By My Sister’s House

January 27, 2017

The holidays are a time for families to come back together to reflect on the previous year, to discuss current happenings in the world, and to celebrate the preparation of the new year. The survivors who have resided in the emergency shelter often times find new sisters in each other, providing support to one another while each face their obstacles. Former clients who have not seen each other in weeks, months, sometimes years, come back together every winter for a Shelter Holiday Potluck at My Sister’s House. It began when former clients reached out to the Shelter Staff and asked if they could visit and gather for Christmas. Since then, the Shelter Holiday Potluck became a space for former and current shelter residents to reminisce about their experiences.
One by one, the clients are greeted, sometimes cheered, by a spontaneous burst of joy and excitement when they have not seen each other for a long time. In the true spirit of potluck, there was an abundance of food around the world. There were cakes and cookies enjoyed by different cultures, soups (pozole) and salads (chinese chicken) from different parts of the world. From homemade chicken pancit to chicken briyani and lemon rice, sushi to samosas, eggrolls and lumpia to spring rolls, the clients continued to bring in homemade goodies to share with everyone.
From a willingness to try unfamiliar foods to former clients mentoring newer clients, everyone was able to set aside our differences to come together and celebrate not just the upcoming holidays, but the success of one another and a want to provide continued support of each other. This is the essence of a sisterhood that we at My Sister’s House hope to continue to garner through services that are client-centered and culturally-responsive.