Why I’m lifting up Healing Vine Harbor this holiday season
Dear friends,
For 18 months I’ve been working with Healing Vine Harbor from a marketing perspective. I create content to help them tell their story and am one of Tracey’s (the executive director) biggest cheerleaders. Recently Tracey has been going through a lot taking care of her aging parents, while trying to prioritize her physical and mental health - and running this amazing and impactful non-profit.
In order to take some pressure off of her during this giving season, I decided to really lean in to support her; she’s been setting a great example for me since I’ve known her. I’m going all in on asking my community for support and learning even more about the work they do on a daily basis so I can tell a story that we all need to hear.
In order to tell a really impactful story, I spent some time learning more about what Tracey and her team really do every day to support the women Healing Vine Harbor serves. I interviewed Victoria Muñiz Randall, the program coordinator and social worker, to get the nitty gritty details.
Currently, Victoria and two social work interns, Kate and Madisson, are walking alongside 22 women who are navigating some of the most challenging seasons of their lives. These women have experienced a crisis in their life and need support to rebuild.
What I heard from Victoria reminded me just how powerful compassion in action can be:
Meeting clients after hours and treating them to a coffee. Victoria told me about meeting one of her clients one evening and buying her a coffee - after hours - because that was the only time the client could meet. They talked for two hours. Sometimes, that’s what support looks like: showing up, listening, and helping someone feel seen - connection.
Managing clutter. She shared another story about a client struggling to keep her room clean; the client admitted she’s a hoarder. Rather than simply offer advice, Victoria plans to spend two hours with her to help her organize, get furniture that might help her become more organized, sort through clutter, and create a space where she can think clearly. Healing starts with dignity, and sometimes that begins with a clean room and a caring presence.
Preventing cockroaches. Then there was the woman living in a one-bedroom apartment, paying $800 a month, yet dealing with a serious cockroach problem. Victoria and Tracey went together to her home, found holes and cracks where the pests were coming in, cleaned, and sealed what they could. Tracey noticed drafty windows and returned with plastic coverings to keep the cold air out. (My mental health and ability to heal would NOT be ok if I was struggling with a cockroach issue.)
Ensuring they have food. Healing Vine Harbor works with partner agencies across the county to ensure their clients can benefit from the available food services. While most of the time the HVH team encourages the clients to manage the pick up or deliveries on their own in order to strengthen their independence, sometimes the women can’t due to work and family commitments or transportation challenges. The HVH team won’t let their clients go hungry. Tracey, Victoria, Kate, and/or Maddison will pick up their food allocation and deliver it to them when it works for their schedule (some even trust the HVH team with a key to their apartment).
This is what it means to meet people where they are. It’s what it means to be part of the Healing Vine Harbor family. I often talk about the impact that is made in the TALK life skills workshops and mentoring programs, but I haven’t been good about sharing the behind-the-scenes day to day work. This team of women are angels on earth.
As we enter this giving season, I hope you’ll join me in supporting this incredible work. Your generosity directly fuels moments like these - moments of care, kindness, and restoration that change lives in ways both big and small.
If you’re in Charlotte, I hope you’ll join me at my Favorite Things Party! (RSVP here) If not, you can make your donation today at Healing Vine Harbor | Kindful (select 2025 Season of Giving). Every gift matters, and every dollar goes toward creating stability, safety, and hope for women who are ready to rebuild their lives.
Also, if you’d like to engage with the non-profit in an even bigger way, the organization is always looking for leaders to join their board, a committee, or to volunteer. Let me know if you’d like to explore this!
Thank you!
With gratitude,
MaryBeth Simon