Loving Others - Project 3 - Gracewood

Gracewood

According to their webpage, "Gracewood is a Christian ministry that assists single mothers and their children through residential group care, mentoring, financial planning, teaching, counseling and referral to valuable community resources. Gracewood's focus is on long-term quality of life improvements, not on temporary solutions."  From what I understand, they provide a place for single parent families to stay while they get back on their feet.  Many times the family would experience homelessness if not for Gracewood.  It is a safe place where families can stay together through a tough time.  It was originally started by Texas Baptist Children's Home but is run independently of them now I think. 

There are great ideas to help them and there are definitely things that young children can participate in and be a help too.  I basically just cut and pasted the next to session from their webpage.  It has great ideas on ways to help. 

http://www.childrenatheartministries.org/page.aspx?pid=1398

Ways to Partner with Gracewood

1.    PRAY!
2.    Introduce your friends to Gracewood
       •    Bring them for a tour
       •    Invite our staff to speak at your churches/Bible studies
       •    Like us on Facebook and share our posts with your friends!
3.    Share your Time, Talent & Treasures

Time
1.    Saturday small group workday
•   Write scriptures on the framework of our new building (currently under construction)
•   Help with move-in to new building when it’s completed
      Move furniture
      Set up bedrooms and bathrooms
      Set up kitchen
•   Beautify Elmview or Wanda Lane campus garden
•   Do outside clean up work
•   Wash cars for clients and agency vehicles
•   Install paver stone on walkway between buildings on Wanda Lane campus

2.    Make welcome baskets
•   For new clients who move into Gracewood
•   For families moving from Gracewood into their own apartments

3.    Support our children
•   Do child care to provide a Mom’s Night Out
•   Do child care during group meetings and Bible studies for moms
•   Be a positive male role model and interact with the boys living at Gracewood
•   Play soccer/football/basketball with our teenage boys

4.    Holiday/summer activities
•   Take families to ball games, bowling, movies, etc.
•   Donate outing tickets to zoo, museums, movies, etc.
•   Adopt a family for Christmas and provide gifts
•   Send holiday cards to moms
•   Make cookies/treats for Christmas and other holidays
•   Hang/take down outside Christmas decorations

5.    Food pantry/clothes closet/furniture storage
•   Paint
•   Assemble shelving
•   Move furniture

Talent
1.    Provide meals
•   Frozen casseroles that can be used to provide meals for families on group nights or to supplement a family’s food supply
•   Meals for nights when moms and staff have group meetings
     Elmview campus on Tuesday nights
     Wanda Lane campus on Thursday nights
•   Desserts that can be frozen and used for special treats

2.    Office/clerical help starting in Fall 2012

3.    Provide transportation for moms who do not have cars

Treasure
1.    Hold a drive for items that can’t be bought with food stamps

2.    Hold a drive for school uniforms, clothes and supplies

3.    Support our food pantry/clothing closet/furniture storage
•   Donate gently used clothing, furniture and household items
•   Donate non-perishable food items

4.    Support our growth
•   Help stock our linen closet
•   Help outfit a kitchen that will serve five families
•   Visit our registries at Target, JC Penney, and Bed Bath & Beyond
•   Become a monthly partner

For more information, please contact Gracewood at (713) 988-9757 or info@gracewood.org.


http://www.childrenatheartministries.org/gracewood/wishlist

Current Needs

• Serve as an Ambassador, inviting others to a Home, Hope and Healing Tour
• Prepare and deliver meals for 25-30 people once a week/month/quarter
• Provide childcare and activities during group meetings or for a Mom's Night Out
• Volunteer to work in our clothing boutique, food pantry or warehouse
• Provide small furnishings (linens, toasters, cutlery, coffeemakers, etc.) for the cottage that is currently under construction
• Prepare welcome baskets for new residents
• Provide outings for families (ball games, bowling, movies, meals, etc.)
• Make cookies or treats for the holidays
• Become a monthly partner by making cash donations
• Pray for our moms, children and ministry

For more information, please contact Debbie MacKellar
or call (713) 988-9757.

 

 

 

 

Main Offices - Spring BranchGracewood
1617 Elmview
Houston, TX 77080-7222

Southwest CampusGracewood
7511 Wanda Lane
Houston, TX 77074