December 1, 2008
Dear Friends of Help One Child,
On behalf of the staff and board of Help One Child, Judi and I would like to wish all of you a blessed and joyful Christmas season. As our nation faces the most challenging economic circumstances that most of us have ever experienced, it may seem difficult to contemplate this time as being either blessed or joyful. Fortunately, we serve a God who is bigger than all of these overwhelming circumstances around us, and Who has a plan to use all of this for our good and His glory.
We hope you take the time to read the enclosed year-end report on the activities of Help One Child. This report summarizes our recent efforts in recruiting (primarily in communities of faith), in training (of parents and families for the challenging task they face), and in supporting (through prayer, services, goods, and activities) all interested foster and adoptive parents in our network. God has continued to graciously bless Help One Child's efforts in each of these areas, and we covet your continued prayers and support as we seek to be good stewards in all of these activities.
Judi and I have been involved in foster care for the past 22 years. We began our foster care efforts in response to a calling that touched both of our hearts. We interpreted this calling as a direction to use the blessings we had been given to also be a blessing to others. Over the years we have learned how wrong this assumption was. Instead, God has used every one of these children to bless us - as individuals, as a couple, and as an entire family. We have seen amazing answers to prayer, and have experienced moving opportunities to exercise our faith in a loving God who has so frequently proclaimed his special concern for "such as these".
As you consider your plans for 2009, we would like to challenge you personally to consider what role you might be called to in this coming year in caring for foster children. Could you provide a temporary or permanent home for a foster child? Would you be willing to provide meaningful support to the others in your church or community who are providing foster care? We can assure you that God can and will use your efforts to bless the lives of others. And more importantly, you will get a chance to see for yourself how God will use this opportunity to bless both yourself and your entire family. We pray that you and your family will seriously consider this challenge in 2009!!
As 2008 draws to a close, we also ask you to consider making a year-end financial contribution to Help One Child. We need to raise $60,000 between now and year-end to meet our projected operating budget. A $25,000 matching grant has been committed, if we can raise the remaining $35,000 needed by year-end. Would you prayerfully consider your ability to help us in reaching this $35,000 goal by year-end?
We are grateful to God for your faithfulness, and hope that you will be able to give generously, even in the midst of this very difficult year.
In His Service,
Dan and Judi Van Elderen Co-Chairmen of the Board
858 University Ave. • Los Altos, CA 94024 • (650) 917-1210 • Fax: (650) 917-5796 • www.helponechild.org
Year End Report For the year ending June 30, 2008
858 University Ave., Los Altos, CA 94024 • (888) KID-HOPE • helponechild.org
The ministry of Help One Child fills the gap between what the Social Service System provides and what is actually needed to raise the expectations and the outcomes for each foster child:
- We promote permanency for each child, recruiting foster and adoptive homes in the faith community, asking families to commit to one child or sibling set at a time.
- We support each family in addressing the emotional and spiritual needs as well as the health and educational needs of each child.
- Parents are trained to help each child meet the expectation that they become respectful, responsible and able to sustain healthy relationships.
Help One Child relies upon individual and church donations to offer these unique programs and services!
Staff
Susan Kammerer
Executive Director
Judy Holmes
Parent/Volunteer Coordinator
Beth Walker
Recruitment
Cari Michel
Ministry Associate
Julie Handel
IT/Marketing/Accounting
Board
Dan Van Elderen
Co-Chairman of the Board
Judi Van Elderen
Co-Chairman of the Board
Mark Morris
Corporate President
Jo Anne Morris, Secretary
General Members:
Linda Ikeda, RN, LMFT
June Darmanian
Cris Goodman, JD
Sandi Orlando, RN
| Finances 07-08 | Your funds are used to recruit, train and support those willing to provide a home or services for foster children. |
| Total Income $363,000  |
Total Expenditures $359,000  |
|
Income Fiscal Year 06-07 |
$364,000 |
| Income Fiscal Year 07-08 |
$363,000 |
| Budget 08-09 | $375,000 |
Union Presbyterian Church of Los Altos donates the ministry’s full-service corporate offices and use of its facilities for ministry programs. Menlo Park Presbyterian Church provides discounted printing services. Volunteers provide thousands of hours of administrative and in home support. |
|
| Recruiting | Help One Child is dedicated to recruiting, training and supporting those willing to provide a home or services for foster children. |
New Ambassador Church
When Paul and Joanne Jelle of Placer County learned of Help One Child’s Ambassador Program, they asked for help in replicating a foster care ministry at their church, Valley Springs Presbyterian, in Roseville. Help One Child provided all the tools and resources of the Ambassador Program’s “ministry in a box” model to equip the Jelles as committed Ambassadors. With Help One Child’s model and a committed team, “Heart to Heart” launched in 2007. Volunteer trainings were held and the first Parent Child Connection support group met in February 2008. More than 35 families have benefited in the first 4 months!
Campaign Crests 600 Days!
As awareness grew throughout the faith community, the Campaign’s progress in church recruitment doubled in its second year.
By the ministry’s fiscal year-end (or approximately 600 days into the 1000-day Campaign), Help One Child staff had contacted more than the 500 target churches. Of those, 150 churches have partnered to promote the cause, recognizing that “domestic orphans” deserve their support. Since the Campaign’s inauguration on November 18, 2006, Help One Child has expanded its network by 209 homes, including 79 existing foster or kinship families who now receive services. With a large body of recruits, the coming year’s task will be to ensure that as many as possible obtain their foster care license.
Ministry efforts continued to be focused in geographic and demographic areas that both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties targeted for foster parent recruitment.
| Church Recruitment | |
| Individual Church Presentations | 18 |
| Mission Fairs/Special Events | 11 |
| Home Church Orientations | 21 |
| Community Based Orientations: | 8 |
San Jose (4), Gilroy, Campbell, Redwood City San Mateo |
|
| Individual Recruitment | |
| Orientation Attendees | 84 |
| New Prospective and In-Process Foster Parents | 34 |
| New Volunteers | 106 |
The following churches have been directly involved in recruiting and supporting foster and adoptive parents over the past fiscal year.
Belmont Church of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Fellowship Bible Church, St Mark Catholic Church Burlingame Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Campbell Campbell Church of Christ, Campbell Community Church, Campbell Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Campbell United Church of Christ, Campbell United Methodist Church, Orchard Community Church, St Lucy’s, The Home Church Cupertino Abundant Life Assembly of God, Bethel Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of our Savior, Peninsula Bible Church Cupertino, Union Church of Cupertino, Valley Church Elk Grove California Northwest Women’s Department of the Church of God in Christ Foster City Central Peninsula Church, St Luke Catholic Church Gilroy South Valley Community Church, St Mary Parish, Trinity Bible Church, United Methodist Church Gilroy Half Moon Bay Coastside Lutheran Church, Mariners Church Los Altos First Baptist Church of Los Altos, Foothill Covenant Church, Foothills Congregational Church, Los Altos Lutheran Church, St Nicholas Catholic Church, St Simon Catholic Church, St William Catholic Church, Union Presbyterian Church, United Methodist Church of Los Altos Los Gatos Venture Christian Church Menlo Park Bethany Lutheran Church, Church of the Nativity, First Baptist Church of Menlo Park, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church, St Bede Episcopal Church Morgan Hill Advent Lutheran Church, Morgan Hill Bible Church, West Hills Community Church Mountain View First Presbyterian Church Mountain View, Mountain View Central Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Open Door Church, St Stephen Lutheran Church Palo Alto Aldersgate United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church Palo Alto, First Congregational Church of Palo Alto, First United Methodist Church Palo Alto, Grace Lutheran Church, Grace Presbyterian Church, Palo Alto Church of Christ, Peninsula Bible Church North, Unity Palo Alto Community Church, University Lutheran Church, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of the Peninsula Redwood City Familia Cristiana Verbo, First Congregational Church, Messiah Lutheran Church, Peninsula Covenant Church, Redwood City Church of God in Christ, Second Baptist Church, Sequoia Christian Church, St Peter’s Episcopal Church Roseville Valley Springs Presbyterian Church San Carlos Church of the Epiphany, New Hope Peninsula Church, St Charles Church, Trinity Presbyterian Church San Jose Bayside Community Church, Christ the Good Shepherd Lutheran, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Foothill Presbyterian Church, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Jubilee Christian Center, Neighborhood Bible Church, New Creation Lutheran Church, Queen of Apostles Parish, St Christopher Parish, St Martin of Tours Parish, St Timothy’s Lutheran Church, WestGate Church San Mateo First Presbyterian Church, Mid-Peninsula Hispanic Outreach Ministry, St Andrew’s Lutheran Church Santa Clara Hope Lutheran Church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, St Clare Catholic Church, St Justin Catholic Church Saratoga Church of the Ascension, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Saratoga Federated Church, Saratoga Presbyterian Church Sunnyvale Crosswalk Community Church, New Venture Church, St Cyprian Church
| Training | Help One Child is dedicated to recruiting, training and supporting those willing to provide a home or services for foster children. |
August 17, 2007
Two Informative Sessions: ‘The How-To’s of Setting up Respite Care’ (34 attendees), and ‘Sanity-Saving Steps to Help Your Child be Respectful, Responsible and Fun to be Around’ (55 attendees). Led by Nancy Thomas
Camp Connection at Mt. Cross Lutheran Camp August 20-26, 2006
16 adoptive families learned therapeutic parenting for challenging children. Led by Nancy Thomas
Camp Renewal
January 9, 2008
14 families attended a refresher course on skill-based parenting techniques. Led by Dr. Don Williams
The Wise and Skillful Parent 2
February 23, 2008
93 parents learned about the underlying biological mechanisms and motivations that drive oppositional behavior and techniques to deal with them. Led by Dr. Don Williams
Hardwired to Connect
April 26, 2008
44 parents learned parenting strategies and techniques to incorporate in their child’s attachment healing. Led by Linda Ikeda, RN, MFT
| Monthly Trainings | |
| CPR/1st Aid Classes (provided at cost) | 10 |
| TB Tests/Health Screens (no cost) | 10 |
| Parent Child Connection Meetings | 29 |
| Special Trainings | |
| Education Seminars/Trainings | 5 |
| Seminar Attendees | 262 |
| CEU Hours obtained by Therapists | 66 |
| Help One Child is certified by the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences to grant Continuing Education Units | |
“My daughter and I gained a more secure sense of connection. I learned skills to prevent her from undermining my love and she learned skills that allow her to let my love in.”
Fost-Adopt Mom
Many parents arrive at camp in “survival mode” because their child’s oppositional and manipulative behavior successfully keeps the child, rather than the parents, in control. Children affected by Reactive Attachment Disorder feel threatened by parental love and authority because they have been hurt in the past. They push away, which often causes divisions and misunderstandings between the parents. The serene redwood forest, parent training seminars, therapeutically trained volunteers and family bonding exercises help develop a healthy parenting paradigm that by the end of the week families say has made a significant difference in family dynamics.
New Team Member : Cari Michel
What a blessing it has been to our staff to
have Cari Michel come on board! Cari’s degree in early childhood development from Bethany University and her experience working at Bethel Preschool and Kindergarten made her an ideal addition to the team. She has taken charge of planning and executing the children’s programs for parenting seminars and special events. Whenever possible, she lends a much-needed hand with the recruitment and support programs which have expanded through the Campaign.
| Supporting | Help One Child is dedicated to recruiting, training and supporting those willing to provide a home or services for foster children. |
Christmas Party
On December 8th, families of 155 children enjoyed dinner, crafts, games, and pageant.
Easter Eggstravaganza
On March 22nd, families of 32 children heard the Easter Story and created holiday crafts and reveled in an Easter egg hunt.
Mother's Day Brunch
On May 10th, 35 moms enjoyed a delicious brunch and each other’s company while listening to Co-Chairman of the Board Judy Van Elderen and her daughter’s inspirational message.
FoFoPa (For Foster Parents)
An e-letter that offers information and advertises donated goods and services available to interested foster and adoptive parents in our network.
Dividends
A quarterly newsletter that provides information on upcoming events and trainings as well as human interest stories that depict the home ministry at work.
Prayer Team Emails
Weekly emails alert prayer team leaders at churches throughout our region about current prayer requests and praises from Help One Child network families.
| Ministry Network | |
| Foster, Fost-Adopt, Kinship Familes | 400 |
| Parent Child Connection Support Group Families | 204 |
| Volunteers | 826 |
| Volunteer Hours* | 4600 |
| *does not include in-home service hours |
|
| Churches | 837 |
| Foster and Adoption Agencies | 88 |
| Friends of Help One Child | 3522 |
Eva Benitez has all the qualities one could ask for in a volunteer. She’s hands-on, consistent and has supported Help One Child with her time, treasure and talent for more than a decade. For the last four years, she has volunteered at the monthly Parent Child Connection meetings in Los Altos. “Eva’s commitment and her way with the kids are a huge asset to our therapeutic childcare program,” Parent/Volunteer Coordinator Judy Holmes says.
Support: Parents’ Night Out
Open Door Church recruited volunteers to host a fun evening for foster and fost-adopt children while their parents enjoyed an evening off!
