Thursday, February 28, 2013

Angels' Place



Who does Angels' Place Serve?

They serve people.  They serve people with developmental disabilities who have a primary diagnosis of mental retardation.

They serve people who may need help in order to cope with common life demands and who may not be able to complete some or many of the tasks of daily living that are typically expected of people in their same age group.  To be characterized as a developmental disability the onset of the condition is apparent in childhood or before the age of 22.

They serve by treating each person as an individual and their family as vital members of the Angels' Place community.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange


The Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) is an information and referral service for prospective adoptive parents interested in adopting children with "special needs," and for adoption workers looking for homes for these children.

The MARE website provides a photo listing of waiting Michigan children and of Michigan families interested in adopting children with special needs. The child listings are updated bimonthly, typically at the beginning and end of each month.

MARE is not a placement service -- it does not provide care for waiting children and does not do family home studies. Instead, MARE refers prospective parents to agencies and answers questions they might have about adoption and children with special needs. MARE also provides technical assistance to adoption workers and agencies.

Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange
PO Box 980789
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
(800)589-6273 (in Michigan)

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bethany Christian Services


Bethany Christian Services is the nation's largest adoption agency, and they also care for women facing unplanned pregnancies and orphans living on five continents. They are called to care for children of all ages and in all stages of life. They serve children at conception by counseling women with unplanned pregnancies and by providing frozen embryos a change for a full life through their embryo adoption program. Their commitment extends to children and teens who are living in foster care or in orphanages -- children who need a "forever family".

Bethany Christian Services' comprehensive services include adoption, temporary foster care, counseling, training and family support because they know children thrive in safe, loving and strong families. They are committed to finding the best families for children in need around the world. Their mission calls them to demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.

Founding in 1944, Bethany is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that provides adoption and orphan care services through a national network of over 80 locations and is licensed in more than 30 U.S. states with  strong fiscal history and over 1,00 staff, Bethany Christian Services initiates and maintains child-focused programming both nationally and internationally and in accordance with accepted conventions, standards of care and best practices.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Crossroad Bible Institute



Millions of incarcerated persons in North America and beyond are in darkness and searching for a ray of hope.  Now, more than ever, people in prison need the light of God's truth.  That's why Crossroad Bible Institute has been working since 1984 to provide them with faith-based reentry education, to equip the church to make disciples, to guide their students into reentry agencies upon their release and to educate the church on criminal and restorative justice issues.

Crossroad Bible Institute equips the church to disiple peopl in prison with the Word of God, free of charge, wherever they are incarcerated.  It is a personal, indepth and long-term program that is uniquely designed to help incarcerated persons grow dramatically in a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ, preparing them for and assisting them in successful reentry upon release.

Friday, February 22, 2013

LifeCare Christian Center



Lillian M. Easterly-Smith is the Founder, Executive Director and Community Care Pastor of LifeCare Chrisitan Center.  Lillian's experience spans over 21 years, beginning as a volunteer for Alcoholics for Christ (AC).  She served on their board of directors, led support and recovery groups, led worship, organized retreats, and taught in many workshops, seminars and classes.  Lillian, along with a volunteer team, developed the curriculum for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families, which was adopted by AC as one of their core curriculums.

Lillian has served as speaker, teacher and leader of pilot programs, ministries and support groups for victims of various forms of abuse, addictions and dysfunctional family issues as well as counseled individuals and couples.  She has volunteered and been employed at two major churches where she oversaw the development of care, support and recovery group ministries which grew from three groups and 12 volunteers, to over 60 groups with approximately 500 attendees each week and included a vibrant lay counseling ministry.  Lillian managed to paid staff of nine and a volunteer staff of approximately 300.  She holds a degree in Counseling/Psychology and Biblical Studies; is a Licensed Pastor; Licensed, Ordained Chaplain with I.F.O.C. (International Fellowship of Chaplains) and a Board Certified Pastoral Counselor through the International Board of Christian Counselors (American Association of Christian Counselors). She also served as a member on the Board of Directors for a new church plant in downtown Plymouth, and serves on the Board of Jasmund Outreach that focuses on missions in Africa.

All of LifeCare's volunteers have life experience as well as training from some of the best professionals and courses available in the nation.

You can visit their donation page by clicking here.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Gift of Life Michigan




Gift of Life Michigan, headquartered in Ann Arbor, is the state's only federally designated organ and tissue recovery program, providing all services necessary for organ donation to occur in Michigan.  They are a non-profit organization working 24 hours a day all over the state as a liaison between donors, hospitals, and transplant centers.

Gift of Life was incorporated in 1971 by Michigan transplant surgeons to provide a network for sharing kidneys.  Today, Gift of Life recovers more than 900 organs every year for transplantation from 300 or more donors, saving hundreds of lives.  Bone, skin and other tissue are also recovered, helping to significantly improve the lives of thousands of seriously injured and sick recipients.  Gift of Life also works with the Michigan Eye-Bank to manage cornea and eye donation.

In addition, Gift of Life maintains and grows the Michigan Organ Donor Registry in partnership with the Michigan Secretary of State.  The registry is a confidential database of state residents who have expressed their desire to someday help others by becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor.

Gift of Life Michigan is located at 3861 Research Park Drive Ann Arbor MI 48108.  They can be contacted at 800-482-4881.

Click HERE to sign up to become a donor.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Kids Against Hunger



The mission of Kids Against Hunger, a humanitartian food-aid organization, is to significantly reduce the number of hungry children in the USA and to feed starving children throughout the world.  Kids Against Hunger is not affiliated with or restricted to a particular religious group and does not discriminate on any basis when distributing its meals.  Some of the organization's volunteers and affiliates are driven by their love of God and helping to feed all of His children, but all religions and non-religious groups are welcome to volunteer, donate and help in any way.

The organization's approach to achieving its goal - the eradication of world hunger - includes the packaging of a highly nutritious, vitamin-fortifiedsoy-rice casserole by volunteers at numerous locations within the USA and Canada, and the distribution of those meals to starving children and their families in over 60 countries through partnerships with humanitarian organizations worldwide.  In 2009 alone, volunteers at Kids Against Hunger's food packaging centers across the USA packaged over 48 million meals for children and their families around the world and around the corner.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Every People, Tribe and Nation



Every People, Tribe and Nation is a non-profit missionary/evangelistic ministry, dedicated to sharing the gosple, whose central focus is to preach, teach, equip, and send forth missionaries to nations. They  hold evangelistic crusades, conduct follow-up programs, build and raise up indigenous orphanages and churches, dig fresh water wells, equip schools, conduct leadership seminars, as well as clothe and feed the hungry.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Super Weekend

Hope everyone has a great and safe weekend. Do you watch the Super Bowl for the football or for the commercials? Is anyone going to watch the Puppy Bowl instead?