Do-Gooding Couple Dedicates Their Life to Helping Those in Need

Sponsored by Vrbo | This inspiring couple knows that no one should be ashamed of asking for or receiving help.

Jennifer Hudson welcomed married couple Sana and Josh Cotten from Middletown, Connecticut, to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to learn about their nonprofit, Unashamed, and what motivates them to spend their lives helping others.

Through their combined efforts, Sana and Josh are constantly giving back to single moms, foster youth, and families.

Sana is the founder of Unashamed, a nonprofit organization that provides food, hygiene supplies, and childcare products to people in need, particularly those affected by incarceration, teen pregnancy, and the foster system.

Unashamed helps pay school tuition for moms and provides parents with baby essentials, including cribs and diapers. The organization also provides Christmas gifts for families who have experienced incarceration or other challenges.

The Cottens also run a summer camp for kids and host self-esteem and character-building workshops for youth in foster care. As a youth pastor and mentor, Josh is a father figure for many young men in his community.

Sana grew up in foster care and was a single teen mom. She was deeply affected by the support of one particular social worker and shares the story of that social worker knitting her a sweater — one that she still owns to this day.

“Because of her dedication to me, it’s been my purpose to make sure I pay it forward to youth that are in care,” Sana told Jennifer.

Meanwhile, Josh overcame many hardships, including losing both parents at a young age and selling drugs to get by. Together, Sana and Josh use their experiences facing adversity to help others who need support.

“We have a heart to serve people,” she told Jennifer. “We keep it the focus of our marriage, of our family, and the work that we get to do every day.”

Sana wrote to “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to nominate her family, which includes their two children, for a much-needed vacation. Though they are passionate about giving back, they haven’t been able to spend much time attending to their own family’s needs, which includes taking a much-needed rest.

Jennifer teamed up with Vrbo to surprise the Cottens with a family vacation to any one of their 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year!

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Vrbo just released its 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year, which is a list of the most exceptional private vacation rentals across the United States! The homes are selected from millions of properties on Vrbo based on criteria including Premier Host status, star ratings, guest reviews, and space and amenities that make it easy to relax on vacation together with family and friends.

Guests that book a Vacation Rental of the Year, or any Vrbo property, can also earn rewards with One Key, the first loyalty program from a major online vacation rental platform. Travelers can earn up to 2% OneKeyCash on Vrbo bookings to be used towards future bookings on eligible vacation rentals.

To celebrate the upcoming summer vacation season, Vrbo gave the Cotten family an unforgettable trip – a family vacation at one of their 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year to relax, spend quality time together, and make memories! Learn more about the Vrbo 2024 Vacation Rentals of the Year at vrbo.com.