt barely held his pants up. I knew he had to be hungry and began leaving him granola bars propped up against the coffee pot.

One day his backpack fell open when he lay it down on the counter. I was surprised to see a stack of books inside. Since my perception of the homeless had already changed, this just added another curious dimension. I wondered about his history, his education, and what path he had taken that landed him among the ranks of the homeless.

On my son's last day in the ICU I left the granola bar sitting on top of two books. One was Obama’s Dreams from My Father, and the other, a more sophisticated book called Angle of Repose. My friend came in, saw the books, looked at me and I nodded. He read the titles and then walked to my table where I was writing and lay Angle of Repose in front of me. I heard his voice for the first time.

I’ve already read this one. Thank you, he said. Then he turned and left.

That was the last time I ever saw him.

* * * *

When you go through an experience like my family and I did, when you think you are going to lose your life, or your child, or your brother, something happens inside. All the rules change. Your life is altered forever. Normal is redefined.

My sons and I came away from the experience so grateful for life and with a strong sense we needed to do something to give back in a way that could be magnificent. We didn’t know what it might be, but I had faith we would be led in the right direction.

Because of our belief in the power of books I wanted to use the written word as a vehicle to offer hope to the weary. The fact that doing this could make even a tiny dent in the decline in book sales our country has experienced over the last few years is an added bonus. It's a win-win proposition.

We have been enormously happy at the response we’ve had in such a short time. It shows a genuine benevolence from people who understand the power of making a difference, one book at a time.

Thank you for your interest. Keep reading, and remember “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Nanci Turner Steveson

The Literacy for Hope Project