Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 6

Spring 2011

A Newsletter for the friends of Abigayle Ministries

AbigayleUpdate
ABIGAYLE
Ministries
Life . . . precious from the start

Abigayle Ministries is a Christian 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a Godly, safe and secure environment for pregnant women, needy mothers and their children.

There have been many times throughout the years that the Lord has shown His great strength Gloria Gross through our weakness, through the times when we were willing to be still and trust in His mighty power. Now again, as we look back over the last few busy months of preparation for our annual banquet and consider the event itself, we see once more how He has shown Himself to be so faithful. The many prayers for our banquet and silent auction on March 7 were certainly answered. The event was attended by many caring hearts who desired to support the ministry and the Lords work here at Abigayle. It is impossible to express our gratitude to all those who assisted in some way with the endless preparations for the banquet or volunteered the night of the event. Our most heartfelt thank you goes out to those whose service was not just to Abigayle, but to our loving God who we trust will bless them according to His goodness. Beyond the busyness of the event, we pause for a moment to be silent and ponder just how great our Lord truly is. We think of the many women that come to Abigayle with an unplanned pregnancy, in a state of homelessness and financial Psalm 46:10 crisis, fighting addictions and abusive relationships, and many other heart wrenching circumstances which really are just a consequence of their greatest need, and all mankinds greatest need: to know the Lord Jesus in a personal way. To know of the One who loved them so that He willingly gave His life for them. To understand His great unfathomable love and forgiveness, and His desire to meet all their needs no matter what their past mistakes have been. To truly meet the One who knows their pain and hears their cries and loves them in spite of their faults. This is the One that we here at Abigayle desire to share with the women we serve, to reach far beyond the desperate circumstances of a broken life to touch the heart with the healing message of the Gospel. This is our ultimate calling, to share from our own grateful hearts that our God truly is an awesome God. It is this calling that the many supporters of the banquet and the ministry have enabled us to continue reaching toward in His grace. We extend a humble and profoundly grateful thank you to those who attended the banquet and supported this ministry. To God be the glory for the great things He has done, and we trust will continue to do through His strength, in the hearts and lives of many through Abigayle Ministries.

Abigayles Residential Program, Abigayles Place, benefits the single pregnant woman
awaiting the birth of her child and for three months postpartum. Services provided include food, shelter, education, spiritual guidance, and case management services.

Abbys Resource Center serves families


from the community who are in need of items such as diapers, formula, clothing, etc. Other services include referrals to food banks government services, and educational

INSIDE THIS ISSUE


Abigayles Place From the Residential Manager Making Dreams Happen Making A Difference From Those We Serve From Abigayles Kitchen Volunteer Spotlight Work Program Abigayle Wish List 2 2 3 4 5 5 5 6 6

Page 2

Kathy Daley
Residential Manager

Theres NEVER a dull moment. The days at Abigayles Blessed to be a blessing Place are filled with activities. From the moment a resident is accepted into the program, until the day she leaves with her young infant, each day is different. Our residents are up and ready to go for the day by 9:00 a.m. Each woman tidies her room and makes sure her house chore is completed. By 9:30 a.m., we are meeting for prayer, a devotion and a house meeting. Our daily meeting allows us to touch base with each other and plan the day according to each residents needs. By 10:00 a.m., the residents are all off to a variety of places. A resident may

be at Work First, which is a job training program through the Department of Human Services. Another resident may be at her place of employment such as Kmart, Burger King, or a beauty salon to name a few recent employers. One resident may be studying for her GED while another is completing homework for college classes to become a nurse. In summary, all of our residents must fulfill thirty hours a week of work, job searching, schoolwork, volunteer service, or a combination of any of these. Dinnertime is a family affair. One woman cooks for everyone, and we eat together at the table for a sit down meal that can be anything from a taco salad to a turkey dinner. One resident actually made baked pork chops in a pumpkin! It was incredibly tasty and beautifully made. On Friday mornings, the residents are currently attending a nutritional class conducted by Michigan State University Extension from which they will each receive a cookbook for their participation.

Evenings bring a variety of classes. We have a Bible study on Tuesdays, infant care training on Wednesdays, and child birth classes on Thursdays. The information presented, from breastfeeding to bathing a newborn, is always up-to-date and informative. In addition to all these busy activities, our staff is constantly working to prepare our residents for when they leave Abigayles Place. Our goal is to connect the residents to a variety of resources including future housing opportunities, Early HeadStart, WIC, and DHS services, along with a host of other services. Around the house, we like to say, We have 24 hours in a day. Lets concentrate on those 24 hours and make them the best they can be. The days at Abigayles Place are truly filled with the hustle and bustle of lives being transformed.

Baby D was born in October 2010. He is a beautiful baby with bright eyes and has a contagious smile. He and his mom are in their own apartment, and mom is in the work program at Abigayle.

Baby J was born in November 2010. His mother secured an apartment very near to Abigayle. Mom has a job and plans to enroll at Macomb Community College for the fall semester.

Baby A arrived on time in December 2010 as a healthy, beautiful girl. She and her mom live with moms grandparents. The whole family is bonding well.

Baby S arrived in January 2011, and her mom and four year old sister are now living in their own apartment. Mom is looking for work and daycare.

Jan Carpenter
Residential Director

The Lord has always brought us such a diverse cliental to serve here at Abigayle. 2010 was no exception to that. We were blessed to have the opportunity to work with a variety of women from many different backgrounds. The following statistics provide just a glimpse of those we have tried to faithfully serve this past year.

The women who found their way to our doors last year ranged in age from 18 to 49 years old. The average age was 21.8 years old. 86% were single and 14% were divorced. 62% were Caucasian, 29% African American, and 9% Hispanic. Their education level ranged from a 9th grand drop out to a client with a bachelors degree (10.9 grade average). At least 14% were in special education and 10% were attending high school while residing here. Only 10% were employed and 10% were receiving unemployment. Most had little or no positive employment experience and very few good references. Two received child support for another child. Only one had a savings account. 90% had some mental health issues, 71% had some level of substance abuse, and 52% had some legal issues to resolve. Most had histories that included sexual abuse and domestic violence. Sadly enough, a few struggled with all of these issues.
(Continued on page 4)

Page 3

Many thanks to all our wonderful volunteers who did such an amazing job with our banquet in March. Special thanks to those who worked so hard on our silent auction, along with many others who made the night so special. Wed like to express our deepest gratitude to: Margaret Wunschl for her expert coordination of the entire event Marilyn Massaro and the banquet planning committee for their faithful assistance Vickey Kipp and her team for the beautiful decorations Tom and Sally Zito for their incredible DVD production Jim Perlaki for an outstanding presentation Chef Jeff Wolf of Finesse Ice for his beautiful ice carving Bee Brown and Gail Mayberry for their donations and beautiful basket creations Rennie Kaufmann for once again making our evening memorable with his beautiful voice The many silent auction donors for all the wonderful items donated There are many, many more we could also thank. To all our volunteers and supporters, please know how very grateful we are for your faithful service. May the Lords name be glorified through your efforts!

Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26

The banquet was a great time to talk with other supporters of Abigayle. It was also exciting to see what Abigayle has accomplished and their goals for the future. Esther Passon

Banquet Attendee

The support provided by the banquet attendees and faithful donors throughout the year help us to meet ministry expenses and provide the following services to our clients: - Childbirth preparation classes - Infant care classes - Basic life skills training - Parenting education - Cooking and nutrition education - Household budgeting skills - Bible studies - Case management - Material goods - G.E.D. tutoring - Mentoring - Energy efficiency

Page 4

Diane Wagner
Community Liaison

next volunteer orientation will take place in June. Please contact me to receive a volunteer information packet if the Lord is calling return them to the church. It only takes you to serve in this fashion. a small group to organize a bottle Our great God has always been faithful drive, and Abigayle Ministries provides in providing for His work here at all the bottles, promotional materials Abigayle Ministries. His grace and and can even count all the change in goodness has enabled us to serve many the returned bottles. Are you being homeless women and needy community called by God to serve in this way? families for over ten years now. We trust Organizing a fundraiser and motivating in His faithfulness to raise up willing participation is just one of the services volunteers to serve here at the ministry. an individual could provide for the Lords work here at Abigayle. THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

How is the Lord calling you to serve? When individuals consider providing a service for Abigayle Ministries, many times the first thing they think of is hosting a baby shower to benefit the ministry, donating diapers or newborn clothing, or organizing a service day at Abigayles Place. Over the years, many individuals and churches have assisted the ministry in these ways, and we are so thankful and appreciative of their efforts. Because of the generosity of many caring hearts, we have been blessed with material goods for the moms and babies that we serve.

THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!

As of late, the ministry has experienced a reduction in donations from fundraisers sponsored by individuals and supporting churches. With the economic downturn of Michigans economy over the past few years, it is understandable that many families are financially hurting. It is our prayer that the Lord would raise up individuals and churches who would be willing to do what The ministry is also in need of more they can to support Abigayle through volunteers. Our residents require fundraising efforts. transportation to doctor appointments, job interviews, classes, and work. One of the easiest and most successful means to support the ministry is for Women are needed to spend the a church to host a baby bottle drive night here at the residence to provide to benefit Abigayle. Baby bottles are oversight while staff is gone. Of course, distributed to the church or organiza- volunteers are also needed to work in tion, church families fill the bottles with our resource center, business office, and to help with tutoring opportunities. Our change over a set time period and then Residential Program (Continued from page 2)

It is always amazing to see how much one individual or group can accomplish. There are many other events that would be organized as a service to our ministry: pancake breakfasts, bowl-athons, chili cook-offs, mother-daughter teas, progressive dinnersthe possibilities are endless. May is an especially great time to host a fundraiser in honor of Mothers Day and all the mothers who reside here at Abigayles Place, striving to change their lives for the better.

Abigayle Ministries would like to recognize the following churches who organized and hosted baby showers, material good drives, and bottle drives to assist the ministry. We would like to especially thank the individuals who volunteered so much of their time to coordinate these events. Thank you for helping us continue our mission of providing hope to so many who are in need. Alpha Delta Kappa Educators Group,
St. Clair Shores

Knights of Columbus of St. Kieran Catholic


Church, Shelby Twp.
Washington Twp.

Stoney Creek Community Church,


St. Clement Catholic Parish, Romeo St. Peters Lutheran Church, Macomb Twp. St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Troy The Bridge Chapel, Plymouth Trinity Lutheran Church Small Group, Utica

Most did not have supportive relationships, especially with their mothers, or positive relationships with female friends. Many did not know how to get along well with others, especially with their peers. After reading these statistics, one might wonder, Where do you begin? In His Great Commission to us, Jesus said Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely Im with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 29:19) Knowing that the Lord is with us always, each day as new women enter our program, we know that nothing is impossible. Pregnancy can be a life changing experience for any woman. The women who are accepted into our residential program have either told us or shown us something in their initial interview that makes us believe they are motivated to make changes in their life. Many are so ready to know the Lord, to know His forgiveness, to seek His strength, and to feel His protection. So, to begin with, the staff and interns have to provide the support and clear boundaries that the residents often lack in their life. The staff is dependable, loving and kind, and they role model healthy relationships, teaching patience and forgiveness, all in Jesus name. This has been a wonderful year and a blessing to me personally to be able to work with such a great staff, the interns and volunteers, and to see so many lives changed.

Page 5

It truly is a privilege for the staff and volunteers of Abigayle Ministries to serve the many needy families the Lord brings to our ministry. It is our desire to share some thoughts of those we serve to convey how the Lord is working through our efforts. What Abigayle has Done for Me by Amber L., 2010 In the last year, my life has been very difficult with many changes and challenges. When I had learned about Abigayle Ministries, I was homeless, six months pregnant and had 2 babies. We had lost our home in July 2009 and were living in a hotel in a bad area. The wonderful women at Abigayle helped us with diapers, supplies and clothes for our children. They also got us a Thanksgiving basket and Christmas presents for the kids. The wonderful people at Abigayle have been very helpful and supportive, helping to ease the burden and made us feel more hopeful. Things started looking up for us when we moved into a house. The kids are all happy and healthy and life is good. Thank you Abigayle Ministries for all your help and support.

Here is a recipe Abigayles Place residents will be preparing for the Easter holiday. Enjoy making it with your family!

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Grease the foil with shortening. Cut 10 bread pieces into fourths and arrange for body and top of head on foil. Shape one roll into an oval for the head, and place on side of upper body. Cut last roll in half and roll each piece into a 4-to5-inch rope. Fold in half and place under body for legs. Brush body and top of head with beaten egg. Sprinkle body and top of head with sesame or poppy seeds, trying not to get any on the face, tail or legs. Brush face, ear, tail and legs with remaining beaten eggs. Cut a slit for the eye and place raisin in slit. Spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with nonstick cooking spray. Cover lamb with plastic wrap and let rise 15-30 minutes.

Ingredients 1 teaspoon shortening 1 pound bread dough, thawed if frozen, cut into 13 equal pieces 1 egg, beaten 1 ounce sesame or poppy seeds 1 large raisin Nonstick cooking spray

6. 7. 8. 9.

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 15 minutes before baking. Remove plastic wrap. 11. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and serve. Serves 12.

The ministry has been so blessed by the service of Paul and Dona Funk. Their efforts to serve the Lord here at Abigayle over the past few years have met a critical need within the ministry. Without their tireless assistance, the ministrys operational abilities would be greatly hampered. Their servant hearts are truly a blessing to Abigayle! Paul writes... I have been volunteering to help maintain the computer resources at Abigayle for 3 years. I got started helping out through a simple service project. Paul Massaro from St. Thomas Community Presbyterian Church asked me if I could help him install an internet cable from the downstairs business office to the residential office upstairs. As he showed me around the facility, I could see that there was a lot of need to improve the few computers that were being used to support the program. I had been helping to manage the St. Thomas computers for several years, and I felt called to see if I could help Abigayle, too. I began meeting with the staff and volunteers to discuss their computer needs and develop priorities. As I interacted with the staff, volunteers, and residents, I was struck by the love and commitment that everyone there has to Abigayles important mission. Before I knew it, I became deeply committed to lend my talents to helping things run more efficiently. My wife Dona has spent many an evening and weekend as my chaperone and helper. We both feel blessed to be a part of this ministry and to get a chance to know all the wonderful people involved with Abigayle.

Paul Funk

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID
Sterling Hts., MI Permit #181

ABIGAYLE
Ministries
Life . . . precious from the start
12313 19 Mile Rd. Sterling Hts., MI 48313 Phone: (586) 323-1411 Fax: (586) 323-1412 Email: abigayles@abigayleministries.org www.abigayleministries.org

Once again we are blessed to have the opportunity to provide a former resident with employment for a short period of time. The ministry initiated its first three month work program last summer, and it was such a blessing, not only to the former resident who was employed at Abigayle, but to all of us here at the ministry. Currently, our former resident, Tanya, is working here on a three month project for approximately thirty hours a week as a ministry aid. She is assisting in many different areas of the ministry and gaining valuable work experience. In our residential program, she helps with a variety of tasks including orienting new residents, working around the house, and grocery shopping for supplies. Tania also supports our business office. She assisted with tasks in preparation for our recent banquet, including helping set up on the day of the event. Tanya is lending a hand in our resource center, too, by helping sort baby clothes, diapers, and other supplies that are donated. She has such a willing heart to help wherever she is needed, and we are truly blessed to have her here at the ministry and to offer this opportunity to her.

Resource Center Needs Enfamil formulaPremium Lipil or Gentlease Lipil Gently used spring/summer clothing: size 12 months4T Gift cards: Meijer, Walmart, JC Penny's, Kmart, Target Baby wipes Residential Needs

With our donation resources constantly changing, please contact Abigayle when donating to verify current supply of materials.

General Ministry Needs

Transportation for client appointments Stamps Overnight coverage Copy paper Laundry detergent (HE) HP Ink Cartridges: Black 74XL, Color 75XL

Abigayle Board
Russell Olexa
Board President

Abigayle Directors
Gloria Gross
Director

Denise Wesselmann
Vice President

Jan Carpenter, LMSW


Residential Director

Dr. Mary Cassady


Secretary

William Gross
Treasurer

Volunteer Staff
Residential
Lori Fogolini
Volunteer Coordinator

Beula Brown
Board Member

Lori Fogolini
Board Member

John Pedrie
Board Member

Gerald Scott
Board Member

Board Advisors
Jim Perlaki Peg Steeh

Resource Center
Paula Ondra
Manager

Esther Passon
Client Relations

Peg Steeh
Materials Coordinator

Вам также может понравиться