Summer 2009 Newsletter

Mary’s Shelter
Summer 2009
Mission Statement:
Mary’s Shelter saves lives by
empowering and equipping
homeless and at-risk pregnant
teens, and minors with babies,
for lives of dignity, hope and selfsufficiency.
SAVE THE DATES:
Yahoo BBQ
July 26, 2009
Summer Fundraiser
Orange Park Acres
Golf Tournament
September 16, 2009
Black Gold Golf Club
Yorba Linda
T
Changing lives two at a time
Faith Formation for Teen Mothers
he majority of girls who come to Mary’s Shelter have
had very little religious exposure. But we believe their
spiritual formation, right along with physical, emotional
and educational development, is an integral part of bringing
wholeness to broken lives.
Each Tuesday evening, most of our teen residents choose
to participate in an optional Bible Study class lovingly conducted for many years by Board Member Peggy Holmes.
They close each session with prayer requests. Here are
a few examples to help you, as a supporter of these young
mothers at Mary’s Shelter, get to know the girls you are
helping.
• Please pray that my baby is healthy. That my baby’s
father wants to be a part of her life. Also that I find
someone for me that will love me and my baby.
• Please pray that I get to leave the shelter and live with
(name). Please pray that everything goes well at court.
Please pray that I stay out of trouble. Please pray that
my baby is healthy.
• Dear Lord, please give me strength to help me be brave
and stand up for myself. Please help me through this
troubled time and please help me to be with (name). I
want to marry him. Help us to be able to do that and be
a family with our daughter. Help me to be able to explain
my reasons. Amen.
• Please pray to help me get through this whole thing. To
keep me strong, in my mind and heart. That I become the
best mom that I can be. Also that my baby is healthy.
• I would like my baby’s father around before and after
my baby’s birth. My parents are still in shock and are
totally against him and I can’t talk or see him. I would
appreciate a prayer for God to soften my parents’ hearts
to understand and to diminish their anger. I need my
boyfriend here for me. He is a great support to me.
• Peggy, I want to thank you for the time you give me.
Thanks for giving me the word that I need in order to live
a Christ-like life. I slowly feel myself coming closer with
God and my heart is softening. You make a difference in
my life and I wanted to thank you.
At the very least, our goal in terms of faith formation is
that each teen mother who spends a few months at Mary’s
Shelter knows that there is a God, that God loves her and
that God will never abandon her – even though her own
parents may have done so. If a girl comes from a particular
faith tradition, we respect her wishes and arrange transportation to the church services of her choice.
Faith in God provides a foundation for dignity, self-esteem
and hope – part of our long-term objectives for the girls
we serve. Won’t you please consider including the teen
mothers and their babies being cared for at Mary's Shelter
in your prayers?
June Graduations for Current Residents
O
n June 26, Mary’s Shelter resident D.C. will receive
the high school diploma she has been working for
while being a nurturing mother to her toddler son. She
has been accepted into the Rising Tide Program sponsored
by Orangewood Children’s Foundation where she will
live when she reaches her 18th birthday, the following
month. Our Case Manager is guiding her as she enrolls
in college classes toward her eventual goal of becoming a
Pediatrician.
Inside This Issue:
Gala Report and Photos
Featured Volunteer
Current Wish List
T
his is the 15th year Mary’s Shelter has organized a Golf
Tournament to help support disadvantaged pregnant
teens and their babies. But the course is changing this year
– to the Black Gold Course atop the Yorba Linda hills. (On
a clear day you can see Catalina!) Block out Wednesday,
Another Resident, N.B., turned
18 in March and just passed
the exams for her G.E.D. She
will soon leave Mary's Shelter
with her toddler to live in a
transitional living center for
emancipating youth in Los
Angeles.
Golf Tournament
September 16 on your calendar and have your golfing
friends do the same. Non-golfers can also come for the
auction and dinner and to meet “The Real Housewives of
Orange County” star Tamra Barney.
NEW
DONATE ON-LINE!
www.teenshelter.org
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Changing lives two at a time
Board of Directors
Dana Bledsoe
Roger Chaix
Vicki Gardner
Monique Gonzalez
Peggy Holmes
Adrienne Matros, Psy.D.
Berni Neal
Gus Ordonez
Erica Sheehy
Dick Schweickert
Rev. Loc Tran
Arzo Yusuf
Richard Van Meter, M.D.
Advisors
Dave Belz
Pastor Tom Brashears
Patrick Dirk
Robert Dowdell
Randy Fiorentino, M.D.
Arne Leavitt
Dan Mackey, M.D.
Sr. Ellen O’Leary, CSJ
Evie Pilkington
Jim Poth
Patrick Powers
Laurie Prietto
Marla Merhab Robinson
Jerry Sheehy
Richard Wetzel, M.D.
Marilyn Whitehead
Featured Volunteer
S
uzanne Scholz has served as the Public Relations liaison for Mary’s Shelter on a volunteer basis
since 2005, helping raise the visibility of this maternity home for minors in the community as
well as contributing to the financial success of our fundraising events.
Suzanne has a great deal of professional experience in marketing and public relations and has
cultivated relationships with key media contacts in Orange County. She teaches in the Marketing
Department of the College of Business Administration at Cal State Long Beach plus teaches other
business courses at Orange Coast College.
Suzanne has been very successful in obtaining print exposure for our events, including seven
published articles for our 2008 Gala alone, and she publicizes our special events in a wide
spectrum of churches and in the local print media to increase attendance. She also effectively
Suzanne Scholz
solicits gifts from businesses for our Gala and Golf Tournament auctions and raffles that have raised
tens of thousands of dollars for this pro-life ministry.
Suzanne’s generous heart and genuine care for our vulnerable teen mothers is what drives her to share so many hours and
so much enthusiasm to help Mary’s Shelter make a difference in young lives. Thank you Suzanne for sharing generously of both
your time and considerable talents over these five years!
Volunteer Opportunities
To find out how you can help make a difference as a Mary’s Shelter volunteer, call Amy at Mary’s Shelter, (714) 730-0930,
extension 17.
Child Care* – Watch our precious babies grow and help them flourish while teen mothers are in school or job
training.
Drivers* – Drive our girls and their babies to their doctor and other appointments.
Mentors* – Matched to a particular girl, mentors maintain a relationship with the girl, serve as a friend and help her
clarify and achieve her dreams.
Receptionists – Take calls at the Shelter reception desk, greet and sign-in visitors and do clerical tasks as needed to
assist the staff.
Fundraising – Enjoy working with other volunteers to produce fundraising events, such as our Spring Gala and Fall Golf
Tournament, to benefit our girls and babies.
Executive Director
Barbara Nelson
NOTE: * To work in direct contact with our minors, volunteers must be at least 21 years old, fingerprinted for a background
check, be tested for TB and receive some basic training in such areas as confidentiality. In some cases first aid and CPR training
is also required.
Program Director
Mary Kerr
The Economy and Mary’s Shelter
Mary’s Shelter
P.O. Box 10433
Santa Ana, CA 92711-0433
Tel: 714/730-0930
Fax: 714/730-3487
www.teenshelter.org
[email protected]
Non-profit Corporation:
Tax ID #33-0203768
Group Homes licensed by
the State of California
Licenses #306000793
and #300613291
T
hanks to hundreds of faithful friends, I am pleased to
report that Mary’s Shelter remains financially stable at this
time. Eight months into our current fiscal year, which began
in October 2008, expenses outweigh income by $24,000. But
that is within our ability to absorb expenses with our reserve
funds.
Still, the majority of donations are generally received in
December, and our major fundraising event – the March Gala–
is behind us. Since people tend to be busy with vacations and
not make as many charitable donations during the summer
months, our losses are likely to mount up more quickly. This
is why we appreciate regular automatic monthly or quarterly
gifts so much, and why we encourage you to support our July
FUNdraiser and September Golf Tournament.
For people interested in financial details, revenue
in the last eight months was down by $101,621 from the
prior year. Reductions occurred in nearly all sources, but
were particularly steep (down 39%) in grant revenue –
understandable since grants from foundations are funded by
investment income.
At the same time, we lowered our expenses by $86,116.
This was particularly challenging since we have experienced
a 5% increase in the number of residents and must maintain
low ratios of staff to residents at all times according to
licensing regulations. Mary’s Shelter has always run a “lean”
operation, but as good stewards we began implementing
cost-containment measures beginning in September. Since
80% of our costs are employee related, if follows that our
dedicated staff have born the brunt of the cut-backs: a wage
freeze, paying a portion of their own health benefits, and
not replacing a case manager – resulting in our youngest
residents being underserved.
Yet with God’s help and so many friends who believe in
this ministry and appreciate how we change lives, the girls who
are now at Mary’s Shelter – and those that will need to take
refuge here in the future – will surely not be disappointed.
Thank you for caring and for your sacrificial gifts.
Barbara Nelson, Executive Director
Gala Report
The Mary’s Shelter Gala on March 7th truly was a rousing success!
Watching all the revelers enjoying Irish Merriment, one would never suspect a recession was in progress. Highlights included:
• The delightfully decorated pavilion filled with 60 beautiful silent auction gifts
• Chances for the treasures in the Pot O’Gold guarded by Leprechauns
• A tribute to founding supporter, Evie Pilkington
• Enthusiastic endorsement of Mary’s Shelter by former resident Monique Gonzalez
• Ballads played by a Traditional Irish Trio and dance music by The Nomads
• Spirited bidding on six live auction opportunities
• Generous Bonus Gifts which met the $20,000 Challenge presented by Mary and Pat Dirk
A total of $85,000 was raised through the hard work of Gala Chairpersons Patty Baer and Hedy The and their committee
members, and the support shown by: the 160 guests who enjoyed the festivities, the generous Underwriters who provided “seed money”,
the many friends who sent gifts even though they could not attend, the generous Bonus Gifts made that night, plus the auction and raffle
purchases – all to support the vital services Mary’s Shelter provides to pregnant girls in need who have chosen life for their babies.
HONOREE: Evie Pilkington
I
n 1994, Evie was invited by founder Joan Basile to be a part of the Mary’s Shelter family, to help
homeless girls and their unborn babies. One look at Mary’s Shelter told her they were of one
mind and one heart in defense of life.
Evie began with hands-on work like stripping wallpaper and painting the kitchen of the first
house. She then formed a small Auxiliary and coordinated annual Galas and Golf Tournaments for
Mary’s Shelter, plus other events like Late Night Catechism – more than 20 quality special events
through 2004 that made money to support the ministry.
In 1997, Evie joined the Board of Directors where she served faithfully for nine years and still
serves as an Advisor. Evie passionately reminded directors that saving babies and empowering
young mothers was their cornerstone for making decisions.
In addition to being a pro-life witness in her own life, and her tireless work to support the
ministry at Mary’s Shelter, Evie continues to work toward building a Culture of Life through her
involvement in Voice of Virtue.
Evie said it is an honor and a privilege to help provide a safe refuge for pregnant teens with their pain and struggles, and to give
them and their babies loving affirmation, profound hope, sound direction and the tools that will help them to fulfill their dreams.
FORMER RESIDENT: Monique Gonzalez
Monique came to Mary’s Shelter in 1996 when she was a pregnant 15 year old sophomore
in high school. Her mother believed that Mary’s Shelter was the best place for her to explore
available options, including adoption.
While at Mary’s Shelter, Monique learned how to care for her body and prepare herself
for the arrival of her child, continued her high school education and received spiritual
guidance. She had plenty of time to reflect on her decision and how she would remain
positive throughout this challenging time in her life.
At the conclusion of her stay at Mary’s Shelter, Monique returned home to have her baby,
Joshua, and then returned to her high school where she received her diploma. Shortly after graduation, Monique started working for
a major grocery retailer where she currently holds a position as an Environmental/Safety Administrative Assistant. She has been with
the company for 10 years.
Monique has been married for nine years and has two precious sons, Joshua who is now twelve and Isaiah who is eight years old.
She expressed extreme gratitude for having had the opportunity to receive endless guidance and support from the staff at Mary’s
Shelter. Monique is honored to say that she is the first previous resident of Mary’s Shelter to be on the Board of Directors – a way of
giving back.
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Gala Underwriters
In addition to all who attended Emerald Enchantment, the financial
success of the event was made possible by the generosity of the following
Underwriters and VIP Table Hosts:
FLW, Inc.
Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas Kleha
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Neal
Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Sheehy
TROY Group, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Campo
Mr. and Mrs. George Fague
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hunsaker
Dr. Adrienne and Mr. Richard Matros
Print Techniques
Dr. and Mrs. Richard Van Meter
Mr. and Mrs. James Baer
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Bartolic
Mrs.Ted Bear
Mr. and Mrs. Marion Butterfield
Mr. and Mrs. Philippe Dardaine
Ms. Vicki Gardener
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hennessey
Ms. Barbara Nelson
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Powers
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Stephen
Special thanks also to those who made additional
Bonus Gifts at the Gala to match the
$20,000 challenge gift from Mary and Pat Dirk:
Mrs. Sarah Adams
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Sean Andersen
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Boemer
The Doctors Brazeal
The Honorable Michael Brenner
Ms. Debra Brent
Mr. and Mrs. David Brobeck
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Caraccio
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Citron
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Curtius
DLM Associates
Ms. Carla Anderson Fox
Ms. Vicki Gardener
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Grimes
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hagan
Mr. and Mrs. John Holland
Mr. and Mrs.Tom Holtom
Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Kann
Mr. Donald King
Mr. Jeffrey Littell
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Lundeen
Mr. and Mrs.Terrence McGaughan
Mr. and Mrs. Skip Moore
Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Muth
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Neal
Mrs. Richard Pastore
Mr. Andrew Peek
Mr. and Mrs. David Peek
Ms. Rebecca Peek
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Riechmann
Mr. Paul Riffel, Sr.
Mrs. Claudia Sawaya
Mr. and Mr. Mark Sawaya
Dr. and Mrs. William Sears
Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Sheehy
Mr. and Mrs. David Sinclair
Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Smith
Mr. Kenneth Stokes
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Thomas
Fr. Loc Tran
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Truzzolino
Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Von Der Ahe
Mr. and Mrs. John West
Gala Auction Prize Donors
A&J Towing
All Pro Auto Clinic
Joan and Paul Amort
Angels Baseball
Anthony B. Salon & Spa
Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club
Robert August
Avila's El Ranchito Restaurant
Santa Ana
Patty Baer
Richard Bash
Joan and Dick Basile
Blue Agave Southwestern Grill
Blue Buoy Swim School
Tera Bodo
Boyd & Associates
Bradford Renaissance Portraits
Caitlin Carty
Catalina Passenger Service, Inc.
Celebrity Cruises
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts
Linda and Roger Chaix
Chris Castillo Photography
Christopher Perry Salons
Cookie Lee Jewelry
DoubleTree Hotel
Santa Ana/Orange County Airport
Entertaining at Home by Tina Santos
Clara and Lu Escalle
Friends of Mary's Shelter
Vicki Gardener
Donna Gerrick
Golden Wings Jewelry Design
by Angela K. Lockhart
Amy Goodshaw
Peggy and Harry Holmes
John Robert Powers - Orange County
Kathy Ireland Worldwide
LA Fitness - Long Beach
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Sandra and Peter Lara
Lorin Backe Photography
Lucky Strike Lanes - Orange
Pat Lynn
Marconi Automotive Museum
Mary's Shelter Gala Committee
Metro for Men Salon
Christine and Chris Mino
Kimberly Moran-Blad
Georgia Mottl
Nail Star & Spa - Orange
Kyle Nash
Orange County: California's Golf Coast
Orange County Hydroponics & Organics
Leslie and Gus Ordonez
Ortega Equestrian Center
Photographic Images
by Dwayne and Associates
Print Techniques
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Richard Nixon Library &
Birthplace Foundation
Roy Englebrecht Promotions
Ruby's Diner - Yorba Linda
St. Cecilia Women's Prayer Group
St. Michael's Abbey
Sandy and Jon Sanchez
Carol Sandoval
Sanrio, Inc.
Santa Anita Park
Sandie Scherer
Betty and Dick Schweickert
Nicole and Mike Senyo
The Shamrock Companies
Erica and Jerry Sheehy
Simone & Son Jewelers
Kellie and Dennis Smith
South Coast Repertory
Strike - Orange County
Sandy Ta
Teri's Teas
Hedy The
Vigilucci's Restaurant Group
Waffles of California
Waring Products
Deborah Wilson
WorldMark by Wyndham
The Zemer Family - Charriol U.S.A.
Zoological Society of San Diego
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Changing lives two at a time
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Thank you all for
a successful event!
Recent Funding Partners
M
ary’s Shelter is most grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation, which approved a $40,000 grant to support the Early
Childhood Development Program at Mary’s Shelter for the children of vulnerable teen mothers. This very generous support, for the sixth year
in a row, helps us to provide the level of care that has resulted in healthy birth outcomes for teen mothers at-risk for premature, low birth-weight
deliveries.
Another very generous grant of $20,000 was received from the Margaret Oser Fund for Women, administered by the Orange County
Community Foundation, to support our comprehensive services for disadvantaged young women.
We also greatly appreciate the generous support received recently from Troy Group, Inc., Union Bank of California Foundation and other
corporations and local businesses.
Many thanks also to several private family foundations that sent gifts to Mary’s Shelter to help prepare disadvantaged teen mothers for lives of
dignity, hope and self-sufficiency.
F
Miracle Gift
or the past three years, the Board of Directors has included a $30,000 “miracle gift”, or extraordinary one-time gift, in its income budget. And every year, God sends
us that miracle! In February, Mary’s Shelter received a Cy Pres distribution of $33,118, the remainder of a trust account to settle claims resulting from a class action
law suit. Extraordinary appreciation goes out to friend of Mary’s Shelter James Stoneman, the plaintiff's attorney in this suit, who directed this Cy Pres gift to Mary’s
Shelter. Thank you for allowing God to work a miracle through you!
Volunteer Blessings
T
hanks to the volunteers who spent an afternoon making our residents feel special for Mother’s Day:
students from Lake Forest Beauty College who did hairdos, Emily Gray who applied make-up and
Richelle Dante who then took photos of our pregnant moms and teen mothers with their babies. The girls
felt so pampered with the one-on-one attention and will always treasure the keepsake photos.
Many thanks go out to Tom Miller and the men in his Bible Study Group who weeded and replanted the
raised vegetable beds at Mary’s Shelter. A bountiful summer harvest is approaching.
Special appreciation goes to the Tustin Assistance League who arranged for the complete and extensive remodel
of the bathroom in our main house, used by twelve teens. They arranged for new flooring, lighting, shower doors,
paint, faucet hardware, cabinet doors, crown molding and bead board and decorative accents. Thank you for
creating a beautiful home environment for our girls.
Thank you also to all the friends of Mary’s Shelter who honored their own mothers by sending financial Mother’s
Day gifts to help care for our teen mothers. Your Mom’s would be proud!
Changing lives two at a time
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Yahoo BBQ!
T
he Mary’s Shelter Board of Directors is hosting a western style summer party
to celebrate this ministry with our donors, and to generate underwriting gifts
towards summer expenses for our teen mothers and their babies. Tracy and Tim
Chaix have graciously opened up their home in Orange Park Acres as the perfect
setting for this casual FUNdraiser. For an invitation to the Sunday, July 26th party,
please contact Christine at Mary’s Shelter.
Many Ways to Give
• Monthly or Quarterly Gifts – of any size really add up over time. For
simplicity, call Christine at Mary’s Shelter or write a note to authorize a
gift automatically billed to your credit card or sent directly from your
bank account.
• United Way – You can designate Mary’s Shelter as the recipient for your
charitable payroll deductions using our United Way number: MAR705.
• Matching Gift – Leverage your gift by applying for a matching charitable gift from
your employer.
• Alternative Gift – Having a special birthday or anniversary? You already have
more “stuff” than you need so ask people to make a donation to Mary’s Shelter
in your name instead.
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way…
Mary’s Shelter has an Endowment Fund that just might be in your future! Most people
can give only modest gifts during their lifetime, but can leave a more sizable donation
to a favorite charity from their estate when God calls them home. If you designate a
specific asset, dollar amount, or percentage of your estate to “Mary’s Shelter, a nonprofit
California Corporation”, you create a legacy – since only the earnings on your donation
are used each year, forever, to help care for pregnant teens
who have chosen life. Think about it – taking a simple step
now can help saves lives for years and years.
Current Wish List
While we can always use cash, some people prefer to make direct gifts of the things our residents need. Here are ideas for you.
Household Items
For Teen Moms (ages 13-17)
• Towels, washcloths, blankets & mattress covers
• Clothing (sizes S, M, L) casual shirts, tanks, jeans, sweaters
• New bedding sets (2 matching twin sets) solid color sheets with comforters,
• Socks and undergarments
bed skirts
• Nursing pads, breast pumps
•
Crib sheets, mattress covers
• Photo albums, disposable cameras
• Baby towels and washcloths
• Scrapbooks and supplies
• Tupperware, bake ware, bottle warmer
• School supplies: 3-ring binders, lined paper, etc.
• Paper towels, toilet paper, tissue
• MP3s/Walkmans/CD players
• Cleaning supplies: sponges, laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, etc
• Batteries (D, C, AA, AAA)
For Babies (ages newborn-2T)
• Diapers (sizes 3, 4, 5) and Wipes
• Baby food (stages 1,2,3), toddler snacks
• Infant Tylenol, Baby Oragel, Saline drops
• “Sippy” cups and bottles
• New Baby and Toddler clothes sizes newborn-2T
• Infant-Toddler shoes
• Packs of “onesies” and sleepers, sizes 0-18 months
• Infant carriers (“Snugglie”)
• Developmental toys: cardboard books (ages 0-3), teething rings, rattles
• Disney/Baby Einstein DVDs
• Large baby items: strollers, bassinets, cribs, swings, toddler beds, cribs
• Diaper bags, changing pads
Other ways you can help:
• Donate Gift Cards: Target, Wal-Mart, Babies R-Us, Albertson’s, Smart and Final,
Vons, Superior Market, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Blockbuster
• Donate Restaurant Gift Cards: McDonalds, Taco Bell, In-and-Out Burger,
Chuck E. Cheese, Golden Spoon, Baskin Robbins, Starbucks
• Donate “entertainment certificates” for places like Edwards Theaters, Boomers,
bowling, roller skating, Knott’s, Adventure City
• Put together “movie kits” with Blockbuster gift cards, popcorn, candy, and/or
PG-13 DVDs appropriate for teenage girls
• Volunteer a group to come do a work project (i.e. power wash the patio and
driveway, paint a bedroom, wash & wax shelter vehicles, wash shelter windows)
• Volunteer as a family or a group to redecorate a resident’s bedroom, including
painting, furniture, decorative items and bedding.
Mary’s
Shelter
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
P.O. Box 10433
Santa Ana, CA
92711-0433
Santa Ana, CA
permit #1878
Paid
Changing
Changing liveslives
at a time
two at two
a time
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9 Mary's Shelter Golf Tournament
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Black Gold Golf Club
Yorba Linda, California
RESERVE EARLY!
$200 per golfer before September 7
$50 for dinner guest
Sponsorships from $250 to $5,000