Spread the Love Commission (STLC), spreadovebygiving.org, is a national nonprofit organization whose mission it is to take the helpless out of our homeless crisis by bridging the divide between those experiencing homelessness and those who wish to help. In December of 2014, founder Wren Fialka, asked a man in the pain cycle of homelessness a very simple question:“If there were a bag of basic things I could bring you tomorrow that could make your day-to-day life easier, what would be in that bag?”His answer was eye-opening and in that moment Spread the Love Commission was born. To this day, this impactful list is used and fine tuned with the insight of those STLC serves on every outreach.According to the most recent counts, there are between 600,000 and 1.5 million people facing homelessness in the U.S. According to The Hill from March 1 of 2021, “11 million additional households could face homelessness as COVID-19 protections (from eviction) expire.Since that pivotal moment in 2014, Wren and a dedicated group of volunteers have personally served over 40 cities and communities in need across the U.S. With one employee, a trusty Honda Element and a growing number of passionate sponsors and supporters, STLC has already distributed close to 1 million dollars worth of critical supplies and services to our unhoused and displaced neighbors. In turn, providing hope, health, comfort and advocacy for this growing demographic comprised of people from all walks of life.As STLC continues to expand its reach it is time for some critical next steps to meet the demands of their outreach. This year STLC is raising funds to hire an experienced support staff and purchase and build out their first outreach van. Imagine how much love can be spread with your help!One of the first things STLC realized was the desperate need for housed people to better understand the root causes of homelessness and the people caught up in it. More often than not, the stigma and misinformation around this crisis discourages housed people from reaching out to help in compassionate and informed ways. Educating ourselves and others is one of the first places we can start.Some of the top 5 reasons for our homeless crisis in the U.S. might surprise you and can happen to most of us. Without a supportive family or safety net, many of us could be facing homelessness when faced with these situations.1. Lack of affordable housing2. Lack of a living wage3. A tragic life event - a death or illness in the family, job loss, a natural or man-made disaster, domestic violence4. A major illness (mental or physical) or accident5. Substance abuse With Spread the Love Commission’s simple 3 pronged approach, Connection, Compassion and Vital Supplies their mission helps heal this crisis from the ground up.By breaking the stigma of homelessness and the invisible wall between those humans caught in its pain cycle and those who can offer a hand up, this approach continues to prove itself with one success story after another. Take 10 minutes to watch our award-winning video about our friend, volunteer, and client Harley.spreadlovebygiving.org