Compassion in action; Connect Palmer and Sarah’s House

Connect Palmer occupies the corner of Alaska Street and Blueberry in Palmer. You may have passed by and wondered about this two-story building with sun rays gracing the roofline and a PRAY sign in the window. It houses, literally and figuratively, women who are committed to making their lives and community work better.

Connect Palmer serves as a residential ministry and referral center for services in the community. The ground level contains the Connect Palmer offices, a reception and referral area, a devotional room, a computer lab, and Scarlet Tapestries, a sewing and vocational training ministry. Anyone in need can participate in ministry programs, obtain referrals, or access the on-site personal hygiene pantry. Sarah’s House is a separate, intensive, live-in ministry for homeless women who want to participate in Connect Palmer’s back to work and life skills programs.

Executive Director and founder of Connect Palmer, Sherry Carrington, started the program in May 2014. During the first year of operation, 85% of the women they served were homeless, living in their trucks, by the river, in storage units, or couch surfing. When one of the upstairs rental units became available in 2016, Connect Palmer rented it to provide a shared living space for some of their clients. They are now renting the entire building, and Sarah’s House can accommodate up to six residents at a time with two beds are available on a short term or emergency basis.

The two Sarah’s House units are clean and comfortable. Each side has two sets of bunk beds, a washer and dryer, kitchen and small living area. They feature brightly painted walls with scriptural and inspirational quotes. Sarah’s House residents are required to participate in the back to work and life skills programs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. five days a week.

For those with the desire and drive to complete the program, it provides a structured pathway to self-sufficiency. The back to work program, called God’s Work Design, begins with a two-week adjustment period. Participants learn program routines and expectations while focusing on resetting spiritually. They disconnect from their phones and social media while learning to seek guidance from God, pray for help, and meditate. Daily devotions guide spiritual growth and learning through every level of the program.

The second phase of God’s Work Design helps clients identify barriers to finding and keeping a job and housing. Participants can work on getting their GED or other job training, address addictions or trauma through community programs or off-site therapy, and practice communication and interpersonal skills. They are paired with a volunteer mentor and meet every week to review goals and progress. This phase can last from 8-20 weeks depending on the issues the clients are working to resolve.

When they are ready to find work, phase three offers support to find a job. Clients prepare resumes, write cover letters, look for jobs, fill out applications, and practice interview skills. Once they have a job, phase four focuses on life skills: budgeting, housing, transportation, and other essentials for self-sufficient living. They work with staff and mentors to develop an exit plan and graduate from the program as they transition into independent housing.

The majority of Sarah’s House residents do not complete the full program. The requirements are rigorous, and not everyone is prepared to follow this path to the end. Over sixty women have participated in Sarah’s House residential program. About a third do not make it through the first two weeks. Another third of the participants leave the program between 2-16 weeks. If a client drops out, they have to wait 30 days before they return.

But everyone is welcomed into Connect Palmer with open arms. Carrington sees the location and mission of Connect Palmer as a “lighthouse” to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Her own experiences in a Teen Challenge program in Florida as a young adult taught her the value of faith and the immense potential for change that accompanies a caring community for those in distress.

Later, as a single mother in Fairbanks, Carrington ran a sewing and alteration business out of her home. She developed the skills of problem solving and perseverance as she slowly expanded her business between diaper changes and household chores.

Carrington now uses the same talents to bless the lives of her clients. Her experience as a seamstress provided a natural segue for Scarlet Tapestries. This on-site workroom offers a place to teach sewing and alteration skills while meeting local and international needs. As with her business, Connect Palmer started small and grew steadily, adding programs, space, and referral services over the years.

Last year, Connect Palmer received a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation for two part-time positions. One of those positions is her own. “After four years I’m finally getting a paycheck, but I would continue to find a way to make it work without one if I had to,” she said. She also hired Natosha Ives, a graduate of Sarah’s House Back to Work program, as program manager. Most of their funding comes from individual community donors.

Connect Palmer is aptly named. It helps donors connect their resources with inspiring programs for change. It helps community members in need connect with other local service providers. Residents and clients connect with God and with own their inner strength and divine light.

The “Sarah” of Sarah’s House was originally one of Carrington’s young neighbors who struggled throughout her teen years with trauma, addiction, pregnancy, and loss. Sarah’s experience planted a seed in Carrington’s heart to help women in similar straits access the healing power available through God’s love and ministry.

In the beginning, Carrington wondered if “Sarah’s House” was still the right name for the residential program. After praying and pondering, God reminded her of the Bible account of Abraham and Sarah. Carrington recounted her experience, saying, “When the angel told Abraham that he would have a son in a year’s time, Sarah heard from outside the tent and laughed.” Sarah thought, “Seriously, do you know how old I am?” She didn’t believe that God would grant her a child after a lifetime of longing.

After reflecting on Sarah’s experience and incredulity, Carrington felt God speak to her: “My daughters laugh in disbelief of my promises to them because of who they are, and where they’ve been, and what they think. I want a place where my daughters can know that my promises are ‘Yes’ and ‘Amen.’ It doesn’t matter where they’ve been; it doesn’t matter what they’ve done; it doesn’t matter what’s happened to them. I want my daughters to know that my promises are real and for them today, right now.”

How to help

You can support Connect Palmer’s mission through direct monetary or in-kind donations or connect the organization to your Amazon Smile account. You can donate to “The Locker,” Connect Palmer’s personal hygiene pantry providing toilet paper, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies. Several community members have added laundry detergent pods or other needed deliveries to their Amazon pantry subscriptions, thus helping to restock “The Locker” on an ongoing basis. Volunteers are always needed to serve as mentors or provide clients with rides to appointments.

To get involved as a volunteer or to access services, stop by, email sherry@connectpalmer.org, or call 907-746-9675.