Love is in the air! Here at Saint John's, love, which also happens to be one of our seven core values, represents unconditional acceptance within our community of truth and accountability. While many of our clients face a number of hurdles to overcome, in the words of Maya Angelou: "Love recognizes no barriers." With love in our hearts, anything is possible.
This month, kiddos on campus are busy making Valentine's cards to exchange and enjoying many sweet treats provided by our Saint John’s Alumnae, Bayside Church and Lutheran Church of the Resurrection.
In an effort to explore how the core value of love is being lived each day, we asked some of our staff and residents. Here’s what they shared:
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Modeling the core value of love shows that we as a staff can gently guide and remind our clients that someone does care enough about them to help them build a foundation for now, and as they graduate. (Bridget – Front Office)
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Love is in every meal the women or chefs produce. Love is what our kitchens are made of. (Courtney – Director of Food Services)
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Love is the ability to meet the client where they are without judgment. (Jo – SUD Program Manager)
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Love is the children! (Brittany – Client)
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Love is family & loyalty. (Kortni – Client)
This Valentine’s Day, and every day, we send our love to you all. We are deeply grateful for your continued support of our mission and the women and children at Saint John's.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Tracy's Story
Volunteer Update
Love at First Bite
Party for Change 2021
Red Door Reflections
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Deep Waters - Tracy's Story |
Tracy is no stranger to deep waters.
She spent a happy childhood with her family on the Jersey Shore and moved to the Bay Area at 13. She traveled with them “across the pond” to venture through Europe at 18. She even went scuba diving with them in Mexico.
And while those waters hold sweet family memories of love and stability and adventure, when Tracy went off to college, she found herself adrift in an uncharted sea.
“I was pretty sheltered, and when I got to college, I rebelled,” she explained. “I lost focus, got in with the wrong crowd, and ultimately ended up in a harmful relationship that lasted decades.”
Tracy found her heart moored to a man who struggled deeply with addictions of all kinds, and her loving nature wanted desperately to rescue him from his struggles.
“What I discovered, however,” she shared, “is that in trying to save him, I began drowning myself.”
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Tracy's Story is written by guest blogger, Kelsey Burke, an amazing supporter and volunteer at Saint John’s. |
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We Love Our Volunteers!
Welcome Back Volunteers! We are re-opening our campus to a limited number of volunteers beginning Monday, February 15 and couldn’t be more thrilled! We are excited to have our campus buzzing with volunteers once again.
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If you have not attended one of our Volunteer Orientations, follow this link to sign up for an upcoming orientation: New Volunteers.
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If you’re one of our returning volunteers and have already attended an orientation, please follow this link to create a new profile and sign up for a volunteer shift: Current Volunteers.
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RED DOOR desserts is not just a cookie company. In actuality, we’re not a cookie company at all. Rather, our mission at RED DOOR desserts is to help formerly homeless women rebuild their lives through vocational training.
Enjoy delicious desserts made from scratch, and with LOVE, by the women in the hands-on employment training program at Saint John's Program for Real Change. 100% of the proceeds from RED DOOR desserts directly support formerly homeless women working to build self-sustaining lives for themselves and their children.
If not, what’s stopping you? Try a box today!
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Loving our New Party for Change Date
October 16, 2021
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With heaps of optimism and the very best intentions, we all hoped and planned for a live Party for Change event this May. However, as this date quickly approached, we soon realized a live event would just not be possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure the safety of all participants, and to comply with mandates relating to gatherings allowed by state and local officials, we’ve rescheduled Party for Change to Saturday, October 16.
Because of this date change, Party for Change will be our sole fundraising event planned for 2021. Funds raised at Party for Change will provide critical operational support to Saint John’s Program for Real Change. The depth of programs and services Saint John’s provides would not be possible without our donors and sponsors and their continued commitment to helping homeless women and children to permanently exit the cycle of poverty and dependence. Please show your support for the women and children who bravely choose to leave devastating circumstances. Please consider sponsoring Party for Change today.
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Today is the perfect day to show love.
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At Saint John’s love is a core value that we practice year round.
Love - Unconditional acceptance within a community of truth and accountability.
At Saint John’s, we meet our clients where they are in their lifetime journey, surround them with love and acceptance, and help them find their truth in where they are today and where they can be tomorrow, holding themselves accountable to move towards goals. And, most importantly, we teach them to love themselves.
The love and support of our staff and donors allowed Saint John’s to serve 431 new women and children in 2020 as they learned to practice the core value of love.
With love and gratitude,
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For more information, please contact info@saintjohnsprogram.org.
Saint John's Program for Real Change
Nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
Tax ID: 68-0132934
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