TOUCH A HEART NEWSLETTER | JULY 29, 2026
Lighting the Way
Last Friday, we celebrated the graduation of our third foodservice vocational training cohort of the year. While we honored Pebbles and Hannah, the day was about something even greater—it offered a glimpse into what we believe is The Touch A Heart Way.
Over the past 10 years, we've learned that skills, employment, and other opportunities matter, but real change begins when someone starts believing they can become someone they never imagined they could be. Throughout the celebration, guests reflected on the people who helped shape their own lives by sharing stories around their tables. As each conversation unfolded, one truth became clear: none of us becomes who we are alone.
That message was echoed by our graduates. Pebbles shared how the encouragement of others helped her move forward. "One thing I learned from this program is it takes patience, courage, and kindness to give back to the community," she said. "There's always another door open for you." She will soon begin a new position in warehouse operations.
Hannah reflected on the hope she found with us, sharing, "I'm so thankful this program helped me through this journey. I was praying to God that whatever He had planned for me would open the doors for me." She will continue to grow with us as an apprentice.
Associate Leslie reminded the graduates, "As long as one person in this world believes in you, nothing is impossible." Her words reflected the heart of the day—that each of us has the opportunity to be that person for someone else.
Our longtime supporter Jonathan S., a retired probation officer, said that lasting change requires an entire community working together, noting, "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness."
As we look ahead, we invite you to consider the same question we left with our guests: Who are you helping grow into someone? Because every one of us has the opportunity to cultivate hope in another person's life.