A Beautiful Change

C O N N E C T I O N
VOLUME MMXIV, ISSUE 2 2014
A Beautiful Change
Vivian came to Christ’s Home about a year ago, a
scared and pregnant teenager (see separate article). Today
she and the father of her child are working together to
care for and provide for their son. They are renting a onebedroom apartment, own a car, and are both working as
Vivian considers options for
further education. While this
may seem “normal” to you
and me, this has been a long
and sometimes difficult road
for Vivian.
The girls in our Teen
Mother and Baby Program
come to us through
county placement or sign
themselves in once they
recognize that they need
help. They range in age
from 15-18 and must either
be pregnant or have a young
child.
According to Program
Coordinator Janell Derstine,
Janell
the counties remain involved
with the girls through Tabor Services, that offers life skills
classes where they address many areas such as finding an
apartment, budgeting, and how to keep a checking account.
Assistance also includes a grant program that matches
money the girls save to buy a vehicle. Once the girls
complete the courses, a social worker assists them finding
an apartment and arranges help with rent and groceries.
The counties will continue to support the girls up to age
21, provided they are attending school or are working a
minimum number of hours.
Although adoption is discussed as an option when
they enter the program, all of our girls to date have shown
the desire to raise their own child. Since the opening of the
Teen Mother cottage in 2012, three girls have successfully
completed the program and we expect two others to
graduate this year. Upon completion, some of the girls
have moved back home after giving birth to their child,
while others remain in the program moving towards
greater independence.
The program contains basic goals for the girls in
terms of providing nurturing care for their children and
learning to live independently, however, the outcomes vary
for each individual family. Some girls arrive at Christ’s
Home knowing what they want, and they are very willing
and able to take the steps necessary to achieve those goals.
Others need to develop basic skills such as a readiness to
seek and accept help and the ability to trust others. Most
of these girls have experienced some sort of abuse during
their lifetime and have learned at
a young age to mistrust people.
“It’s been exciting
This was evidenced the first
to see restored
time some of the senior residents
from our Retirement Community family relationships.”
hosted a baby shower for the
pregnant girls. These girls did not understand what a
shower was or why someone would do that for them. They
did not even want to come out of their rooms when the
ladies arrived.
On another
occasion, a
church group
came to paint
the basement
of the cottage
to make it
nicer for the
girls and their
children to
use, and again
the girls had
difficulty
Debbie and Rick
grasping the idea of
serving others without strings attached. However, they
are slowly learning that people love them for who they are
and desire to provide support and encouragement for their
journey.
House parents Rick and Debbie Reed have been at
Christ’s Home for three years and have been serving in the
Teen Mom program the past eighteen months. According
to Debbie, our house parent team has established
expectations that are “usually higher than these girls
anticipate, but we also ask the girls about their own goals.”
Continued on page 3
A Generous Thought
GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WITH AN UPDATED WILL
When was the last time you reviewed your Will? It is recommended that you review your Will
every three years or after any significant life event. Examples of such events are weddings, the loss
of a spouse, and after all your dependent children have reached adulthood. An updated will allows
you to give specific directions on the distribution of property or assets. In addition, you will be able to
direct where the residue of your estate will go. For those with larger estates, there could be substantial
estate tax savings.
Another benefit is that you know the executor or personal representative you select (not the
one a probate judge chooses) has clear information on managing your property and following your
wishes. A good will is able to carry out your plan and save thousands of dollars while transferring
property quickly and inexpensively to your loved ones and favorite charities.
A good and up to date Will helps to avoid accidental disinheritance? Too many times, the
“wrong” persons end up receiving property. An “accidental disinheritance” occurs if you either have
no will or the will doesn’t function properly. Sometimes a will is unclear and the estate goes to distant
relatives or is simply paid to CPAs and attorneys who are representing family members fighting over
the estate. You can avoid an “accidental disinheritance” by creating a good plan to protect your loved
ones.
You can use your estate plan to create a legacy? Your life has meaning, and a good estate
plan can make sure that the things you valued during your life will live on in the memory of family
and friends. A good estate plan can indeed create a legacy for family and charity that gives added
significance to your life.
If you would like to receive a free copy of A Guide To Planning Your Will & Trust (A . Charles
Schultz, Attorney At Law), please contact Vernon Wright at 717.687.9424 (ext. 11) or by email at
[email protected].
Do you own Municipal Bonds or CDs with low or modest returns? You can help sustain
the essential services provided by Christ’s Home to children and senior adults by exchanging these
investments for a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) with Christ’s Home. The chart below shows a sampling
of the current fixed payment rates for one life gift annuities.
Two life rates are also available and are a bit lower.
Age Rate
Age Rate
You can receive a complimentary illustration by contacting
79
6.6
71
5.3
Colleen Augustin at 215.956.1885, [email protected].
81
7.0
73
5.5
As always, consultation with your accountant or financial advisor
83
7.4
75
5.8
is recommended.
85
7.8
77
6.2
Note: Christ’s Home CGAs are not available in all states.
Please consider adding Christ’s Home to your will with a specific gift amount or the
remainders after other designations have been fulfilled. Thank you. For further
information, contact Vernon Wright at 717-687-9424 (ext 11).
www.christshome.org
2
A Beautiful Change continued
Specific guidelines exist regarding nutrition, hygiene, responsibility, and attitude; however, because of the wide range in
physical ages, emotional levels and motherhood status (whether pregnant or having already given birth), the expectations
vary. Our desire is to “encourage growth in all areas – body, mind, and spirit.”
“We understand that coming into our program is a big transition for these young moms. Therefore, we give
them 30 days to get comfortable with our rules and routines and meet our Level 1 expectations. Levels 2, 3, and 4 carry
additional expectations as well as added privileges. These levels of expectations allow us to customize the goals for each
girl’s journey. “
All of the teen moms are pursuing their high school diploma through public or cyber school education. All of
these variables are taken into consideration when establishing goals. Vivian was the only one to date who reached
Level 4. She completed her high school education, got her driver’s license, and bought a car. In Vivian’s case, her
boyfriend remained very involved with the child, often bringing supplies and food for the baby during his visits.
The nature of this cottage program finds five separate families living together under one roof, and with that, the house
parents spend much of their time monitoring schedules and shuttling the girls to many appointments. According to Rick,
it is during those times traveling about that they are able to take advantage of some undistracted one-on-one time with
the girls and have meaningful conversations about their hopes and concerns which helps us to customize their program
goals. Those are also the times when the girls are most receptive to hearing about God and understanding how the
scriptures apply to everyday life.
Continued on page 4
Vivian’s Story
Vivian was eight months pregnant when she arrived at
Christ’s Home last spring. It was hard, “because I did not know
anyone,” but she knew it was her one shot at having the life she
desired for herself and her child. Once her son, Xavier, was born,
she was thankful “to have the chance to get things together with
no worries of what I am going to do, like finishing school, and
also having the time to find a job without undue stress because of
having a place to live at the Teen Mom Program.”
Vivian noticed that the house parents of the Teen Mom
Cottage followed Christ’s Home’s policies and rules very closely,
so the home is very organized and everyone had a schedule to
follow. “They [house parents] helped me
“thankful to have
become a new mom and were always
happy to help by answering questions
the chance to get
and teaching me things about a healthy
lifestyle.” One of the lessons she learned things together”
was how to deal with other people who
have different backgrounds and experiences. “Since I come
from a different country I learned that Americans handle things
differently.” Vivian came to the United States from Honduras in
2010, and she is proud to be a legal citizen due to the help of her
social worker.
In February Vivian moved into her first apartment with her son and bought a car with the help
of Tabor Services. She is currently employed part-time at the Christ’s Home Retirement Community in the
housekeeping department. Although she is still getting used to living on her own, maintaining a schedule, and
caring for her son, she is enjoying the independence and putting into practice the many lessons learned from
her former house parents. Vivian expressed a desire to go to college in the future, but she does not know which
field interests her the most. Under consideration are beauty school and pursuing an LPN license. She hopes to
have the chance to return to Honduras someday to visit her family and friends. Vivian remains a highly motivated
teen who took advantage of the opportunity to live at Christ’s Home and is using the teaching and guidance she
received to help her reach her goals.
www.christshome.org
3
A Beautiful Change continued
Board of Trustees
Weekday schedules are hectic with school, work, doctor’s appointments,
family visits, and various life skills classes. However, Sundays are a
special time when the girls all go to church together where they are
welcomed with open arms and “loved on”. After church they all make
sure to eat together before the weekly house meeting. This is a time for
everything from reflecting
on the sermon they heard
to discussing household
business and airing
grievances.
Christ’s Home is
unique in that we have
two programs that serve
the needs of children
and senior adults. The
connection between these
two populations has
Joyce Gehring and Betty Doty
been fostered through a group of
eight ladies from the Christ’s Home
Retirement Community who have developed a heart for the innocent
babies and girls needing help. Volunteer Betty Doty said "God loves these
girls and so should we."
In addition to hosting six baby showers and one graduation party
for the girls, their signature service has been to provide diapers and wipes
for the babies. Many in the community contribute by providing supplies,
money, and coupons. To date this wonderful group of residents at the
Retirement Community have donated over 5,000 diapers and thousands of
baby wipes. In addition, to show their appreciation for the hard work and
dedication of the staff these ladies arranged a night to cook and serve a
full course meal to the house parents and girls.
For Rick and Debbie, “it’s been exciting to see restored family
relationships.” Many of these girls arrive at Christ’s Home burdened by
the condemnation they feel from their parents. But what they are noticing
is that the time apart from their parents provides both parties some space
to process their emotions. Oftentimes the girls are more understanding
towards their own mothers once they become mothers themselves. These
new grandmothers, in turn, are able to show more love and sensitivity
to their daughters once they have time to sort through their own
disappointment and sorrow. Debbie remarked that, “the change that takes
place in these girls once they have their children is beautiful to see as they
transition to selflessly meeting another’s needs before their own.”
Christ’s Home is grateful to God for this opportunity He has
given for us to impact the lives of young mothers and their children.
We thank our supporters for their prayers and contributions toward the
Children’s Program and all the services we provide.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
www.christshome.org
4
Donald P. Worthington - Chairman
June Maurer - Vice Chairwoman
David A. Shoemaker - Treasurer
George Zauflik - Secretary
Robert D. Feller
Peter J. Gilbert
Bernard J. Lajeunesse
Michael J. Kane
CEO: John Bryant
CFO: Dee Bartolanzo
COO: Jim McGovern
CDO: Vernon Wright
Mission Statement
The heart of Christ’s Home is to serve the Lord
by providing services to senior adults and
disadvantaged children in an atmosphere graced
with love, dignity, compassion and respect.
Corporate Offices
800 North York Road
Warminster, PA 18974
215-956-2260
Paradise Campus
717-687-6072
Retirement Community
215-956-2270
www.christshome.org
Photos and names may or may not
depict the children of the home.
The Connection is a publication of
the Development Department
Vernon Wright, CDO
Colleen Augustin, Donor Relations Coordinator
Donor Choice Program
Christ’s Home is a qualified member of and
participant in the United Way Donor Choice
Program. You may contribute to United Way
through payroll deduction or by giving an
outright gift. Please be sure to ask for a Donor
Choice Form. For the Southeastern PA region
(Delaware Valley only) our number is: 00981.
All other regions must use our
national number: 007689
Christ’s Home is a 501 (c)(3) organization.
Gifts are deductible as charitable contributions
for federal income tax purposes.
The official registration and financial information
of Christ’s Home, Inc. may be obtained from
the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling
toll-free within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999.
(Certificate of Registration No. 13865)
Registration does not imply endorsement.
2014 Christ’s Home Legacy Banquet
October 23, 2014 ● 6:00PM
Mark your calendar for this annual event to raise funds to help our senior adults
in financial need.
Entertainment for the evening will feature Taylor Mason’s funny, clean, world
class entertainment for all ages! Taylor Mason’s quick wit, flawless comedy
delivery, unparalleled ventriloquism skills and clever material make him a
hit with audiences of all ages. In 1990 he won Star Search (predecessor to
America’s Got Talent), beating out some of the best known comics in the
country.
Taylor’s experience as a comedy writer and performer has taken him from The
Second City Theater in Chicago to headlining shows at every major comedy
club across the country. He’s as comfortable providing humor for corporate
clients, like Microsoft and Wal-Mart, as he is doing a show for teens or children
on a Disney Cruise ship. Taylor has performed for countless church functions
and is genuinely interested in his audience.
The evening will also feature the presentation of two annual awards:
The Legacy Service Award and the The Legacy Volunteer Award
)
Ventriloquist, musician
and stand-up comedian
(Taylor is on the right )
Championship for Children
We had the opportunity to put the FUN in FUNdraising to work on
March 7, 2014. Seven businesses helped Christ’s Home net $7,700 in
contributions to the children’s program by sponsoring race teams in a
corporate challenge event. Each company entered four drivers in this
unique team building opportunity. The qualifying races, semi-finals and
championship race had everyone hanging along the rails throughout
the three hour event. In the final race, the top three drivers were
separated by less than one second! We congratulate the winners
and thank all the businesses for their generous financial contribution,
and their investment of time to make the Championship for Children an exciting and
successful event. We thank Phil Clemens of the Clemens Family Corporation for his interesting presentation
on leading a business family. If your company would be interested in participating in next year’s event, contact
Colleen Augustin in the Development Office at 215.956.1885.
Team Sponsors
Lawn Equipment Parts Company, Overhead Door of Lancaster, Trail Electric, Shivery Funeral Home,
Excel Communications, Christ’s Home 1 (DavCo Advertising, Scatton’s Heating & Cooling),
Christ’s Home 2 (Alpha Systems)
We also thank Kitchen Kettle Village for providing event prizes.
Left to Right: Daryl Wolf – 2nd place;
Bo Perez, 1st place; Ben Scheffel, 3rd place
Phil Clemens and racing teams
www.christshome.org
5
Mark your calendar!
2014 Alumni
Annual Meeting
The Alumni Association annual meeting
will be held on June 21, 2014 at the
Clubhouse on the retirement community
campus (120 Shepherd’s Way, Warminster,
PA 18974). The gathering will begin at
12:00 PM and conclude at 3:00 PM. The
afternoon of fellowship will begin with
a picnic lunch and end with the annual
business meeting. The cost for the picnic
lunch is $6 per person. Please make
checks payable to Christ's Home Alumni
Association and mail your registration by
June 6, 2014 to:
October 23 at 6PM
2014 Legacy Banquet
Featuring comedian and ventriloquist Taylor Mason
(see inside for more information)
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
800 N. YORK ROAD, WARMINSTER, PA 18974-2006
Chuck McDowell
36 E. Moreland Ave. Unit 509
Hatboro, PA 19040-3208
A Beautiful Change .................... 1
A Generous Thought ................. 2
Vivian’s Story .............................. 3
Legacy Banquet .......................... 5
Championship for Children ..... 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: