Earlier this week, our board of directors met with our entire staff for a day-long strategic planning session. This effort sets the direction of Hope Alive for the next 3-5 years. As part of the day, the board wanted to hear from a resident mom about the impact Hope Alive’s ministry is having on the lives of those we serve. Riyan (who was featured in our November newsletter) shared with the board the accomplishments she and her children have made during their stay that have put them on the road to success and independence.
Riyan first talked about the children’s ministry staff that has helped to change the lives of her children. She’s so thankful for the loving care, support and professional advice the children’s staff provides to her and her two little ones. She said they’ve learned so much more than she ever imagined they could at this young stage of their lives.
Riyan also talked about the changes that have happened in her own life. She’s learned important conflict resolution and financial management skills, grown in her faith, and has become a role model and leader among her peers. She admitted that some of the life-change she’s experienced has been hard, but she recognizes that it’s all for her benefit to bring her to the place where she is today. She was awarded a vehicle through Second Chances Garage to give her greater independence, will complete her associate’s degree at FCC this year, and is interviewing for a full-time job as she prepares to graduate from the program and move out on her own.
Riyan’s testimony was the highlight of our day – helping us better understand the significant impact God's ministry is having on our families' lives. As we celebrate our fifth year of serving homeless families and our tenth year since Hope Alive was born, we praise God for the ministry’s effectiveness in changing the face of homelessness in our community.
On behalf of our staff, board of directors, and residents, thank you for keeping hope alive for each precious life we serve. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christian. Show all posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Christmas is a time for love
I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours at Hope Alive. I was at Hope Alive Christmas morning and it was inspiring to see the love that our families shared. Two of our moms read scripture and talked about the true meaning of Christmas before all the children were allowed to open their gifts. Every child was so excited as they unwrapped gifts that had been donated for them. Amy was thrilled with an art set and Julie loved the outfits that had been picked out especially for her. One mother came into the kitchen with tears streaming down her face after opening a simple gift card that had been purchased for her. With this gift she can purchase food, clothing, even needed medications. Another mother said this Christmas made up for the last four when she and her daughter moved from place to place.
After breakfast, all the moms and children spent the next couple of hours playing games together – laughing and having great fun. It was so heartwarming to see the love between them. As another mother once said, it’s just one big overwhelming family at Hope Alive.
It’s this loving, stable environment that Hope Alive offers that provides our families with the foundation for growth, healing, and the courage to move forward toward self-sufficiency. Thank you for supporting this life-change and for offering hope of a future. Thank you for keeping hope alive and for walking with us on this amazing journey of faith. May you enjoy an especially blessed New Year! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
After breakfast, all the moms and children spent the next couple of hours playing games together – laughing and having great fun. It was so heartwarming to see the love between them. As another mother once said, it’s just one big overwhelming family at Hope Alive.
It’s this loving, stable environment that Hope Alive offers that provides our families with the foundation for growth, healing, and the courage to move forward toward self-sufficiency. Thank you for supporting this life-change and for offering hope of a future. Thank you for keeping hope alive and for walking with us on this amazing journey of faith. May you enjoy an especially blessed New Year! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Reflections on Thanksgiving
The turkey, stuffing, and gravy was delish, but the most meaningful part of my Thanksgiving was the thanksgiving offered to God for the many blessings in our lives. I’m most thankful for my relationship with God, a wonderful husband, loving children and grandchildren, my mother’s healing, and for the opportunity to serve at Hope Alive.
This Thanksgiving I also thought about what our families at Hope Alive are most thankful for this year. Stability, improved health, a place to call home, loving support, unconditional love and acceptance, new opportunities, peace and hope top their blessings this year.
I found myself thinking about homeless families in our community and what they might be reflecting on this Thanksgiving. Sadly, their thoughts are probably consumed with their housing instability, food insecurity, life chaos, poor health, hopelessness and despair.
My prayer is that together we can respond to the growing, complex, and unmet needs of homeless women and children in our community to help change their lives. Did you know there are 600 homeless children in Frederick County Public Schools this month? That’s an increase from 400 at the start of the school year. The recently released Frederick County Human Needs Assessment identified one of the most urgent needs in our community is for shelter ranging from emergency to permanent affordable housing. I believe God is calling us to work together to meet more of these critical needs and to continue to change the face of homelessness in our community.
Thank you for your support and committed interest in the work God has called us to do. Let’s make every day Thanksgiving by giving praise and gratitude to God for all He has done in our lives! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
This Thanksgiving I also thought about what our families at Hope Alive are most thankful for this year. Stability, improved health, a place to call home, loving support, unconditional love and acceptance, new opportunities, peace and hope top their blessings this year.
I found myself thinking about homeless families in our community and what they might be reflecting on this Thanksgiving. Sadly, their thoughts are probably consumed with their housing instability, food insecurity, life chaos, poor health, hopelessness and despair.
My prayer is that together we can respond to the growing, complex, and unmet needs of homeless women and children in our community to help change their lives. Did you know there are 600 homeless children in Frederick County Public Schools this month? That’s an increase from 400 at the start of the school year. The recently released Frederick County Human Needs Assessment identified one of the most urgent needs in our community is for shelter ranging from emergency to permanent affordable housing. I believe God is calling us to work together to meet more of these critical needs and to continue to change the face of homelessness in our community.
Thank you for your support and committed interest in the work God has called us to do. Let’s make every day Thanksgiving by giving praise and gratitude to God for all He has done in our lives! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, July 28, 2011
God speaks through children
God always uses the children to remind me of why I’m here at Hope Alive doing what He called me to do. It was many many years ago that God spoke to me through some precious children that lived at the Frederick Rescue Mission where I served for more than seven years. It was during that time that God broke my heart for homeless women and children and I heard God’s gentle voice calling me to make a difference in their lives.
That was the beginning of the Hope Alive journey. Because God had used these children in such a powerful way in my life, a ministry to meet the unique needs of homeless children was at the very core of the Hope Alive vision. Today, we have a ministry that far surpasses that original vision. Thanks to the passionate leadership of our children’s ministry director, Ashley Benoit, and the dedicated service of our preschool teacher, Susan Hagelin, and assistant, Liz Miesner, our resident children experience love, stability, joy, growth and hope every day!
On Tuesday of this week, Jody (Family Ministry Specialist) and I were talking in the hall. As one of the little toddlers walked by with her caregiver, she stopped and hugged me around my knees. She turned to Jody and did the same and then she went on her way! Then yesterday, I was in the children’s center during nap time and one of our sweet little preschoolers was tossing and turning on her nap cot unable to fall asleep. She then settled down and turned to look at me with a great big smile and blew me a kiss! My heart just melted.
These children and their amazing mothers are the reason we are here. Just knowing that God is changing their lives in such remarkable ways encourages us in this journey. God speaks through them to confirm His calling on our lives to minister to their needs. Thank you for walking with us in this journey of faith and for your loving support and encouragement that God uses to keep hope alive for all of us here in this ministry! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
That was the beginning of the Hope Alive journey. Because God had used these children in such a powerful way in my life, a ministry to meet the unique needs of homeless children was at the very core of the Hope Alive vision. Today, we have a ministry that far surpasses that original vision. Thanks to the passionate leadership of our children’s ministry director, Ashley Benoit, and the dedicated service of our preschool teacher, Susan Hagelin, and assistant, Liz Miesner, our resident children experience love, stability, joy, growth and hope every day!
On Tuesday of this week, Jody (Family Ministry Specialist) and I were talking in the hall. As one of the little toddlers walked by with her caregiver, she stopped and hugged me around my knees. She turned to Jody and did the same and then she went on her way! Then yesterday, I was in the children’s center during nap time and one of our sweet little preschoolers was tossing and turning on her nap cot unable to fall asleep. She then settled down and turned to look at me with a great big smile and blew me a kiss! My heart just melted.
These children and their amazing mothers are the reason we are here. Just knowing that God is changing their lives in such remarkable ways encourages us in this journey. God speaks through them to confirm His calling on our lives to minister to their needs. Thank you for walking with us in this journey of faith and for your loving support and encouragement that God uses to keep hope alive for all of us here in this ministry! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Experiencing success
This morning at our annual Community Partner Breakfast, two of Hope Alive's moms shared their stories. One mom has been in the Hope Alive program for a full year and - as she shared - has experienced much success from improved health, stabilization for herself and her young daughter, educational opportunities for both in HeadStart and pre-kindergarten and at Frederick Community College, and now as a leader in the house with the other resident women.
Our second speaker was a program graduate now living on her own for the past year in independent housing and having graduated from Frederick Community College with her associate's degree. Through tears she thanked Hope Alive and the donors that were present and gave God the glory for her life transformation. She shared her plans to pursue a doctorate degree which we're convinced she'll acquire.
What I hadn't remembered was that three years ago next week, she was homeless and contemplating camping in a tent behind WalMart. She was on her last night in a motel placement by the Department of Social Services and felt she had no other option but to move to a tent and place her son with family members until she could find housing. She heard about Hope Alive and was the quickest intake we've ever done - moving her in within two days.
This morning she reminded us all that she was homeless and desperately hopeless and in just a short three years, she has a beautiful home, a college degree, good job, healthy relationships with her adult children and new grandson, and most importantly faith, hope and success of a future.
It made me think about the contrast we see often with women who want nothing more than a roof over their families' heads believing that a job is the answer to their problems ... to the women who are as determined as both of these wonderful ladies who spoke today. The work of life-change is tough and beyond challenging and as badly as our staff wants this change for them, they have to want it for themselves.
Right now, our Hope Alive house is filled with positive and motivated women and energetic and loving children who are embracing the wonderful unique opportunities that help them realize they are special in God's eyes.
Special thanks to our 2011 Community Partners that we had the privilege to recognize at this morning's breakfast. God uses their commitment to our mission and dedicated resources to make this ministry possible.
To all who love summer as much as I do ... enjoy this holiday weekend and stay safe. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Our second speaker was a program graduate now living on her own for the past year in independent housing and having graduated from Frederick Community College with her associate's degree. Through tears she thanked Hope Alive and the donors that were present and gave God the glory for her life transformation. She shared her plans to pursue a doctorate degree which we're convinced she'll acquire.
What I hadn't remembered was that three years ago next week, she was homeless and contemplating camping in a tent behind WalMart. She was on her last night in a motel placement by the Department of Social Services and felt she had no other option but to move to a tent and place her son with family members until she could find housing. She heard about Hope Alive and was the quickest intake we've ever done - moving her in within two days.
This morning she reminded us all that she was homeless and desperately hopeless and in just a short three years, she has a beautiful home, a college degree, good job, healthy relationships with her adult children and new grandson, and most importantly faith, hope and success of a future.
It made me think about the contrast we see often with women who want nothing more than a roof over their families' heads believing that a job is the answer to their problems ... to the women who are as determined as both of these wonderful ladies who spoke today. The work of life-change is tough and beyond challenging and as badly as our staff wants this change for them, they have to want it for themselves.
Right now, our Hope Alive house is filled with positive and motivated women and energetic and loving children who are embracing the wonderful unique opportunities that help them realize they are special in God's eyes.
Special thanks to our 2011 Community Partners that we had the privilege to recognize at this morning's breakfast. God uses their commitment to our mission and dedicated resources to make this ministry possible.
To all who love summer as much as I do ... enjoy this holiday weekend and stay safe. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, March 25, 2011
Looking for that special someone
On my drive to Hope Alive earlier this week, I was listening to radio talk show hosts discuss the importance of children having positive male role models in their lives. They said that children who do not have father figures in their lives are emotionally handicapped. We agree and know this to be true at Hope Alive.
The day after listening to the radio discussion, God reminded me of the importance of this need among our youngest residents. My husband came to Hope Alive after work to address some property repair issues and when he came into the house, several of the children ran to greet him with books in hand wanting his attention. Seldom are female volunteers or staff greeted with such excitement.
Of the 66 children we’ve served since opening our doors, many of them have emotional challenges attributed in part or in whole to the lack of a positive father figure in their lives. I’ll never forget one such child. This youngster’s abandonment by her father was the source of the emotional issues she wrestled with. Her biological father had dropped in and out of her life so often that at her young age she knew she couldn’t depend on him for the security and loving support that she desperately needed. A father figure stepped into her life in a very healthy way to fill this painful void and she‘s now finding healing. But what about the children who are still searching for that special someone to help meet this important emotional need? Every child deserves the chance to experience unconditional love, acceptance and happiness so they don‘t grow up to be emotionally handicapped adults. It's this father-figure - or lack thereof - that gives children (and adults) an understanding of who our Heavenly Father is. I believe we can do and need to do more for our youngest residents in this area. Let me know if you're feeling called to respond. On a similar note, everyone can help meet the needs of our youngest residents by attending our upcoming Visions for Hope annual fundraising event on Thursday, April 28 beginning at 6:30pm at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center in downtown Frederick. This fun family-friendly event benefits Hope Alive’s children’s programs that are designed to meet the unique needs of our resident children. Check out our website at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/ for more information or to register to attend. Until next week ...Friday, March 18, 2011
News from the state
This week I can’t help but continue on my soapbox of budget cuts and the devastating fallout that I believe will follow some our public officials’ decisions. Just yesterday I received an email alert from the Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute. The title is, “Steady Diet of Cuts is Making Maryland Sick - Also Homeless and Uneducated: Maryland falls short on essential services”. (Source: www.marylandpolicy.org/Cutsmakingussick.asp.)
This article reports that major reductions have already been made that reduce essential services affecting “public schools, hospitals treating Medicaid patients, local governments, and many other state-funded services.” Cuts to early learning programs and wait lists for child care subsidy could mean more low-income parents will enter the roles of the unemployed. The state already made significant cuts in K-12 education in previous fiscal years resulting in “a slow degradation of education quality and a renewed widening of the performance gap between schools in rich and poor areas.”
Direct impact to the resident women at Hope Alive and those who call searching for help will most likely include the following:
This article reports that major reductions have already been made that reduce essential services affecting “public schools, hospitals treating Medicaid patients, local governments, and many other state-funded services.” Cuts to early learning programs and wait lists for child care subsidy could mean more low-income parents will enter the roles of the unemployed. The state already made significant cuts in K-12 education in previous fiscal years resulting in “a slow degradation of education quality and a renewed widening of the performance gap between schools in rich and poor areas.”
Direct impact to the resident women at Hope Alive and those who call searching for help will most likely include the following:
- Unmet addiction treatment needs and inadequate treatment services
- $9.5 million loss to community mental health services
- Medical assistance provider rate reductions forcing more and more medical providers to stop serving Medical Assistance patients and losing their access to care
- Elimination of $500,000 in rental assistance to low-income recipients from the Department of Housing and Community Development’s current FY 30% cut in rental allowance program that is used to end chronic homelessness and prevent homelessness for low-income families facing eviction. (A woman calling Hope Alive for services this week reported that the Department of Social Services has posted signs in their lobby notifying clients that "no housing help is available".)
The Maryland Budget & Tax Policy Institute appropriately responds by stating “education from early learning to higher education is not wasteful spending. Medical treatment and related services are all necessary. Housing is a human right that all Marylanders must have access to. Frankly, none of these programs are exactly ’fat and happy’ and do not represent wasteful spending. In fact, they all have their own compelling stories of critical unmet needs.” The Institute promotes the critical need to look for a balanced approach to balancing the budget and presents viable measures to increase revenue.
We praise and thank God daily that He provides Hope Alive as a safety net for homeless families and sustains our core services to the escalating number of women and children who so desperately need our help. Thank you for your faithful support and commitment to our mission and thanks for listening. I’ll keep information and updates coming your way. Check out our website for information about our upcoming Visions for Hope fundraising event on Thursday, April 28 benefitting our child development programs. It's a fun family-friendly event and all for a really great cause! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tough week
It was a tough week at Hope Alive. It started with our newest staff member breaking her leg requiring surgery, pins and plates. Ouch! She's on crutches and hobbling around the best she can and trying not to overdo it.
Then, another staff member had a stove fire in her apartment requiring a visit by the fire department. No one was hurt, but she was left needing a new stove and smoke smell in everything.
It was also an unusual week of having to make some really tough decisions involving residents. When it involves the lives of others, the decisions are especially difficult to make. Then God brought about a major heart change and that's what it's all about!
Then there was more disappointing decisions made by the Board of County Commissioners this week with their 25% cut to the County's Grants-In-Aid program providing critically needed funding for nonprofit services. This follows last year's funding cut to nonprofits with another 25% projected cut for FY13. Hope Alive submitted a grant for the current funding cycle so if it's rated and ranked among the highest, our funding from two years ago may be reinstated.
And every week we continue to hear the heartbreaking stories from families who are struggling to survive in our own backyard. This week, among others, we received calls from a mother dying of cancer and living on the streets with her two children and a woman with three children needing to flee violence in their home.
Even though it was a tough week, we were blessed to see the positive changes and continued determination of so many of our families as they press forward toward healing, recovery and self-sufficiency.
Please continue to pray for us, those we serve, and the many families who are homeless and on the brink of despair who need our help. Pray God will meet their needs and fill their lives with His life-changing love and hope of a future. As we've witnessed so much lately, we know God hears and answers our prayers! Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Then, another staff member had a stove fire in her apartment requiring a visit by the fire department. No one was hurt, but she was left needing a new stove and smoke smell in everything.
It was also an unusual week of having to make some really tough decisions involving residents. When it involves the lives of others, the decisions are especially difficult to make. Then God brought about a major heart change and that's what it's all about!
Then there was more disappointing decisions made by the Board of County Commissioners this week with their 25% cut to the County's Grants-In-Aid program providing critically needed funding for nonprofit services. This follows last year's funding cut to nonprofits with another 25% projected cut for FY13. Hope Alive submitted a grant for the current funding cycle so if it's rated and ranked among the highest, our funding from two years ago may be reinstated.
And every week we continue to hear the heartbreaking stories from families who are struggling to survive in our own backyard. This week, among others, we received calls from a mother dying of cancer and living on the streets with her two children and a woman with three children needing to flee violence in their home.
Even though it was a tough week, we were blessed to see the positive changes and continued determination of so many of our families as they press forward toward healing, recovery and self-sufficiency.
Please continue to pray for us, those we serve, and the many families who are homeless and on the brink of despair who need our help. Pray God will meet their needs and fill their lives with His life-changing love and hope of a future. As we've witnessed so much lately, we know God hears and answers our prayers! Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, February 18, 2011
This week's highlights
This has been a week of exciting news! One of our resident moms passed her learner’s permit test and her pre-GED tests allowing her to register to take the state GED exam! She’s thrilled that she'll be driving soon and that college is now within reach!
Unlike most of us, one of our resident moms was anxious to visit the MVA this week to get tags and title for her very own car provided by Second Chance Garage in Frederick. Not only does this organization donate vehicles to families in need, but their required basic car care and budgeting classes help each recipient to keep their vehicles on the road. For our resident family, this is one more step forward toward independence and self-sufficiency!
And one more highlight of the week was the phone call we received from the Knott Foundation in Baltimore of their generous grant award to Hope Alive to fund our case manager position - a.k.a. Family Ministry Specialist! We are so grateful for the Knott Foundation’s belief in our mission and partnership in our service to homeless families. We'll feature this foundation in an upcoming newsletter.
I hope you’ll plan to join us for our upcoming Visions for Hope event on Thursday, April 28th. This is our really fun annual silent auction of children’s artwork - including our own Hope Alive children - to benefit our child development programs. Check out our website and Facebook page for more information on ticket sales, entry forms for children’s artwork, and event sponsorships. Hope to see you there!
I hope you're following the news of the Board of County Commissioner's decision last week to relinquish the federal Head Start grant and turn over the operation of this program to a federal contractor. We'll keep you updated as we start to see the impact and fallout of their decision in the coming weeks. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Unlike most of us, one of our resident moms was anxious to visit the MVA this week to get tags and title for her very own car provided by Second Chance Garage in Frederick. Not only does this organization donate vehicles to families in need, but their required basic car care and budgeting classes help each recipient to keep their vehicles on the road. For our resident family, this is one more step forward toward independence and self-sufficiency!
And one more highlight of the week was the phone call we received from the Knott Foundation in Baltimore of their generous grant award to Hope Alive to fund our case manager position - a.k.a. Family Ministry Specialist! We are so grateful for the Knott Foundation’s belief in our mission and partnership in our service to homeless families. We'll feature this foundation in an upcoming newsletter.
I hope you’ll plan to join us for our upcoming Visions for Hope event on Thursday, April 28th. This is our really fun annual silent auction of children’s artwork - including our own Hope Alive children - to benefit our child development programs. Check out our website and Facebook page for more information on ticket sales, entry forms for children’s artwork, and event sponsorships. Hope to see you there!
I hope you're following the news of the Board of County Commissioner's decision last week to relinquish the federal Head Start grant and turn over the operation of this program to a federal contractor. We'll keep you updated as we start to see the impact and fallout of their decision in the coming weeks. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, February 4, 2011
Moving forward toward hope and a future
For the past few months, one of our resident moms has been taking GED classes in preparation for the state exam. This week she took the pre-test exams and passed all the tests with flying colors! This means she can now register to take the state GED exam. Earning her high school diploma is one step toward her goals and dreams that will allow her to move on to college classes and pursue a new career. Prayerfully, she'll be proudly wearing her cap and gown this May at the Frederick County graduation ceremony. We can't wait!
One day on her way to GED class, this mom and Jody Julian (our Family Ministry Specialist) were chatting about her spiritual life and how God has intervened these last few months. In this mother's young faith and wisdom she said, "You never really know about God until you are really that down." God is intervening in her children's lives too. They are happy and well adjusted at Hope Alive and look forward to spending their days in our Children's Center. Just this week, the oldest of the two proudly sang the ABC song with another preschooler as we gathered for prayer. She was thrilled that her mom was there to hear her and beamed as we all applauded.
This mother's nightime panic attacks have now been replaced with peaceful sleep and she often speaks about the opportunities her family is blessed with now they have a secure, happy, and safe environment in which they can grow and thrive.
Please pray for this young mother as she prepares to take her state exam in the coming months. Pray for hers and every family who calls Hope Alive home as they dedicate themselves to important life-change and moving forward toward hope and a future. Thank you for walking this journey with us.
Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to respond to them in my weekly blog or feel free to call or email me anytime. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
One day on her way to GED class, this mom and Jody Julian (our Family Ministry Specialist) were chatting about her spiritual life and how God has intervened these last few months. In this mother's young faith and wisdom she said, "You never really know about God until you are really that down." God is intervening in her children's lives too. They are happy and well adjusted at Hope Alive and look forward to spending their days in our Children's Center. Just this week, the oldest of the two proudly sang the ABC song with another preschooler as we gathered for prayer. She was thrilled that her mom was there to hear her and beamed as we all applauded.
This mother's nightime panic attacks have now been replaced with peaceful sleep and she often speaks about the opportunities her family is blessed with now they have a secure, happy, and safe environment in which they can grow and thrive.
Please pray for this young mother as she prepares to take her state exam in the coming months. Pray for hers and every family who calls Hope Alive home as they dedicate themselves to important life-change and moving forward toward hope and a future. Thank you for walking this journey with us.
Let me know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to respond to them in my weekly blog or feel free to call or email me anytime. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, January 21, 2011
Healing from the inside out
Life change is the goal for our resident families which paves the way for them to permanently exit the roles of homelessness and experience self-sufficiency and hope of a future. Pursuing higher education, exploring new careers, and learning job readiness skills and effective money management - including debt resolution and savings - are all significant and measureable goals they need to accomplish. But the real life-change that God desires happens from the inside out. This is often the hardest work to do and for our moms it's the most painful and difficult.
Most of our resident women commit to this challenge in order to find true healing. This work involves exploring their personal faith journeys through a deepening relationship with God as well as identifying and addressing their emotional barriers to health and wholeness.
This week, four of our resident moms took a giant step in this direction by attending a "Walk Through the Bible" class at a local church. They signed up weeks ago because of their desire to know and understand more about God through His word. After dinner and clean-up, they packed up the van with all the children and headed off to church. In addition to their weekly worship attendance, this is a critical part of their journeys to healing from the inside out. I know God will meet them face to face as they desire to know Him and His Son Jesus.
Please continue to pray for our families as they dedicate themselves to this often painful life-change in order to find true healing and recovery and hope of a future. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Most of our resident women commit to this challenge in order to find true healing. This work involves exploring their personal faith journeys through a deepening relationship with God as well as identifying and addressing their emotional barriers to health and wholeness.
This week, four of our resident moms took a giant step in this direction by attending a "Walk Through the Bible" class at a local church. They signed up weeks ago because of their desire to know and understand more about God through His word. After dinner and clean-up, they packed up the van with all the children and headed off to church. In addition to their weekly worship attendance, this is a critical part of their journeys to healing from the inside out. I know God will meet them face to face as they desire to know Him and His Son Jesus.
Please continue to pray for our families as they dedicate themselves to this often painful life-change in order to find true healing and recovery and hope of a future. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Reclaiming the life of a child
In preparation for a speaking engagement today, I was reviewing data and information about family homelessness in America and in our own community. When I speak to a group I like to paint a picture of family homelessness highlighting the serious issue that it is not only across this country, but right here in our own backyard.
In 2009, the National Center on Family Homelessness published a study citing that one child in 50 is homeless in America. They go on to report that, “It is virtually impossible to reclaim the life of a child who has spent his childhood without a home.”
In reflecting on our own statistics, Hope Alive has served 34 homeless families including 64 children since opening our doors four years ago. These children have ranged from newborn to 17 years of age. We’ve not only had one newborn at Hope Alive, but three with the second born last month and the third scheduled for delivery tomorrow. I wonder what it feels like for a mother to bring her newborn baby home from the hospital when home is a “homeless shelter”. Our hope – and what we are called to do – is to help facilitate the life-transformation that God wants to bring to each family’s life so every child we serve will not spend their childhood without a home.
We know of many families who have left Hope Alive and returned to permanent affordable housing and are doing well. I just saw a former resident yesterday. This mother happily said her children were healthy and growing. Praise God! But for some, the cycle continues as mothers find that it’s too hard or too painful to embrace change. For their children, the cycle will continue.
Please pray for the youngest residents we serve. They are the innocent victims of this devastating problem that more and more families find themselves facing in this economy. We ended 2010 with a 49% increase in calls for help over the previous year. Our continuing economic challenges will only make the calls for help increase. BUT God is using all of us as His vessels to reach out to families in need to reclaim the life of every child. Thank you for your continued interest and support and may God bless you with a purpose-filled New Year! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
In 2009, the National Center on Family Homelessness published a study citing that one child in 50 is homeless in America. They go on to report that, “It is virtually impossible to reclaim the life of a child who has spent his childhood without a home.”
In reflecting on our own statistics, Hope Alive has served 34 homeless families including 64 children since opening our doors four years ago. These children have ranged from newborn to 17 years of age. We’ve not only had one newborn at Hope Alive, but three with the second born last month and the third scheduled for delivery tomorrow. I wonder what it feels like for a mother to bring her newborn baby home from the hospital when home is a “homeless shelter”. Our hope – and what we are called to do – is to help facilitate the life-transformation that God wants to bring to each family’s life so every child we serve will not spend their childhood without a home.
We know of many families who have left Hope Alive and returned to permanent affordable housing and are doing well. I just saw a former resident yesterday. This mother happily said her children were healthy and growing. Praise God! But for some, the cycle continues as mothers find that it’s too hard or too painful to embrace change. For their children, the cycle will continue.
Please pray for the youngest residents we serve. They are the innocent victims of this devastating problem that more and more families find themselves facing in this economy. We ended 2010 with a 49% increase in calls for help over the previous year. Our continuing economic challenges will only make the calls for help increase. BUT God is using all of us as His vessels to reach out to families in need to reclaim the life of every child. Thank you for your continued interest and support and may God bless you with a purpose-filled New Year! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, December 30, 2010
2010 blessings
It’s hard to believe that we are just about to enter a brand New Year. Where in the world did 2010 go? As we close out this year, I am most grateful to God for sustaining His ministry through 2010 and bringing Hope Alive to a much brighter place financially than we’ve been in the past 3 years. It’s just one more confirmation from our heavenly Father that He is in control and intends for us to continue serving the growing number of homeless families searching for help and embrace them with God’s life-changing love offering them hope and a future.
As I look back on this year I’m especially grateful for our dedicated staff that goes far above and beyond the call of duty. Few know that all of our staff – whether they work daytime, evenings, or weekends – have helped to fill gaps in overnight coverage since September. The dedication of these wonderful women is truly inspiring and I am blessed every day to serve alongside such amazing servants of God.
Also this year, we’ve been blessed with the addition of new developmental assessments for our resident children participating in our child development programs. These new assessments – conducted initially upon intake and then quarterly – measure developmental progress and milestone achievement as well as identify developmental delays that require special services or individualized care and nurturing.
And as always, I am grateful for the ministry that God provides for the women and children who call Hope Alive home. Hope Alive’s residential program has proven to be effective in addressing the diverse and complex needs of our families and moving them forward in their journeys to health, wholeness and stable permanent housing. Each family – despite their length of stay – finds hope of a future. I find such encouragement in my own life journey from our moms who face overwhelming challenges head on with such courage and determination. They are among the most inspiring women I know.
I know that I speak for the Hope Alive staff when I say that the opportunity to serve at Hope Alive is life changing by strengthening our daily walk with Christ and seeing who He is and what He is able to do in and through us. I treasure the times like this morning when the staff gathered around our children to pray for the day and they all chime in with a loud "Amen!"
I want to say a special thank you to Sharon May who is leaving us after 3 ½ years of faithfully loving our Hope Alive families to spend more time with her grandchildren and to Doree Lynn Miles who has committed her gifts and talents over the last 4 ½ years to help make Hope Alive what it is today. We will dearly miss both of these wonderful ladies and wish them God’s richest blessings.
In these last few days of 2010, I encourage you to take the time to give thanks to God for His abundant blessings this year. And may we look forward to the New Year with anticipation and excitement at what God will continue to do!
(If you are interested – or know someone who is – we are searching for Doree Lynn’s replacement as our Development Coordinator. Check out the job posting on our website at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/.)
Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
As I look back on this year I’m especially grateful for our dedicated staff that goes far above and beyond the call of duty. Few know that all of our staff – whether they work daytime, evenings, or weekends – have helped to fill gaps in overnight coverage since September. The dedication of these wonderful women is truly inspiring and I am blessed every day to serve alongside such amazing servants of God.
Also this year, we’ve been blessed with the addition of new developmental assessments for our resident children participating in our child development programs. These new assessments – conducted initially upon intake and then quarterly – measure developmental progress and milestone achievement as well as identify developmental delays that require special services or individualized care and nurturing.
And as always, I am grateful for the ministry that God provides for the women and children who call Hope Alive home. Hope Alive’s residential program has proven to be effective in addressing the diverse and complex needs of our families and moving them forward in their journeys to health, wholeness and stable permanent housing. Each family – despite their length of stay – finds hope of a future. I find such encouragement in my own life journey from our moms who face overwhelming challenges head on with such courage and determination. They are among the most inspiring women I know.
I know that I speak for the Hope Alive staff when I say that the opportunity to serve at Hope Alive is life changing by strengthening our daily walk with Christ and seeing who He is and what He is able to do in and through us. I treasure the times like this morning when the staff gathered around our children to pray for the day and they all chime in with a loud "Amen!"
I want to say a special thank you to Sharon May who is leaving us after 3 ½ years of faithfully loving our Hope Alive families to spend more time with her grandchildren and to Doree Lynn Miles who has committed her gifts and talents over the last 4 ½ years to help make Hope Alive what it is today. We will dearly miss both of these wonderful ladies and wish them God’s richest blessings.
In these last few days of 2010, I encourage you to take the time to give thanks to God for His abundant blessings this year. And may we look forward to the New Year with anticipation and excitement at what God will continue to do!
(If you are interested – or know someone who is – we are searching for Doree Lynn’s replacement as our Development Coordinator. Check out the job posting on our website at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/.)
Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, November 5, 2010
Hope is where I'm supposed to be
Two weeks ago a new family moved in to Hope Alive. Their first week with us was a huge transition for this young mother and her two little preschoolers - new house, new bed, new people, new day care, new home! The staff lovingly worked with this family to help make a smooth transition. For the first couple of days there were many tears from her children as they tried to figure it all out. But it wasn’t long before they had made new friends with our other youngest residents, were enjoying the playground and feeling at home.
Yesterday I watched these two young children in Abba’s Angels (our child development program for infant through preschool). The little girl was happily preparing breakfast in the play kitchen. She and her “guest” were eating honey buns and apples. Her younger brother was busy babbling to the staff as we assembled for prayer. Both of them excitedly joined our prayer circle to hold hands with the new adults in their lives that they have so quickly come to know and trust.
These are just a few of the comments their mother has made since they arrived … “I knew I needed to consider a solution to moving from place to place. When I called one day and “HOPE” appeared on my caller ID I knew this is where I am supposed to be.” “Beside a couple of family members, I have never trusted anyone to care for my child as much as I do Miss Ashley.” “What I like about this place is no one looks down on you because you are homeless; they just understand.”
This family has started attending a local church. Mom started her GED classes this week knowing her children are safe and well cared for. In just a few short weeks, this young family has found new stability in their lives and hope of a future. Thank you for making this possible by your support and interest in the work God has called us to do. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Yesterday I watched these two young children in Abba’s Angels (our child development program for infant through preschool). The little girl was happily preparing breakfast in the play kitchen. She and her “guest” were eating honey buns and apples. Her younger brother was busy babbling to the staff as we assembled for prayer. Both of them excitedly joined our prayer circle to hold hands with the new adults in their lives that they have so quickly come to know and trust.
These are just a few of the comments their mother has made since they arrived … “I knew I needed to consider a solution to moving from place to place. When I called one day and “HOPE” appeared on my caller ID I knew this is where I am supposed to be.” “Beside a couple of family members, I have never trusted anyone to care for my child as much as I do Miss Ashley.” “What I like about this place is no one looks down on you because you are homeless; they just understand.”
This family has started attending a local church. Mom started her GED classes this week knowing her children are safe and well cared for. In just a few short weeks, this young family has found new stability in their lives and hope of a future. Thank you for making this possible by your support and interest in the work God has called us to do. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Highlights of the week
Each week I consider what highlight of the week I should write about in my weekly blog. But this week, I found myself starting and restarting this blog way too many times having difficulty focusing on just one topic to write about. This week has been an array of activities and experiences. Here are the highlights …
On Monday, we received notice of a $15,000 grant award to Hope Alive from the Foundation for Spirituality and Medicine. This Foundation supports the work of organizations that focus on the integration of spirituality and health. Our foundation of faith in Christ undergirds everything we believe and do and is integrated into every program component area offered to our resident families – one of which is health management focusing on our resident families’ acute and chronic physical, dental and mental health issues. We are so grateful for their belief in our mission and generous support of our work.
Also on Monday, we had two new additions to our ministry team. Susan Hagelin started as our new full-time children’s preschool teacher. Ashley, our Children’s Ministry Director, is overjoyed to say the least! Debbie Dunn started her year of service as the new Volunteer MD Coordinator. Praise the Lord for answered prayers!
I spent the day in Washington, DC on Wednesday participating in the Library of Congress’ Combined Federal Campaign agency fair. I had the pleasure of talking with many Library employees and answering their questions about Hope Alive. Tearfully, one woman told me about a young mom and her child who she is housing in her tiny apartment. She said she wouldn’t be able to help them much longer, but they didn’t have any where else to go. She was grateful to hear there is a place like Hope Alive that might be able to help this young family.
On Thursday, one of our youngest residents was home sick from school. He proceeded to tell me that he had thrown up at school the day before in the computer lab - all over the computer keyboard, mouse and even got some on his hand. He’s feeling much better now. His description made me feel a bit queasy myself. Also on Thursday, we had a photographer here taking photos for the November issue of Elegant Living featuring Karlys Kline and the Women’s Giving Circle she founded here in Frederick County. As part of the story, they wanted to highlight one of the many nonprofits that the Women’s Giving Circle generously funds. Hope Alive has been one of their selected charities for the past four years. Karlys enjoyed meeting our youngest resident during her photo session with us.
At Thursday’s staff meeting, Jody announced that one of our resident moms was just elected to be the HeadStart parent representative from the Emmitsburg center to the monthly Frederick County meeting. We are all proud of the commitment this mom has made to her child's education. Way to go mom!
On Thursday evening, volunteers from Frederick Community College’s AAWCC chapter (Association of American Women in Community College) were here for their monthly visit including dinner and a special activity for the children. Moms and kids alike enjoyed the dinner they provided and the opportunity to create painted wooden picture frames.
And as we close out the week, we’re busy with the final preparations for our Resident Achievement Banquet next Thursday, October 21 at Dutch’s Daughter. This is by far my favorite Hope Alive event of the year. There’s usually not a dry eye in the house as our resident women are recognized for their achievements and share their inspiring stories of courage and hope. There’s still time to reserve your seat, so check out our website for more information at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
On Monday, we received notice of a $15,000 grant award to Hope Alive from the Foundation for Spirituality and Medicine. This Foundation supports the work of organizations that focus on the integration of spirituality and health. Our foundation of faith in Christ undergirds everything we believe and do and is integrated into every program component area offered to our resident families – one of which is health management focusing on our resident families’ acute and chronic physical, dental and mental health issues. We are so grateful for their belief in our mission and generous support of our work.
Also on Monday, we had two new additions to our ministry team. Susan Hagelin started as our new full-time children’s preschool teacher. Ashley, our Children’s Ministry Director, is overjoyed to say the least! Debbie Dunn started her year of service as the new Volunteer MD Coordinator. Praise the Lord for answered prayers!
I spent the day in Washington, DC on Wednesday participating in the Library of Congress’ Combined Federal Campaign agency fair. I had the pleasure of talking with many Library employees and answering their questions about Hope Alive. Tearfully, one woman told me about a young mom and her child who she is housing in her tiny apartment. She said she wouldn’t be able to help them much longer, but they didn’t have any where else to go. She was grateful to hear there is a place like Hope Alive that might be able to help this young family.
On Thursday, one of our youngest residents was home sick from school. He proceeded to tell me that he had thrown up at school the day before in the computer lab - all over the computer keyboard, mouse and even got some on his hand. He’s feeling much better now. His description made me feel a bit queasy myself. Also on Thursday, we had a photographer here taking photos for the November issue of Elegant Living featuring Karlys Kline and the Women’s Giving Circle she founded here in Frederick County. As part of the story, they wanted to highlight one of the many nonprofits that the Women’s Giving Circle generously funds. Hope Alive has been one of their selected charities for the past four years. Karlys enjoyed meeting our youngest resident during her photo session with us.
At Thursday’s staff meeting, Jody announced that one of our resident moms was just elected to be the HeadStart parent representative from the Emmitsburg center to the monthly Frederick County meeting. We are all proud of the commitment this mom has made to her child's education. Way to go mom!
On Thursday evening, volunteers from Frederick Community College’s AAWCC chapter (Association of American Women in Community College) were here for their monthly visit including dinner and a special activity for the children. Moms and kids alike enjoyed the dinner they provided and the opportunity to create painted wooden picture frames.
And as we close out the week, we’re busy with the final preparations for our Resident Achievement Banquet next Thursday, October 21 at Dutch’s Daughter. This is by far my favorite Hope Alive event of the year. There’s usually not a dry eye in the house as our resident women are recognized for their achievements and share their inspiring stories of courage and hope. There’s still time to reserve your seat, so check out our website for more information at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Thursday, July 22, 2010
How God works
As a Christian ministry, there are two questions we are commonly asked: “Are your religious activities mandatory for residents?” and “Do you serve women of other faiths?” The answers to these questions are “no” and “yes”.
Spiritual activities and church involvement is optional for every mother and child who comes through our doors. Our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior is one of our four core values. It’s because of our foundation of faith in Christ that we serve God’s people in need and embrace them with His life-changing love as the key to change and transformation. We live out our faith daily and love every mother and child with God’s love until they want to know the God who loves them for themselves.
We serve women (and children) of all faiths or no faith at all. A spiritual review is part of our family needs assessment to determine (among many other things) a family’s spiritual background and if the mother has a desire to grow in her faith during her time at Hope Alive. Then she decides what those spiritual goals are for herself and her children.
From an email I received this week from Jody Julian, our Family Ministry Specialist, here’s one example of how this happens.
“I overheard a preschooler speaking to a volunteer as they were doing a puzzle together in our children’s center. The volunteer commented that the man in the puzzle was Jesus and the young child said, ‘I have never met Him before.’ To the volunteer’s reply, ‘You haven’t?’ the child said, ‘No, my mommy has never taken me to see Him before.’”
“The next day I was going over the schedule for next weekend with the mom. She had made changes in her daughter’s schedule in terms of meeting up with a family member so her daughter could go to church. A few hours later she also came to me and told me she was so excited because in our recent clothing donations she found a “church dress” that fit her perfectly and her daughter has never had a church dress. It was also a “coincidence” that there were matching shoes that fit too. This Sunday she plans to talk to the pastor as one of her first identified goals is to get her daughter baptized.”
See how God works? No pressure, no mandatory participation. We remain faithful to our calling, obedient in service, and continue to live out our faith each day as a testimony to the lives we touch and He works in each mother and child’s life as He wills.
Please keep those questions coming and let me know if there’s something in particular you’d like to hear about in my blog. And don’t forget about our $25,000 challenge grant from the Ausherman Family Foundation matching dollar for dollar every donation made to that amount. Help us spread the word! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Spiritual activities and church involvement is optional for every mother and child who comes through our doors. Our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior is one of our four core values. It’s because of our foundation of faith in Christ that we serve God’s people in need and embrace them with His life-changing love as the key to change and transformation. We live out our faith daily and love every mother and child with God’s love until they want to know the God who loves them for themselves.
We serve women (and children) of all faiths or no faith at all. A spiritual review is part of our family needs assessment to determine (among many other things) a family’s spiritual background and if the mother has a desire to grow in her faith during her time at Hope Alive. Then she decides what those spiritual goals are for herself and her children.
From an email I received this week from Jody Julian, our Family Ministry Specialist, here’s one example of how this happens.
“I overheard a preschooler speaking to a volunteer as they were doing a puzzle together in our children’s center. The volunteer commented that the man in the puzzle was Jesus and the young child said, ‘I have never met Him before.’ To the volunteer’s reply, ‘You haven’t?’ the child said, ‘No, my mommy has never taken me to see Him before.’”
“The next day I was going over the schedule for next weekend with the mom. She had made changes in her daughter’s schedule in terms of meeting up with a family member so her daughter could go to church. A few hours later she also came to me and told me she was so excited because in our recent clothing donations she found a “church dress” that fit her perfectly and her daughter has never had a church dress. It was also a “coincidence” that there were matching shoes that fit too. This Sunday she plans to talk to the pastor as one of her first identified goals is to get her daughter baptized.”
See how God works? No pressure, no mandatory participation. We remain faithful to our calling, obedient in service, and continue to live out our faith each day as a testimony to the lives we touch and He works in each mother and child’s life as He wills.
Please keep those questions coming and let me know if there’s something in particular you’d like to hear about in my blog. And don’t forget about our $25,000 challenge grant from the Ausherman Family Foundation matching dollar for dollar every donation made to that amount. Help us spread the word! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, July 9, 2010
Ready to serve
Just back from vacation, I returned to Hope Alive on Tuesday refreshed, rested and ready to serve. I thought I'd get a week to ease back into the work of the ministry, but the needs of homeless families in our community abruptly brought me back to reality. Just today, we received calls from four homeless families who are struggling to survive in our community. One mother and her two year old are living in a car, two families are living in a motel, and one mother and her 14 month old are facing eviction. Despite our need to operate below capacity because of our staffing and resource limitations, the needs are too great so we’re starting the intake process for two of these families in emergency situations. From January to June of this year, we’ve seen an alarming 43% increase in requests for services as compared to the same period last year.
At the same time, we are refreshed by the life-change our resident families are experiencing! This month we are celebrating two families’ graduations from our residential program. One family moved on to independent housing last month, but she wanted to wait and share the celebration with the next family that’s graduating this month. Both of these families – along with the other families who have successfully moved from Hope Alive to independent housing – are healthy, whole, and living self-sustaining lives filled with hope and a future. And one of our teen residents just came back from a week at Christian camp as a changed young lady. She wants to go on a mission trip later this year to a third world country ready to serve others who are in much greater need than her family.
We continue to trust God completely to meet the needs of homeless women and their children. Through the power of His life-changing love and the ministry of Hope Alive, life transformation is possible and women and their children are finding hope of a future.
Vacation is wonderful, but I am grateful for the privilege of serving God’s people in need. Thank you for your support and commitment to our mission. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
At the same time, we are refreshed by the life-change our resident families are experiencing! This month we are celebrating two families’ graduations from our residential program. One family moved on to independent housing last month, but she wanted to wait and share the celebration with the next family that’s graduating this month. Both of these families – along with the other families who have successfully moved from Hope Alive to independent housing – are healthy, whole, and living self-sustaining lives filled with hope and a future. And one of our teen residents just came back from a week at Christian camp as a changed young lady. She wants to go on a mission trip later this year to a third world country ready to serve others who are in much greater need than her family.
We continue to trust God completely to meet the needs of homeless women and their children. Through the power of His life-changing love and the ministry of Hope Alive, life transformation is possible and women and their children are finding hope of a future.
Vacation is wonderful, but I am grateful for the privilege of serving God’s people in need. Thank you for your support and commitment to our mission. Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, March 12, 2010
Intake freeze
By now you may have heard or read in our March newsletter that we have instituted an intake freeze at Hope Alive. This means that even though we have beds available, we do not have the resources or staff required to continue to operate at capacity. Jody - our Family Ministry Specialist - is not only intensely working with our current resident families on a daily basis, but she also serves our growing number of families in the after-care phase with more graduations scheduled in the coming months. Families graduating from Hope Alive's residential phase are a great cause for celebration, but our reality says we can no longer do more with less.
Our 2010 operating budget provides for three new part-time staff positions to work with an increasing number of families, but until we can increase our income and solve our cash flow problem we are forced to maintain an intake freeze. For Hope Alive - as is typical with nonprofit organizations - half of our charitable gifts are received the last 3 months of the year during the holiday season. We're working hard to correct this by raising an additional $55,000 by June!
This decision is painful in light of the phone calls from homeless families we continue to receive. We just want to ignore our reality and take them in anyway, but this isn't fair to all the families who already call Hope Alive home. Above all, we don't want to jeopardize the core services they already receive that are so effective in moving them forward to health, wholeness, and stable permanent housing.
Please help us spread the word and join us in our efforts to serve as many homeless families as possible in 2010. One fun way you can help is to attend our upcoming Visions for Hope event on Thursday, April 29. This is a silent auction of children's artwork - including our own Hope Alive kids - to support our children's programs for our youngest residents.
Check out our website at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/ or call us at 301.241.4005 for more information. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Our 2010 operating budget provides for three new part-time staff positions to work with an increasing number of families, but until we can increase our income and solve our cash flow problem we are forced to maintain an intake freeze. For Hope Alive - as is typical with nonprofit organizations - half of our charitable gifts are received the last 3 months of the year during the holiday season. We're working hard to correct this by raising an additional $55,000 by June!
This decision is painful in light of the phone calls from homeless families we continue to receive. We just want to ignore our reality and take them in anyway, but this isn't fair to all the families who already call Hope Alive home. Above all, we don't want to jeopardize the core services they already receive that are so effective in moving them forward to health, wholeness, and stable permanent housing.
Please help us spread the word and join us in our efforts to serve as many homeless families as possible in 2010. One fun way you can help is to attend our upcoming Visions for Hope event on Thursday, April 29. This is a silent auction of children's artwork - including our own Hope Alive kids - to support our children's programs for our youngest residents.
Check out our website at http://www.hopealiveministries.org/ or call us at 301.241.4005 for more information. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Until next week ...
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Graduation celebration
Today, we celebrated a major milestone with a family’s graduation from Hope Alive’s residential phase. In January – after a year and a half – this young mother and her preschooler moved back to the community to live on their own for the very first time!
During our celebration today, it was wonderful to hear the funny stories shared by our resident families, staff and volunteers and the heartwarming ways this family impacted so many lives. It was inspiring as we recalled and applauded her for all the wonderful accomplishments she has achieved – college courses, completion of a substance abuse program, debt resolution, compliance with all legal issues, working two part-time jobs, success as a parent as well as all the developmental milestones her daughter reached. But the biggest changes we celebrated are those that occurred in her heart. She came to Hope Alive over 18 months ago with poor self esteem, distrust, and an “I can’t do it” attitude. Now she is supporting herself and her daughter with self confidence, high motivation, and commitment to success. She has opened her heart and found healing and learned that she can trust others. She admitted that even though she still doesn’t receive the praise she wants from her family, she knows she always has an extended family that is there for her and her daughter with encouragement and unconditionally love.
This is what the Hope Alive mission is all about … embracing homeless women and their children with God’s life-changing love and empowering them with Christian values, dignity and the skills they need to live self-sustaining lives filled with hope and a future.
What a privilege to be a part of the Hope Alive family and to watch what God can do in each heart and life! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
During our celebration today, it was wonderful to hear the funny stories shared by our resident families, staff and volunteers and the heartwarming ways this family impacted so many lives. It was inspiring as we recalled and applauded her for all the wonderful accomplishments she has achieved – college courses, completion of a substance abuse program, debt resolution, compliance with all legal issues, working two part-time jobs, success as a parent as well as all the developmental milestones her daughter reached. But the biggest changes we celebrated are those that occurred in her heart. She came to Hope Alive over 18 months ago with poor self esteem, distrust, and an “I can’t do it” attitude. Now she is supporting herself and her daughter with self confidence, high motivation, and commitment to success. She has opened her heart and found healing and learned that she can trust others. She admitted that even though she still doesn’t receive the praise she wants from her family, she knows she always has an extended family that is there for her and her daughter with encouragement and unconditionally love.
This is what the Hope Alive mission is all about … embracing homeless women and their children with God’s life-changing love and empowering them with Christian values, dignity and the skills they need to live self-sustaining lives filled with hope and a future.
What a privilege to be a part of the Hope Alive family and to watch what God can do in each heart and life! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
Friday, February 26, 2010
What a week!
What a week it has been! In addition to the busy schedules our families keep, we had some significant news and events here at Hope Alive.
To start the week off, one of our resident moms announced that her name was at the top of the City of Frederick subsidized housing list. She struggled with the decision she needed to make – whether to take the housing opportunity at a very affordable rent or to remain at Hope Alive to accomplish her remaining goals to ensure her future success. After feedback from the staff and weighing the pros and cons, she made the wise and difficult decision to postpone her graduation from the Hope Alive program and decline the housing opportunity she knew she wasn’t ready for. She’s accomplished so much in her six month residency at Hope Alive, but has more goals she wants to achieve!
On Wednesday morning, one of our two-year olds jumped off the bed and hit his head on the bed frame leaving an inch-long cut. His mom rushed him off to the emergency room while other mothers got her two older children breakfast and off to school. This little one braved the ER procedures to receive 3 stitches on the back of his head. I think his mother was more upset than he was!
Later that same day, one of our 8 year-olds asked if the staff could pray for her friend’s mother as she was facing surgery the next day. This young child had already asked the other moms in the house to pray for her friend’s mom too. It’s wonderful to see such a tender young heart interceding for the needs of others.
On Thursday morning, one of our resident moms called from the Frederick County court house to announce the judge is scheduling her for graduation from the drug court program and asked if she would provide her testimony to the court next month about how her life has changed. She’s ecstatic – and rightly so – that she has successfully completed four years in drug court and is now able to publicly celebrate her sobriety and life change!
And last night the emergency room had a second visit this week from Hope Alive residents. One of our moms went to the hospital late last night with an acute and extremely painful medical emergency. She was treated, released, and returned to Hope Alive about midnight thanks to the committed and attentive moms and staff caring for her.
And to end the week, one of our resident moms gave me a copy of a thank you note she wrote to a local foundation that provided a college scholarship for her full tuition this semester. In her letter expressing her gratitude for their generosity, she wrote “I hope to achieve many different goals, one being receiving my R.N. and two becoming a productive member of society.” She shared with the donors that she wants to show her children that “they can do anything that they want to in life.”
What a week. We have much to celebrate and much to be thankful for - for achievements, for successes, for sobriety, for healing, for tender hearts, and as always for God’s divine provision! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
To start the week off, one of our resident moms announced that her name was at the top of the City of Frederick subsidized housing list. She struggled with the decision she needed to make – whether to take the housing opportunity at a very affordable rent or to remain at Hope Alive to accomplish her remaining goals to ensure her future success. After feedback from the staff and weighing the pros and cons, she made the wise and difficult decision to postpone her graduation from the Hope Alive program and decline the housing opportunity she knew she wasn’t ready for. She’s accomplished so much in her six month residency at Hope Alive, but has more goals she wants to achieve!
On Wednesday morning, one of our two-year olds jumped off the bed and hit his head on the bed frame leaving an inch-long cut. His mom rushed him off to the emergency room while other mothers got her two older children breakfast and off to school. This little one braved the ER procedures to receive 3 stitches on the back of his head. I think his mother was more upset than he was!
Later that same day, one of our 8 year-olds asked if the staff could pray for her friend’s mother as she was facing surgery the next day. This young child had already asked the other moms in the house to pray for her friend’s mom too. It’s wonderful to see such a tender young heart interceding for the needs of others.
On Thursday morning, one of our resident moms called from the Frederick County court house to announce the judge is scheduling her for graduation from the drug court program and asked if she would provide her testimony to the court next month about how her life has changed. She’s ecstatic – and rightly so – that she has successfully completed four years in drug court and is now able to publicly celebrate her sobriety and life change!
And last night the emergency room had a second visit this week from Hope Alive residents. One of our moms went to the hospital late last night with an acute and extremely painful medical emergency. She was treated, released, and returned to Hope Alive about midnight thanks to the committed and attentive moms and staff caring for her.
And to end the week, one of our resident moms gave me a copy of a thank you note she wrote to a local foundation that provided a college scholarship for her full tuition this semester. In her letter expressing her gratitude for their generosity, she wrote “I hope to achieve many different goals, one being receiving my R.N. and two becoming a productive member of society.” She shared with the donors that she wants to show her children that “they can do anything that they want to in life.”
What a week. We have much to celebrate and much to be thankful for - for achievements, for successes, for sobriety, for healing, for tender hearts, and as always for God’s divine provision! Until next week …
Sue Oehmig
Founder and Executive Director
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