Today we’d like to introduce you to Cyndi Bunch.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were many struggles along the way, but I’ve learned to use those struggles and any pain I’ve experienced and to inspire others with them.
My struggles began in the late ’90s when my husband, a successful construction engineer, became ill with schizophrenia and disappeared to live homeless on the streets of Fort Worth. At the time, my son Phillip was just seven years old, and we both struggled mightily after losing our own home and having to move first into a trailer home, then in with my mother after our trailer burned down due to a portable heater fire. My son and I were not homeless ourselves, but I felt like our own lives were in limbo as we searched for my husband while trying to find some normalcy.
Having a father who was homeless was very hard for Phillip. He was teased at school and missed his father dearly, just like I did. At the time, I was really down and had no idea what the future would hold.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Prior to my husband leaving for the streets, I didn’t have to work and spent my time taking care of my son (Phillip). It was actually a very comfortable life for all of us. But after my husband became ill and did leave, I had to make ends meet myself. I didn’t have any type of formal training, so I had to figure out what kind of job I could qualify for. I ended up taking a low-level job at a local grocery store, then even took a second job as a waitress.
What I’m most proud of is how my son (Phillip) and I continued to search for my husband while creating a non-profit organization called Phillip’s Wish to help provide blankets to the homeless. It’s called Phillip’s Wish because it actually was Phillip’s wish to collect blankets and give them to the homeless because he became so concerned about his father and others like him being cold living on the streets.
As Phillip’s Wish grew, the organization collected hundreds of blankets that first year, which we personally distributed to homeless individuals. Once word got out about what we were doing, including Phillip’s school and others in the community, we began to receive many more blankets as donations. We had heard that there were around 5000 homeless at that time living on the streets of Fort Worth, so our real goal was to get a blanket for each one of them.
There are many things I’m most proud of. First of all, how my little boy (Phillip) handled the situation so well for a child his age. He was so compassionate and patient as we tried to put our lives back together and continued to search the streets for my husband and Phillip’s dad. I’m also proud that we found a new sense of purpose in both our lives due to these trying circumstances. Finally, I’m proud of the North Texas community and how they came together to support the cause of helping the homeless.
I believe what sets me apart from others is how I changed from being a passive (and even unconcerned) observer of the homeless into an active supporter and advocate. In other words, I learned from our pain and struggles and became a much more empathetic person, as did Phillip. I know that every single person in the world goes through some sort of pain and suffering, but I’m fortunate in how I learned how to become more empathetic and compassionate due to our struggles.
I should add that our journey not only gave me and my son a new sense of purpose but also a renewed sense of faith in God.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
My childhood was pretty hard because my dad was gone overseas in the military and my mom was always working. But I made a lot of lifelong friends in school — and today many of them are some of Phillip’s Wish’s biggest supporters.
Contact Info:
- Website: phillipswish.com
