100,000 Mothers…100,000 Reasons

We write to you today with heavy hearts. The loss of our beloved son and brother, Grant Thomas Winters, on October 28th is devastating in ways that can hardly be described. We will never forget that shocking phone call from the hospital, and the terrifying days that led up to his death…changing things forever.

A National Tragedy

According to a recent report from the CDC, opioid deaths have topped 100,000 in 2021…double that of 50,000 in 2019! Mainly from fentanyl, (as in Grant’s case.) That’s more than the total car crashes and gun deaths combined. Why? What sense can be made of this? We ask ourselves, what good could possibly come from Grant’s death…and the others who have suffered a similar fate?

As we have been struggling through our grief, we’ve been asked, time and again, “What do you need?” “What can I do to help?” For us and other families suffering these losses, the most healing thought is that we may be able to help other young people avoid the hardships our loved one experienced. While spending our final days with Grant, we were blessed to become more closely acquainted with Hosea Youth Services, and the Hosea Day Use Resource Center, which became Grant’s “home away from home” for the last four years of his life. I hope that you will join us in supporting this wonderful organization.

Hosea’s Mission Statement:

“We believe every homeless and vulnerable young person deserves to experience Christ’s love and to have the opportunity to live healthy, positive, and productive lives off the streets.”

We knew of Hosea primarily because they provided the main source of contact between us through the phone services they make available to their guests. That was of great comfort! They also provided food, clothing and hot showers…the basic needs for hundreds of young people in dire circumstances. What we didn’t realize is the sense of community, purpose and hope for a better future Hosea offers.

Drop In Center

Now, we would like to acquaint you with Hosea House through an important message from Executive Director, Brad Bills, whom we got to know personally:

“So much of what we hear in the media, discuss with our families, friends and co-workers, and see all around us has to do with the homeless crisis.

And we are all asking questions like, “why so many homeless?”, and “what can we do to help these people?”, and “there are many jobs available, can’t they just get a job?” etc., etc. The problem of homelessness is massive, complicated and very expensive.

drop-in center

The overwhelming majority of our young guests at Hosea are coming from extreme family dysfunctions and trauma and it’s easy to see why they are living on the streets and struggling with addictions, poverty, relationships and mental health. They were born into situations which were very unhealthy and destructive. However, even for those who were born into or placed into good families, the destructive influences of our world can have significant impact in dragging them down.

Affecting Us All

And what are these influences? First there are the influences of alcohol, gambling, pornography,violent video games and movies, marijuana, the effects of divorce, etc. Then there’s the illegal influences of narcotics, prostitution, sex trafficking, child pornography, child abuse and neglect, etc. And then there’s PTSD, other mental health issues, fetal alcohol syndrome and neonatal abstinence syndrome. As a culture we have allowed and caused much of the damaging influences around us, bringing so much pain, trauma and despair.

Working Together

I’m convinced more than ever that if we’re going to have any impact in the fight against homelessness, we must realize it’s so much more than just providing more housing. We must look deeply into the heart of our fellow man and provide assistance in healing the pain and darkness that is there. We must show there is a better way and walk with them toward a life of health and purpose.

Homeless Youth

Since homelessness is a “we” problem, it’s going to take the collective “we” to reach out and truly make a difference. I believe we all have some responsibility to do what we all can, small or large, with our time and money, to assist those who have been so harmfully impacted by the adverse influences of our culture.

Now, Hosea will be partnering with CAFA (Christians As Family Advocates) a non-profit 501(c)(3) mental health agency to provide services addressing anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, PTSD, and much more.

This partnership with CAFA will give our young guests almost immediate access to mental health support. Due to lives of abandonment, abuse, addiction and generational poverty, our young guests are in dire need of mental health support, and this is a foundational issue for our young homeless community in moving forward with lives of health and purpose. – Brad Bills

Supporting Hosea’s mission is the “good” that can come from our family’s tragic experience. It is with this in mind that we are creating the “Grant Thomas Winters Memorial Fund.” A fund that will help others Survive & Thrive, now and in the future.

Our immediate goal is to raise $25,000 with the intention of establishing an endowment to fund Hosea’s partnership with CAFA. Please help us help others & give generously…

Donate – Hosea Youth Services (Mailing address: 834 Monroe St. Eugene, OR 97402)