Do you find angels appearing in your life at different times?  And when you experience them, do they usually have a special message or unique words of encouragement?

Sometimes, often when you most need it, a stranger's act of kindness can make your day.  It's that special person who lifts, inspires and keeps us moving ahead in difficult times.

 

To Our Kids, You Are an Angel! 

You bring love and support to the frail and disabled, the rejected and neglected, the broken-hearted and troubled.  Throughout your assistance, you act as an angel to those entrusted to the care of the OLV organizations.

Your generosity throughout the year makes a significant difference in the lives of the children and teens at "Father Baker's," especially at Christmas. You give encouragement to young people who would otherwise have nothing. In fact, about 90% of the families served by our agency live below the poverty line. Without your compassionate heart, there'd be no warm memories of this special time of year.

Each year, many of our friends take an ornament off of the "angel trees" that are found around campus.  Each one lists the name of a child-in-need along with an item from his/her "wish list." Can you imagine how surprised these boys and girls are when they see a gift from their "angel" under the tree?  Their eyes sparkle with excitement and joy!

Because of the generosity of these "angels," 430 children participating in our Preventive Services program received Christmas gifts last year.  Your marvelous donations provided gifts such as clothing, board games, craft supplies, books, backpacks, footballs, etc.

Arriving at the home of a needy family with an armful of goodies gives staff members an indescribable feeling of warmth and happiness...all because of your goodness.  Duane, a caseworker says, "Nothing gives me more joy than seeing a child's face light up with a smile when I deliver Christmas gifts to a family." And for Beth, another staff member, happiness is "seeing a family playing a board game they received."  

 

Keeping Families Together

The Preventive Services Program cares for families referred by the county's department of social services. In each case, one or more family members are experiencing difficulties that are putting the child(ren) at risk. The goal of the program, then, is to preserve the family unit and prevent more serious problems from occurring.  Trained staff members provide support services — such as individual or group counseling, anger management or grief support — and carry out treatment plans to strengthen individual family members and stabilize the situation. 

By doing so, extreme measures that can negatively impact a family for many years (things like emergency foster care or residential placements) can be avoided.

So as you open your heart to OLV, you are helping children who are less fortunate, most of whom live in families struggling to put food on the table.  Many of these little ones live in homes where issues such as mental health and medical concerns, domestic violence and addictions are, sadly, commonplace.

Thank You For Giving HOPE!

Through your compassionate heart, you enrich the lives of children and families while sharing the true meaning of Christmas. And you make the holiday season a memorable time for them.   

Thank you for not only fulfilling children's Christmas wishes and making their holiday season festive, but for serving them as angels have served us for years — by spreading hope.  Thank you for being a Christmas angel!

— Sister Dorothy Mueller, osf

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