When North River Church offered to come and do an extreme makeover on our Rehoboth campus, we had to accept. Here is an exciting video of volunteers giving all they had for the day to help homeless families feel at home! Continue reading Watch North River Church Pembroke Helping Us!
On Friday, December 15th and Saturday, December 16th, Highrock Church in Quincy, Mass. will host its annual Christmas concert to benefit Home with Friends. This one-of-a-kind musical experience brings together a talented group of singers and musicians. Through a mix of solo performances and choral harmonies, they bring energy, joy, and inspiration to the Christmas season.
“We are overjoyed to present our fifth annual concert to benefit Home with Friends and also share in the joyful news of the season, ” says Stephen Sharkey, Lead Pastor at Highrock Church. Sharkey has been the creative force behind the yearly concerts. “Through music, we can celebrate the story of Christmas together in a fresh and inspiring way,” he explains.
All proceeds from the concert will benefit Home with Friends, according to Sharkey. “We hope that the proceeds raised, as well as the event itself, will be a true blessing to all our friends, neighbors, and guests.”
Seats to this annual event sell out quickly, so get your tickets online now. You don’t want to miss this powerful evening of music and celebration of the Christmas season.
SHOWTIMES are Friday, December 15 @ 8 pm and Saturday, December 16 @ 6 pm
TICKETS are $15 for general admission; $10 for Seniors, Students and Children.
To learn more, go to the Highrock Church Quincy site.
Usually I start my updates off with a story about one of our Family Partners, so I thought this time I would give you a glimpse of one of our Friendship Teams. As it was said in the May article entitled Hotel, Motels for Massachusetts Homeless Decreases Greatly , we have a new team from Wollaston Church of the Nazarene in Quincy. Since this is my ‘home’ church, I often talk about the Home with Friends ministry, In fact, for the last four year — in church board meetings, small group gatherings, on the missions council, etc. And, people frequently respond with interest and prayer.
This year some members of my small group decided it was time to get more involved,. So a team was put together of 10 adults (with numerous kids! We advocate children be part of homeless ministry together). During March through May we met 4 times for training, and Sara Mitchell and I began asking agencies, shelters and churches for family referrals.
Family referrals are homeless families who struggle and have a connection to an agency, shelter or church. We look for those families who are struggling with homelessness. But moreso, we look for those who seem to be ready to take advantage of a 2-year period of financial and relational support. This is what the Home With Friends program is all about. This gives them the time and energy to get further education or training and increase their income. It also allows time to clean up their credit reports and stabilize other areas of their lives.
Referrals came to us for 8 different families. Of those 8 families, 5 of them had an interview with us regarding the Home With Friends opportunity. We are happy to announce a selection is made!
Our new family is a couple with a toddler and a baby on the way. How exciting that they will have a place to call home! Can you imagine how special the holiday’s will be for them this year?
Just to give you an idea what we look for, Dad works full time and mom part time. Mom has come out of the foster care system and spent a couple of years at Ruth’s House in Brockton, which provides people like her with wonderful support and training. This weekend, the family must be out of their apartment.
Members of the Friendship team took the initiative and got right to work! They have contacted a real estate agent from the congregation who is connecting them with other agents. They also have gone with Mom to look at apartments. And, this past Saturday night the Friendship Team hung out with the family, taking time to get to know each other. The team also put together a fundraiser. The funds will go toward the Family Partner’s decreasing rental subsidy.
It was awesome to meet this mom and talk with her in the car. It was the absolute perfect place to have a discussion. She talked all about her life, her background and what brought her to the place of homelessness. I am more convinced than ever that this experience is going to be life-changing for the Friendship Team, and that we can have a serious impact on their lives.
Both Family Partners and Friendship Team members often learn from each other. And, it certainly isn’t easy! Often those involved must expect lifestyle difference, such as value-system clashes, and frustration at times. So why would a person want to be on the Friendship Team? Why do it? Because this is the Church being the Church! Loving on people and bringing hope to their circumstances.
Call Lora Wooster at 617-939-3709 and let her know if you want to be a part of developing this ministry at your church. Oh, and shw appreciates and thanks you for your prayer and financial support!
To learn more about Home with Friends watch our video below:
Do you remember Eileen, whom we told you about back in November? She has been able to negotiate more hours at the nursing home where she works. She is not only earning more money each week, but now she also receives benefits. A member of Eileen’s Friendship Team is working with her regularly to improve her English reading skills so that she can study for the HiSET (High School Equivalency Test, used to be the GED), and we partnered with the Financial REACH Center in Quincy to help her clean up her credit report and pay off her debts. She is working hard at Continue reading Hotel, Motels for Massachusetts Homeless Decreases Greatly
Continue reading Highrock Christmas Benefit Concert, Who Are You Inviting? Many of you have heard about Giving Tuesday. Before I start to explain, allow me to share this true story. Please understand that we have changed the name to protect the identity of our shelter guests.
Here is your chance to make a real different in the lives of kids on the South Shore of Boston. You can help more than two dozen children grow strong, healthy, and stress-free. All it takes is your support for our effort — and the donation of money, materials, and/or skills — to help us build a strong, sturdy fence on one of our campus’ for Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore.
Take the Key Club Polar Plunge on March 13. Get wet and wild this Sunday for a great cause!
Join Marshfield High School Key Club members, family and friends as they brave the icy waves of Rexhame beach, Marshfield, at 9 AM on March 13th 2016, and raise money for our Norwell shelter.
Proceeds from the Plunge will help fund the Club’s “extreme makeover” of family shelter units at the Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore’s Norwell facility.
“We are delighted to be working with the Marshfield High Key Club on an Extreme Makeover this spring,” says Herb Newell, Executive Director of Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore. “Michelle Herwono and her leadership team have done a phenomenal job planning and preparing to improve the living spaces for our guests. We look forward to working with them soon.”
–Make a donation online via credit card at https://www.friendsofhomeless.org
–Sign up to be a volunteer or email Dorothy Newell. Volunteer Coordinator at info@friendsofhomeless.org.
Marshfield Key Club is a volunteer club for high school students sponsored by Kiwanis of Marshfield. Members help out at events in Marshfield and surrounding communities. Their major events include decorating and running the MHS Homecoming and helping Kiwanis sell Christmas trees at the Fairground. For more information visit the Marshfield Key Club site.
Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore helps homeless families by providing temporary shelter, furniture, education, and advocacy. We work with dozens of volunteers from local churches, businesses, community groups and individuals to help parents and children in transition. Our goals are to help these families.
Baby bundles deliver so much joy! Bringing home a new baby is one of life’s most exciting events. But what if your “home” is in a shelter or motel?
Thanks to the efforts of dozens of Baby Bundles’ donors and volunteers, the day a Mom and her newborn return to transitional housing may be a little brighter.
Newborn Baby Bundles gives new moms in transitional housing just about all of the things
they need for the first few weeks. Each Baby Bundle bin holds:
Newborn diapers (up to 3 months)“We pack all of this into a single, large plastic bin, so each Mom also has a handy storage place when her living space is small,” says program director Susan Donnelly.
Donnelly is one of the many energetic volunteers from St. Albert’s Parish in Weymouth. She works on Baby Bundles’ donations, collection, and communications. Volunteers make visits to other local churches, schools, and community organizations. They encourage these organizations to sponsor “baby showers” and diaper drives where items for newborns can be donated.
Groups who have sponsored these events have included: Church Hill United Methodist, Norwell; St. Albert the Great, St. Francis Xavier, Pilgrim and Old South Union churches in Weymouth; Resurrection Parish, Hingham; and the Colonial Village Knitting Club in Weymouth. And moreso, they have been very generous with donations.
“Their generosity has allowed us to deliver bundles to 16 families so far [as of this post], and we have another scheduled for mid-January,” says Betsy Clifford, pastoral associate at St. Albert – St. Francis Collaborative Parishes. Clifford, who has delivered several of the Baby Bundles herself, has seen the joy and hope the bundles give to new and expectant parents. “They are absolutely delighted to know someone cares,” she says.
To learn more about contributing to or volunteering for Baby Bundles, contact Susan Donnelly or email us and someone will get your the information.