As a child, author Karen Olson couldn’t shake the image of homeless people she’d encountered. The heart-tugging images stayed with her, and in time, she acted on the instinct to help. As founder and CEO, I am the emeritus of Family Promise, a charitable organization dedicated to sheltering, feeding, educating, and empowering the homeless community.

It’s rare to find someone who comes from privilege putting it on the line to make a difference.

That’s what this divorced working mom did when she stopped to buy lunch for a homeless woman named Millie. The book shares how this encounter forever changed Karen’s life. Moved by Millie’s plight and through conversations and continued support, she discovered a vastly diverse subjectivity in the root of homelessness. It is often a misconstrued belief that many people find themselves on the streets not based on poor decisions but because of bad luck and loss of resources. Millie taught her that the most challenging part of her life was not her circumstances. It was “feeling invisible.”

Karen took this as a sign and opportunity to change her trajectory.

She and her sons made sandwiches, collected clothes and donations, and then made routine visits to feed and uplift the homeless population. In time, support grew, and she procured legal, marketing, and shelter resources to expand their offerings. That’s how the Family Promise was born.

The book is one way Karen hopes to share and grow her mission. She strives to spread the seed of change through the power of words and a compelling story. Mindset, response, and beliefs are just a few of the shifting ripples readers experience when reading the book. And if hers isn’t enough to change your thinking, she also shares multiple stories from those who’ve once been homeless and now have hope.

Family Promise is the leading nonprofit addressing the crisis of family homelessness, with a network that extends across the country. It all started with Karen’s belief that she was meant for more.

Book and Image Courtesy of PR by the Book