A few years ago, Karen Stanford, manager of the emergency department at Advocate Lutheran Hospital — part of Advocate Aurora Health — in Park Ridge, Ill., learned how important it is to recognize and help victims of human trafficking. In a conversation with her children, her daughter — then 12 — casually mentioned that someone […]
Lauren, 19, had aged out of foster care. Without hope, she had drifted from place to place, living in various shelters or on the streets, sleeping at friends’ houses. Then, a therapist from TAYLRD — part of Seven Counties Services, a community mental health agency based in Louisville, Ky. — encouraged Lauren to go to […]
By Jennifer Koch, archivist at UCC-related Bethany Children’s Home in Womelsdorf, Pa. Koch recently sat down with former Bethany resident Betty Mull, her brother Edward, and their family. Betty came to Bethany at the age of 2, in 1927. Below are some of Betty’s thoughts and memories of Bethany. Edward also chimes in from time […]
Each December in communities across the United States, local churches and agencies hold “adopt-a-family” events to help provide Christmas gifts to low-income families. For many years, UCC-related Isaiah 58 Ministries in St. Louis partnered with one such program, but saw the need to serve even more families. So six years ago, it expanded the idea. […]
Each fall in St. Louis, more than 200 business and community leaders gather for Art & Soul, an opportunity to celebrate the role of art in helping children and to raise funds for UCC-related Unleashing Potential. Now in its ninth year, Art & Soul was held Nov. 1 at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. […]
by BettyBeth Johns, community development manager, United Church Outreach Ministry (UCOM) in Wyoming, Mich. Alexandra’s UCOM journey began with a small letter-sized poster hanging in the food pantry: If you want to learn to take charge of your financial future, sign up for FREE financial literacy classes here at UCOM. Something sparked in her. She […]
By Carly Hanson, UCAN Decades ago, he was a gang chief. Today, he’s helping youth on Chicago’s West Side follow a different path. “They tell you not to take your job home with you but . . . you do,” says Martin “Marty” Murff, a program supervisor with UCAN’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Services. “It’s […]
In order to support United Church of Christ efforts to relieve thousands of low-income families of medical debt, the UCC’s Council for Health and Human Service Ministries has instituted a matching gift of $15,000. The donation will be contributed to the UCC Giving Tuesday campaign to relieve medical debt. Giving Tuesday takes place Dec. 3 […]
The data is in, and it’s stunning! In its first two years of operation, UCC-related Elon Homes’ Foster Care Village has met or exceeded its goals in providing care and assistance to its young adult residents. From residents enrolling in further education or finding jobs to learning more about household finance and credit counseling, the […]
A young family may bring a favorite photo of a beloved grandparent. A parent may offer the favorite dessert of a deceased child. A widower may leave a bouquet of flowers. In Mexican culture, these simple acts are part of the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration, traditionally held Oct. 31-Nov. 2 […]
