From the Desk of Suzanne Burns, Executive Director of Foundation House Ministries:

Dated: December 10, 2024

Merry Christmas!

You have been such a blessing this year! Thank you for your prayers and your financial support. Because of you, the Lord is doing mighty work in our ladies’ lives. We celebrated our TENTH anniversary! We are consistently receiving well over 150 unique calls every month and we are providing some level of support to EVERY SINGLE MOM!!

We’ve added new Board members, more staff, clients, volunteers, and so much more this year! And next year, we will add even more – including a third location! This one, in Athens, will include both housing and a thrift shop.

While this year has been challenging, with lots of learning curves, the Lord is faithful. Because of your continuous support, the Lord has sent funds, resources, and volunteers to serve each mom who came through our doors.  Often not in advance, (the Lord is not early very often!!), He has met our every prayer, our every need. HE has proven Himself faithful over and over again.

In fact, this is usually the part of this annual letter where I tell you all about the miraculous things the Lord has accomplished…But THIS YEAR, that list is too long!! I don’t want you to miss all the wonderful details but I also don’t want this letter to be so long that you don’t read it!!

So we decided to try something new this year. Please see video above with way more information than I could possibly fit into this quick letter.

Because You Love Young Moms

Amanda*’s story is a prime example of why our ministry is critical. When she arrived, we knew she would be a challenge.

She was so full of fear and anxiety, and often lashed out in anger when she got overwhelmed. She would go days without speaking to anyone and then talk for hours, going in circles as she tried to rationalize a solution.

She needed housing and help, of course. But her biggest obstacle was her emotions.

She was angry and resentful towards the father of her baby. She was full of anxiety about being able to return to college. She was fearful of making decisions for her future and of “choosing wrong.” She was trapped in a limbo of indecision and anxiety for a long time.

Many days, we expected her to quit. But she persevered.

Amazingly, she slowly began to come out of her shell. Trauma-informed care and mental health counseling began to make an impact. After several failed attempts to find a job, she settled on one that paid well and accommodated her pregnancy.

By the time her son was born, she had saved up enough to pay off her school fees, buy a car, and enjoy her maternity leave. We babysat while she worked her second-shift job. We watched little man begin to crawl, babble, and even take his first steps! If you follow us on social media, you probably saw these moments, too!

After a full year in our home, Amanda graduated from our program, moved into an apartment, and returned to college in Chattanooga. Her son is happy, healthy, and full of life. She is maturing into a wonderful mother.

Amanda has worked very hard to build a stable life for herself and her son. But it would not have been possible if Foundation House hadn’t been here.

Without Foundation House, where else could Amanda go? There isn’t another maternity home within 150 miles of Cleveland.

Because you care, more young mothers like Amanda can find hope, healing, and stability!

Because you care, this Christmas season I need TWO things from you:

1. I need you to again donate a significant year-end gift to Foundation House Ministries, like you do every year.
2. I need you to shop our job training program, Good Foundations Thrift Shop, at 264 Broad Street NW and buy Christmas gifts for all your beloveds.

Your purchase gives a young woman like Amanda a safe place to learn important job skills.

You have already done so much this year – could you share a little bit extra today?

Without your financial support, how will the next Amanda become the stable, effective, single parent she wants to be?

Your gift teaches Biblical principles, job skills, parenting, and life skills. You are also providing her stable housing, healthy meals, transportation, mentoring, and much more.

Even a penny will help!

Your generous year-end gift of $500, $1000, $2500, or more will dramatically change a young mother’s future – and her baby’s, too.

You can offer hope and stability to a beautiful, young woman in a crisis pregnancy.

Your committed partnership is critical to helping more mothers like Amanda discover stability and self-sufficiency.

Without you, where would she go?

Can you help Foundation House serve more young moms? Can you make an additional gift today?

Whether you use the enclosed envelope or our website at foundationhouseministries.org/#donate/ your gift today will change Amanda’s – and her baby’s – future.

Thank you for supporting Foundation House. You are a blessing! Merry Christmas!

With much love,

Suzanne Burns, Executive Director

Foundation House Ministries

423-464-5351

SuzanneB@foundationhouseministries.org

P.S. How will you help us support more women like Amanda this Christmas?