Winter 2010 Heart of the Matter - Southern Christian Services for

Southern Christian Services
for Children and Youth, Inc.
Wishes, Wants and Needs
Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth is blessed by
the generosity of donors who help meet the needs on our wish lists
each year.
This year’s list includes:
• New bedding and linens for twin beds
• Computers and software
• Christian reading material and DVDs
• Special event tickets, prepaid phone cards, movie passes and
gift cards
• School supplies, backpacks, art supplies
• Birthday cards, gifts and cakes for our youth
Our Group Homes offer a home-like atmosphere for the youth
we serve.
The Group Homes need:
• New living room furniture and patio furniture
• New dishes and flatware for 12
• New washer/dryer and refrigerator
• New flooring
• Paint and skilled volunteers to paint the rooms
• A van to transport the youth
Donating is simple!
Just contact Karen Davis or Debbie Townsend at 601-354-0983,
[email protected] or [email protected]
for assistance.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Jackson, MS
Permit No. 548
860 East River Place, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: 601.354.0983
Fax: 601.352.8638
Email: [email protected]
Jenny and Hank Holman
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Chris Lamb
Vice-President
Lee Bush
Visit us on the web!
www.scscy.org
Secretary
Natalie Kline
Rebuilding Broken Lives
Treasurer
Barton Lampton, IV
Directors
Sherry Boyd
Beth Bryd
Tommie S. Cardin
Karen Carlisle
Gwen Chambliss
Jennie Crane
Barbara England
Brad Fountain
Ellen Gabardi
Jennifer W. Hall
Hank Holman
Tommy McMillin
Hal Miller, III
Rev. Jeff Murphy
George C. Nicols
Sandy Taylor
Greg Wilcox
Audrey Wilkirson
Andy Wimberly
Rev. Johnny Wray
100 Concerned Clergy
Members of the 100 Concerned Clergy of Jackson, MS
Congratulations go to Hank Holman as an honoree at this year's
AFP Philanthropists of the Year Luncheon held November 19, 2009,
at the Country Club of Jackson. Hank has served Southern Christian
Services for Children and Youth as President of the Board of Directors for the past two years. He has been instrumental in raising funds
for the annual Bottom Line for Kids Benefit Dinner held each year.
Several years ago, he initiated the Hands of Providence Awards as
part of the benefit dinner. Due to Hank's diligence, his efforts have
generated income and have brought new potential supporters to the
Agency. We are pleased to recognize Hank and his selfless contribution to our Agency.
The 100 Concerned Clergy of Jackson is a group organized out of
concern for the troubled children and youth in Jackson, MS. Each year
they pledge to support a non-profit that exemplifies the spirit of their
mission - serving vulnerable children and youth. This year's presentation was made during the MLK Day Celebration hosted by Bishop
Ronnie Crudup at New Horizon Church. Southern Christian Services
for Children and Youth received recognition for assisting over 12,000
individuals on their way to becoming self-sufficient, contributing
members of society. Reverend Hosea Hines, pastor of Christ Tabernacle Church and SCSCY Advisory Committee Member, presented a
plaque and check. Many thanks go to the Pastors and their congregations for their generosity as SCSCY continues to rebuild broken lives.
Save The Date!
The Sonny Fountain Memorial Golf Tournament for Kids
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Annandale Golf Club Madison, MS
The tournament is named in memory of the late D. G. “Sonny” Fountain,
founder of Fountain Construction Company in Jackson and second Board
President of Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc.
Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. with tee time at 1:00 p.m.
A reception follows immediately after the tournament in the clubhouse.
For additional tournament information,
contact Karen Davis or Randy Vessell at 601-354-0983,
[email protected] or [email protected]
THE
Rebuilding Broken Lives
Thank you for being involved and caring!
Congratulations
SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN SERVICES
FOR CHILDREN & YOUTH, INC.
Our Mission
Batesville
In response to the love of Christ, Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth,
Inc. serves and equips vulnerable children and youth, assisting them in the process of
becoming self-sufficient and contributing members of society.
Tupelo
Grenada
Itta Bena
Fulton
Starkville
Indianola
Jackson
Our Vision
Brookhaven
To be an organization that has a positive, recognizable, long-term impact on ALL children and youth in our care by providing professional, cost-effective and timely services.
Hattiesburg
Gulfport
P.A.L.S.
Transitional Living Services
5260 Manhattan Road
Jackson, MS 39206
601-366-7733
Harden House Therapeutic
Group Home for Girls
P.O. Box 1573 • 109 Crane Street
Fulton, MS 38843
662-862-5315
Harden House Adoption
& Foster Care Program
1800 North Gloster St. Suite A
Tupelo, MS 38804
662-680-9191
“JUST WAIT”
Abstinence Education Program
860 East River Place, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39202
601-354-0983
P.R.E.P.A.R.E.
Independent Living Preparation
860 East River Place, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39202
601-354-0983
Joe Rowland Therapeutic
Group Home for Boys
P.O. Box 2175 • 2865 Hwy. 332
Grenada, MS 38901
662-226-9905
Administrative Office
and Training Division
860 East River Place, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39202
601-354-0983
P.I.P.
Partners in Permanency
860 East River Place, Suite 104
Jackson, MS 39202
601-354-0983
Emeritus
Howard E. Stover
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Chairpersons
Charles Carmichael
Sally Carmichael
Committee
Amanda Annison
Betty Carraway
Sylvia Carraway
Betsy Creekmore
Kelley Fenelon
Jane Hederman
Rev. Hosea Hines
Sondra Holman
Dot Lee Lampton
Holly Lange
Jeanne Luckett
Richard McRae
Mary C. Nicols
Sarah Running
Rev. Dr. Tom Sikes
Victor Smith
Sherry Stegall
Ann Stephenson
Rev. Keith Tonkel
Jo Anne Vining
Maggie Wade-Dixon
Dr. Ruth Williams
Executive Director
Susannah K. Cherney
Winter 2010
HEART OF THE MATTER
Celebrating the Season
Christmas is a special time of celebration at Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. As we
focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, we recognize the many blessings of the past year.
At our Jackson office, Board Member Reverend Jeff Murphy
brought an uplifting devotion to the staff as we enjoyed celebrating
the true meaning of the season together.
At our P.A.L.S. transitional living home in Jackson, the residents
were excited and grateful to enjoy the annual Christmas party
coordinated by Board Member Sherry Boyd and friends. Guests
arrived with gifts fulfilling the residents’ wish lists of clothing,
household items, CDs and the surprise gift of a personal laptop
for each one of the youth! What a great way to start their studies
in the New Year! A heartfelt tribute was presented to Sherry from
the youth at P.A.L.S. for her love and generosity through the years.
At our Joe Rowland Home for Boys in Grenada, “the stockings
were hung by the chimney with care” as many loyal supporters
helped the residents celebrate there. Guests included members of
the Lake Trash City Riders, Christian Motorcyclist Association,
the Junior Auxiliary of Grenada and many other faithful friends
and volunteers. The evening included Christmas carols led by a
guest youth choir, holiday food and the traditional birthday cake
for Jesus. It culminated in the boys opening their gifts that were
only moments before piled high under the beautifully decorated
tree. A favorite gift of the evening was a Wii for the home. The
boys wanted to hook it up right away and start playing!
In Fulton at Harden House, Jennie Crane gathered friends
and family to provide a Christmas party that the girls will not
soon forget! They prepared the meal with all the trimmings,
sang Christmas Carols together and played games with the girls. The
highlight of the evening was the personal laptop each girl received from
Jennie Crane, her family and friends. Shortly after receiving the laptops,
one of the girls proudly announced she had earned her certificate for her
GED and was able to enroll in the local Community College for the
spring semester. She said, “I have never received a gift like this in my
life. I’m so excited about continuing with my education.”
Our Therapeutic Foster Care annual Christmas party was hosted by
Harrisburg Baptist Church in Tupelo on December 22. In attendance
were foster/adoptive parents,
children and staff, in addition to
the Church youth committee. Santa
arrived with gifts for the children and restaurant gift certificates for the parents.
Church members provided a wonderful meal complete with turkey, dressing and
all the trimmings. Currently there are 30 children in our therapeutic foster care
homes. Thank you to Harrisburg Baptist for helping make Christmas so special
for our families and children.
What is the meaning of all the parties and celebrations for us at Southern
Christian Services for Children and Youth? In response to the love of Christ,
SCSCY will be able to continue serving and equipping vulnerable children and
youth, assisting them in the process of becoming self-sufficient, contributing
members of society; thanks to the generosity of our Board members, Advisory
Committee members, donors, volunteers and staff.
Thank you and Happy New Year!
FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The words beneath the logo of Southern Christian Services for Children
and Youth are “Rebuilding Broken Lives.” That means different things for
the children, youth and families we serve. The children and youth we serve
come to our agency with a history of abuse, neglect and abandonment.
Our challenge is to help them rebuild their lives so that they can become
healthy, productive and independent in the future.
It is truly exciting to see the outcomes of our efforts to rebuild lives
and to build futures. Recently, I learned that one of our former group
home residents is now serving his country in
Iraq. He is married, has a child, and hopes to
return to Mississippi to live when he has
completed his tour of duty. Another
one of our youth has recently enlisted
in the Air Force after graduating from
high school with excellent grades
and completing a year in college.
Recently, I was surprised to learn
that one of our young men is now a
Jackson Police officer assigned to the
beat where our residence for homeless
Rebuilding Broken Lives teens is located.
One of our young ladies is now an administrator of a social service
program. She has earned both her Bachelor’s degree and her Master’s
degree and is successfully employed and living independently. One of the
highlights of the past few weeks was the opportunity I had to visit with
one of our adoptive families and their two young daughters, ages six and
nine. The girls were happy, obviously well cared for and giggly, as girls
those ages tend to be. They danced and they sang for me as their loving
parents looked on in obvious delight and pride. It was great to see this
family that has been built through the efforts of our adoption staff.
There are many more stories to share. It is a joy to see how lives
are being changed. These successes are brought about through God’s
grace, the dedication of our staff, the partnerships with our community
stakeholders and the prayers and generosity of our loyal contributors. In
the coming year, we will continue our commitment to “rebuilding broken
lives.”
I look forward to the challenge!
Sue Cherney,
Executive Director
SCSCY Welcomes New Members to the Board
and Advisory Committee
As 2010 begins, Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth, Inc. welcomes several
new members to the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee. New members on the Board
of Directors include: Barbara England of Jackson, Ellen Gabardi of Madison, Greg Wilcox of
Brandon, and Reverend Johnny Wray of Cedar Bluff.
Current Board members who are serving as 2010 officers are: Chris Lamb, President; Lee
Bush, Vice-President; Barton Lampton, Treasurer; and Natalie Kline, Secretary.
New Advisory Committee members are Betty Carraway of Utica, and Sarah Running and
Ann Stephenson, both of Jackson. Charles and Sally Carmichael will continue to co-chair the
Advisory Committee.
SCSCY is grateful for the dedicated service and leadership provided by the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.
Etiquette Class
Annual Meeting
Mississippi State Representative Steve Holland was the
guest speaker for the Annual Meeting of SCSCY. His belief
in strong family values underscores the mission of the Agency and what an impact it makes in the lives of the children
and families in Mississippi. Legislation he has supported has
proved vital to the protection of children and youth in the
State. The luncheon took place at the Hilton Hotel in Jackson,
MS, on November 11, 2009. New officers for the Board of Directors were elected along with new Board Members who will
serve a three-year term. Outgoing Board Members Sue Lobrano and Howard Stover were thanked for their service and
assistance in providing support. Howard was named Board
Member Emeritus, and we look forward to Sue’s return to our
Board.
Brad Fountain, Board Member and past President, presented the Corporate Star award to Heiden and Garland. Their
commitment reaches far and wide from sponsoring the Sonny
Fountain Golf Tournament for Kids, supporting the annual
Bottom Line for Kids Benefit or insuring that a young man
has a Bible before he leaves to go in the Army. Accepting the
award were John Heiden, Chairman of the Board and Doug
Garland, President. Each year, the Corporate Star goes to an
individual or organization that has supported our efforts to be
the best that we can be.
The Silver Chalice award is given in recognition of outstanding volunteer service to SCSCY and is a symbol of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). This year Judy Arnett,
SCSCY Division Director, presented the Chalice to Board
Members Jennie Crane and Sandy Taylor. Each saw a need in
their respective communities to get the community motivated
and build awareness of the needs for the group homes and
the boys and girls served. Jennie is responsible for organizing the inaugural Benefit Gala in Fulton, MS, benefiting the
Harden House Group Home for Girls. Sandy is responsible
for organizing the inaugural Benefit Dinner in Grenada, MS,
benefiting the Joe Rowland Group Home for Boys.
Karen Carlisle, Board Member and past honoree, presented
the Adoption Angel Award to Patricia Digby, Director of the
Adoption and Foster Care Division of SCSCY. She received
the award based on her years of devotion to finding homes for
children through her work with the Harden House Adoption
and Foster Care Program of Southern Christian Services for
Children and Youth. Since helping form the Harden House
Adoption and Foster Care Program, Patricia has had a hand in
placing more than 300 children and youth in adoptive homes.
With the support and assistance of Karen Carlisle she spearheaded the development of the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Partnership between the Dave Thomas Foundation and Southern
Christian Services for Children and Youth.
Our P.A.L.S. transitional living residence serves homeless
adolescent males and females, including teen parents and their
children. The youth are offered counseling, education, life skills
training and opportunities for spiritual growth, recreation and
community involvement. In November, the volunteers from Anderson United Methodist Church taught an etiquette class as part
of the life skills training. Sylvia Watley, Crystal Gray and Natasha
Randle set a beautiful formal table and explained how each item
is used. In addition to explaining the use of each item, they talked
about proper manners and possible situations that might be encountered such as a lunch/dinner for a job interview. The women
from Anderson United Methodist Church completed the session
by taking everyone to dinner at Char so they could “practice” what
they had learned. Thank you, Sylvia, Crystal and Natasha!
Kappa Alpha Psi Gift
Members of Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi
New Washer & Dryer
Sally And Charles Carmichael, Co-Chairpersons Advisory
Committee; Ann Stephenson, New Member Advisory Comittee
Volunteer Spotlight
Not only does Tommy support SCSCY, but members of his family
The Board of Directors for Southern Christian Services for Children
and Youth is a diverse group of individuals whose generous gifts of time, have been volunteers. Tommy is married to Ruth and they are the parents
of Neal, Ruth Allison and Preston. Ruth is a fortalent and support enhance this Agency's minismer volunteer on the Silent Auction Committee
try of serving vulnerable children and youth in
for Bottom Line for Kids. Neal is an Eagle Scout
Mississippi. Please meet Tommy McMillin.
whose troop project was the landscaping at our
Tommy is a member of the Board of DirecP.A.L.S. transitional living residence. The famitors and served two terms as Board President. He
ly attends First Baptist Church of Jackson where
currently co-chairs the Development Committee
Tommy is an active member serving as a Deacon
assisting with new ideas and new avenues of
and regularly singing in the choir. Tommy is Sefunding. For the last several years, Tommy has
nior Vice President of Trustmark Bank, a long
worked on the Program Committee for the antime community partner and supporter of Southnual Bottom Line for Kids Benefit Dinner. This
ern Christian Services for Children and Youth.
year, he shared his gifts of music and song with
Thank you, Tommy, for your dedication and
the performance of "The Touch of the Master's
Tommy McMillin singing during Bottom Line for Kids
support.
Hand" at the Bottom Line for Kids dinner.
Doug Garland, Brad Fountain,
Board Member and John Heiden
Jennie Crane, Board Member, Judy Arnett,
SCSCY and Sandy Taylor, Board Member
Long-time Board Member and past Board President, pictured with his
wife Flo. Howard Stover will now serve as Board Member Emeritus.
The Hinds County Bar Association recently awarded a grant
to our P.A.L.S. (Preparing Adolescents for Living Successfully)
transitional living residence for a much needed new washer and
dryer. One can only imagine how much laundry is done in a home
Our gratitude goes out to the Jackson Alumni Chapter of Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity and member Barry Dixon, Division Director of our P.R.E.P.A.R.E. Program (Independent Living Services)
for their generosity this past December. The residents of the Joe
Rowland Group Home for Boys and the P.A.L.S. transitional living residence were invited to a Holiday Celebration and lunch at
the Jackson Medical Mall. Each resident received a Wal-Mart gift
card and SCSCY received a check. We look forward to a continued relationship with James Reed, Polemarch, and members of the
Kappa Alpha Psi Jackson Alumni Chapter for their support of our
ministry.
with so many adolescent male and female youth! Many, many
thanks go to the members of the Hinds County Bar Association for
their generosity and support of our ministry.
Back row: Grant Committee Members Doug Jennings,
Matthew McLaughlin, Ryan O’Beirne
Front row: Julie Ratliff, Committee Member, Karen Davis,
SCSCY, Cheryn Baker, Committee Member