Quarterly Newsletter - November 2020
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Missy's Message

Greetings,
Happy Birthday, Bethesda House!  

4 YEARS OLD TODAY! Wow, has time flown! We’ve been so blessed to be a part of so many lives – 40 young women and their babies.  We’ve had so many volunteers give of their time and talent to bless these young moms and babies. We have provided 4,655 nights of shelter to mothers since our opening. That means, between born and unborn, we’ve provided a total 9,310 nights of shelter! If you didn’t get a chance to catch Breaking Bread and Raising Dough, please click on the link below to hear more from our moms, volunteers, and some of our partnering churches.  

God has given us another vision/plan for the future of BH and that is to provide transitional housing for moms that graduate from BH.  This would be a temporary apartment rental that bridges the gap from living at BH to complete independence. We believe it means purchasing a multifamily, but we are waiting on the Lord’s provision and direction.  

May God richly bless you,
Missy
Upcoming Events

** 2020 VOLUNTEER TRAINING SESSIONS
January 9, 2021
February 8, 2021
March 11, 2021
April 17, 2021
May 8, 2021
June 7, 2021
July 12, 2021
August 14, 2021
September 13, 2021
October 9, 2021
November 6, 2021

Duxbury Church
2 Tremont St., Duxbury

** 2020 VOLUNTEER REFRESHER SESSIONS
Early 2021 sessions will be VIRTUAL.
January 11, 2021 - 10:00am
February 22, 2021 - 7:00pm
March 16, 2021 - 10:00am
April 20, 2021 - 7:00pm
May 12, 2021 - 10:00am
June 9, 2021 - 7:00pm

SAVE THE DATE!
** 2021 SPRING GALA
April 10, 2021
Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor


** 2021 SOCCER TOURNAMENT
July 17, 2021
Union Point Sports Complex, Weymouth
SNAPSHOTS FROM OUR HOME
Moms and babies enjoying the first snow!
All of us at Bethesda House are much anticipating the birth of our newest baby making her appearance at the end of the month!
Please keep mom and baby in your prayers!
Breaking Bread & Raising Dough
Didn’t get a chance to join our live stream of “Breaking Bread & Raising Dough”? It’s not too late to learn about our mission and hear testimonials from supporters, volunteers, and moms.

A GIANT thank you goes to all of the North River Church volunteers especially Bev Gullekson, Paul Short, and Rich Peck who put their time and talents into an amazing event that raised $11,695 for the moms and babies of Bethesda House!

Watch the event:


Calendar Fundraiser Announcements Continuing Through End of November

Thank you to all donors and those who purchased calendars for your support of moms and babies in our care. Winners of prizes such as gift cards to local restaurants, gift baskets, and gym memberships are being announced daily by our Bethesda House moms and volunteers. The grand prize of a Nantucket Day Trip will be drawn on November 30th.

Come watch some of the cute videos posted daily on our Facebook page: Bethesda House MA
Contact-Free Gift Card Giving Tree Drive
Looking for a way to give back this 2020 Christmas season, in a COVID-19 safe way? Host a Bethesda House Christmas Tree at your establishment!

Each year we put up “giving trees” in area establishments with ornaments featuring a baby and instructions on how to donate an Amazon or Walmart gift card. Patrons can scan the QCode provided or follow simple donation instructions CONTACT FREE. Amazon and Walmart cards can be bought online and sent directly to Bethesda House or purchased in stores and mailed to Bethesda House. These gift cards will help us keep our large home stocked with household needs for the year.

Giving Season Giving
Having to cancel our biggest fundraisers of 2020, we have designed several ways to support Bethesda House this Christmas season.

CHRISTMAS TREE DRIVES: You can donate gift cards to help us stock our home with household necessities:

DONATE TO BETHESDA HOUSE
Donate online through our secure payment form: Donate Now

MAIL A DONATION
Mail a check made out to Bethesda House and mailed to P.O. Box 227, N. Pembroke, MA 02358.
Bethesda House Named Beneficiary in Trust

Bethesda House is incredibly honored to be selected as a beneficiary of a trust set up by Robert E. Edman and Carolyn L. Edman prior to their passings in April of 2005 and October 2019 respectively. This generous couple intended to invest in charities that positively impact the lives of others around the world. Bethesda House was specifically chosen for valuing life and investing in the lives of women and their children. We are so blessed to be chosen to receive this tremendous gift of love.

The announcement letter was closed with “May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you, in Jesus’ name.”— Jude v.2

Amazon Gives Back to Bethesda House
If shopping online through Amazon this season, you can have a portion of your purchase donated to Bethesda House! Register on the website: smile.amazon.com or through the Amazon Shopping app.

FROM YOUR MOBILE DEVICE:
Open the Amazon shopping app on your device. Go to the main menu and on your settings under Program and Features select Amazon Smile and follow the on-screen instructions.

FROM YOUR DESKTOP:
Visit smile.amazon.com and follow the prompts.

To date, Bethesda House has received $589.85 by supporters!
Volunteer at Bethesda House
There are numerous areas where you can use your God-given talents to support Bethesda House, where opportunities are flexible depending on your availability. We require that you attend one of our 3-hour training sessions if you plan to provide direct care to the mothers and babies. Please attend our next training on September 10th to familiarize yourself with our organization, our mission, and with the various ways you can support Bethesda House. We invite you to join us 15 minutes before the start of the session for registration and coffee!

2021 Sessions
January 9th -- February 22nd -- March 11th -- April 17th -- May 8th -- June 7th--
July 12th -- August 14th-- September 13th -- October 9th -- November 6th

All sessions take place at Duxbury Church 2 Tremont St., Duxbury.

Request to All Volunteers-- Attend a VIRTUAL Refresher
At Bethesda House, policies and procedures are constantly changing. In order for us to best support the moms and babies, it is imperative that active volunteers remain on the same page.

We are offering refresher sessions via Zoom for those volunteers trained more than one year ago. You will be informed via email when you are due for a refresher training and will be asked to select from the following options:

1: Register for one of the next two refreshers: https://bethesdahousema.org/get-involved/direct-care-volunteering/

2: Let us know that you are no longer interested/able to volunteer at Bethesda House. Please email mp@bethesdahousema.org to let us know that we should remove you from our volunteer alert lists. We understand that life is busy and that interests change but we hope that you will continue to support Bethesda House in other ways.
Outdoor Yoga Classes to Support Bethesda House
Pam McIssac, a member of the Restoration Community Church in Kingston, is hosting an outdoor yoga class for an optional donation of $5 per person. The Restoration Community Church is MATCHING all donations! It's a win-win!

Thank you Restoration Church for supporting the moms and babies of Bethesda House!
Bethesda House Selected for Shaw's Give Back Where is Counts Program
For the month of December, Bethesda House will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the Shaw's store located at Shaw's 476 Liberty Street, Hanson MA.
Household Donation Needs
Bethesda House is in need of expendable items on a regular basis. Here is a list of our current needs:

• Laundry Detergent
• Dreft
• Bleach
• Gallon-sized Freezer Bags
• Tin Foil
• Paper Towels
• Toilet Paper
• Kitchen Trash Bags

Check out the complete list of frequently updated needs. https://bethesdahousema.org/donate-now/in-kind-donations/

Bethesda House Amazon Wishlist
As with any home, we have a constant need of various household items. We have updated our Amazon wishlist for supporters to help make the new house a comfortable and nurturing home for our young moms and their babies. Check back frequently as we will be updating the list regularly!

SEEKING CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS FOR BOTH FUNDRAISERS
We are looking for local partners to sponsor one or both of our largest fundraising events that make it possible to run Bethesda House for the year. There are various levels of sponsorship available for any budget. Please share these opportunities with local businesses who would be interested in supporting Bethesda House!
And, as always, thank you for your continued generosity.
Yours sincerely,

Missy Porter, RN
Co-Founder/Director of Bethesda House

Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Jeremiah 1:5
Our mission is to provide a temporary home that is safe and nurturing for young mothers (either pregnant or parenting their child). The basis of our home is built on God's love and how life can be transformed through a relationship with Jesus.

Bethesda House | www.BethesdaHouseMA.org