Celebrating 30 years: Est in Redding, CA

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1 FALL 2014 Quarterly Newsletter There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. C.S. Lewis Celebrating 30 years: Est in Redding, CA It began with a man who had a dream. The dream turned into thoughts, which turned into conversations, which turned into meetings, which turned into a steering committee, which turned into funds, which turned into a building, which turned into volunteers, which turned into a director, which turned into our doors opening in October 1984, which turned into our first baby being born through the ministry in early 1985! Proverbs 29:18a states, Where there is no vision, the people will perish INSIDE THIS ISSUE: It begins with vision! It begins with dreaming! It begins with Him! He puts the dreams, the visions, the desires in us and creates us with our gifts to walk out His plans to edify one another and to glorify His name. We are celebrating 30 years this Fall and an endless number of seasons in between of volunteers, board members, staff members, pastors, community members, donors, etc. that have been involved with our centers and helped keep the doors open! Thank you to those of you that have gone before us and prepared a way! Thank you to those of you who: have championed this ministry; who have supported families; who have sown into a legacy; who have filled a baby bottle; who have made blankets, quilts, & hats; who have donated diapers, wipes, clothing, office supplies, etc.; who have volunteered their time; who have prayed over our teams and buildings; who donate monthly; who love us so well! Praise Him from whom all blessings flow! Cheers to 30 more years! Celebrating 30 Years Page 1 Client Story: Lisa Thompson Page 2 Meet our Families Page 3 Continue to Grow with Us Page 4 Bottle Drives/Showers/Upcoming Events Page 5 Team Member/From the Director s Desk Page 6

2 Lorem Ipsum Client Story Lisa and Baby William Lisa Thompson We would like to introduce you to Lisa Thompson and William Colt James! If you attended our Banquet last October, you will remember Lisa s touching testimony. She lives with disabilities as the result of a car accident at the age of 19. At the time of the banquet, Lisa was carrying William and had decided to make an adoption plan for her son. She shared with us about her physical and emotional struggles involved with her decision and how the Lord has blessed by opening the doors for family members to adopt William. We are privileged to have been able to walk alongside Lisa for this season. William Colt James Stine was born on December 17, 2013 and weighed 8lbs, 9oz. He is a handsome boy and Lisa keeps us updated on his growth by sharing photos. It is a joy to see how her face lights up whenever she talks about William. Thank you Lisa for choosing LIFE for your son! We know that the Lord has plans for Lisa, William and the rest of the family. We celebrate you today! Client Statistics from June 2013 June 2014 Average of 1,750 client visits per center per year; approx. 145 per month per center Pregnancy Tests Sonograms Learning for Life Incentive Program Visits 1,357 Profession of Faith 5 Babies Born (that have been recorded) 76 Average cost per client per visit $187 h 2

3 3 s Annika with baby Ezekiel Paul Baby Yvaine, born to Megan & Donovan with baby Nitan Bianca and Brad Julie with baby Lilliana Brittany and Baby Blakelynn Meet Our Families! These are only a few of the hundreds of families that we serve in both Redding and Red Bluff. All of the items that are donated go directly to help support these families. Thank you for choosing to partner with us this season! Baby Averi held by Mommy Victoria Carl and Tiffany with baby Cayden Sarah and Shane with baby Leah Marie Baby Jolynn Mommy Erin 3

4 Lorem Ipsum Isaiah 41:10 So fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Pictured from left to right: Lily Viramontes, Receptionist; Jerry Stayton, former Board Member; Marsha Lauck, Board Member; Joanna Stearns, volunteer; Carol Hudgens, Administrative Assistant Red Bluff; Shelly Gibbs, Executive Director; Janet Forward, Center Director, Red Bluff; Karen Hofer, Volunteer Advocate Director; Cliff Penner, Board Member; Laurie Reitz, Administrative Assistant, Redding Not pictured: ; Cheston Stearns, bookkeeper; Kerry Moretti, Board President; Becky Durben, Board Member; CONTINUE to Grow With Us! As we enter this new season we continue to look forward to the future of Care Net. It has been a year of change and growth within our organization and we are excited to see what the Lord has in store! Both locations are building relationships within their communities and local church body. Care Net is much more than that place that offers free pregnancy tests and we would love the opportunity to share about our services and vision in person. We need to expand our donor base and recruit volunteers to meet the needs of the families in our communities! We continue to seek your help in spreading the word about Care Net by introducing us to your pastors, church groups or organizations that you are a part of. At Care Net we love it when our clients outgrow us. What a reason to celebrate when they develop their own relationship with the Lord and take up the responsibilities that come with raising and providing for their family s spiritual and physical needs. If you attended the banquet last Fall or will be attending in September, then you were or will be privileged to hear personal client and volunteer testimonies. Each client has their unique story and set of circumstances that brings them to us. We appreciate your prayers on behalf of our staff and volunteers as we meet with and minister to our clients needs. We invite you to join our Care Net family through prayer, financial support, or volunteering. Come grow with us! [written by Janet Forward, RB Center] 4

5 5 Throughout the year, we have men and women from all different organizations and churches that host a baby shower for our centers! This is a very easy and practical way to get involved and to help meet the immediate, practical needs of the families that we serve. HOW does that work? [great question] First, contact your local center director to discuss date, time, location, details, etc. Second, connect with your pastor and other team members to come alongside you to help promote the event. Get the whole family involved! Third, send out invitations or bulletin insert. Fourth, help collect new or gently used baby items, diapers, wipes, etc. [clothing up to 4T; diapers up to size 6]. Finally, celebrate your event with Care Net team members and families! Thank you SO very much to the following churches that have hosted showers this calendar year: Bowman Community Church; First Baptist of Cottonwood; Liberty Hill Christian Church; Church of the Nazarene; Catholic Daughters of America; St. James Lutheran Church. All items go directly to the families that we serve! Baby Bottle Drives Baby Bottle Drives are another great way to partner with us! There are drives going on throughout the entire calendar year. In 2013, we raised over $30K JUST from the cash, checks and coin donated in bottles! If your church or organization would like to participate, please contact your local center for more information! Hooray for drives! A very big thank you to all the pastors and volunteers that have helped pioneer this event and champion our ministry! We have set a goal of $40K for Thank you for loving us so well. Every penny counts! ADOPT-A-CENTER: Redding or Red Bluff Volunteer: client advocates, data entry, board members, sonogram techs, fundraising committee, prayer team, nurses, host a baby shower for Care Net, etc. Donate: funds, diapers/wipes, baby clothes (up to 4T), baby furniture, items, blankets and maternity clothes. We gladly accept new or gently used items! Quarterly Volunteer Training: 2014: Oct : Mar 3 5 & Oct day training: 9:00 am 3:00 pm Fall Fundraising Banquet: This year we are hosting two banquets in two counties. Dinner, music, presentation, client testimonies and silent auction. You won t want to miss it! Red Bluff Banquet will be hosted at Bethel Church on Friday, September 5, 2014 from 6:00 8:00 pm. Tables $190, individual tickets $25 per plate. Redding Banquet will be hosted at Redding Christian Fellowship on Friday, September 19, 2014 from 6:00 8:30 pm, doors will open at 5:00 pm. Tables $300 or $40 each. For more information/tickets sales, contact your local center: Red Bluff, Carol Redding, Laurie Upcoming Holidays: We will be closed at both centers for Thanksgiving Nov & for Christmas Break from Dec 19 Jan 4, We will re-open on Jan 5. We want to honor our volunteers time with their families. 5

6 CARE NET PREGNANCY CENTER OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FALL 2014 Featured Team Member Janet Forward, Red Bluff Center Director Janet was born and raised in Red Bluff. She taught at a Christian elementary school for 13 years and later began volunteering at the Red Bluff center in She was a Client Advocate as well as served in various front office positions over the following three years. She served on the Executive Board for two years before being hired as the Red Bluff Center Director in February It is Janet s desire to see our clients reached with the Gospel. She is excited to be a part of the team that God is putting together to serve the community of Red Bluff. She and her husband have been married for 27 years. They have two grown children and two grandchildren. Happy Fall to Our Care Net Family! Cheers to our 30 th year in Shasta County and our 9 th year in Tehama County! Our staff and volunteers in both counties are honored to serve the families in our city throughout pregnancy and until their children are 3 years old. It is our desire not only offer practical resources, physical items or free services, but to offer a helping hand, an open heart, and hope and vision for their future. We are not meant to walk this life alone and each one of us has beauty and goodness to share with the one sitting in front of us, our neighbor, our co-worker and even a stranger. The first and greatest commandment: Love God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul and ALL your mind love each other as you love yourself (paraphrased from Matthew 22:37-39). What would our world be like if we all tried a little more of that? Thank you in advance for your continued support! Wishing you a beautiful season, full of wonder! We love you! Shelly Gibbs, Executive Director Care Net Pregnancy Center 2460 Athens Avenue, Redding, CA info@carenetnorcal.org Care Net Pregnancy Center 810 Main Street, Red Bluff, CA inforb@carenetnorcal.org