I remember at 19 years old having no where to stay on Christmas break and thinking that sleeping in my car wouldn’t be too bad.  I was so cold when I fell asleep, only to be woken to my car being towed!  Another night I woke to people trying to get into my car. Yes, I was so glad to get back to college a few weeks later, and I was fortunate to find housing options.    

More women today are experiencing this reality than before,
given COVID19 and its impact on the economy,  the housing market, and shelters such as ours at VOAPA.  I’m proud to work with VOA, the largest provider of affordable housing in the US.  Every year our small team supports over 1,000 people in housing – veterans, seniors, teenagers, women, and people with mental illness.  The team at Ruth’s Place – a women’s shelter in Northeast PA – serves close to 300 women a year, and this past year 93% of our women attained safe housing.  Despite the fears that COVID19 brought on with the realities of an open floor plan and just one shared bathroom, our team kept our shelter open continually through the pandemic.

To support their important work (including a renovation to add additional space) - I am taking a pledge that over the next four days,
I will spin (or at least cycle) one mile for every $25 raised, with the goal of raising an additional $1,500.    I look forward to being sore, with the
hoping I'll have to ride at least 60 miles!! 

Thank you for sharing in my journey!  If you choose to
give, here is the giving platform https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jodina-Hicks.