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How Fast Is 2005 Going!
Upon returning from Annual Conference it dawned on me that half of this year is about over already. It seems like yesterday when we were reporting on last years response and results. As I assess the first half of this year I realize the reason it seems to have flown by. We have been blessed by numerous events that have come about during this time making our schedule very full. Our ministry is stretched to current capacity and also beginning to expand. One of the events is our expanding the CAB program (Changing Attitudes and Behaviors), from a capacity of 24 to 30. The 6 additional girls would not be cared for anywhere else. We have also accomplished much needed renovations to a number of buildings on the Campus, including the Reception Center, Recreation Center and Youth residences. The OWL (Outdoor Wilderness Learning Center) is rapidly growing with programs and added facilities. With these new additions, which include a Bunk House (being constructed by volunteers led by the LA Tech Architecture Graduating Class) and a permanently constructed Maze (also being constructed by volunteers), use will really explode. Program-wise the Equine Therapy program is now operating and with the addition of our new Farm and Equine Instructor it will become fully functioning in the near future. All of the youth on the main campus are participating in special activities that can only be experienced at the OWL during the summer months. Later this summer the Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Department will host a Youth Camp to benefit children of need from the Lincoln Parish area. This event is a result of our partnership with Sheriff Mike Stone to offer family and youth strengthening activities redirecting all those served toward developing successful means of coping with life. Our Family Plus program is fully staffed and all offices show an increase in services. We are approaching maximum capacity to be served with the current level of resources. However we are excited to announce two new grants that will enable us to grow. We have received our first grant from the Baton Rouge Foundation which will provide funding to support a family strengthening program for at-risk families being served by the Family Plus office located at First United Methodist Church in Baton Rouge. We also received a grant from the Louisiana Charities Trust, which is located in Alexandria, LA. This grant will allow us to open a new Family Plus Office in the Alexandria area allowing us to offer similar care to families in Central Louisiana that we now offer in Northwest LA with our office at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Shreveport and Northeast LA with our office at Lea Joyner United Methodist Church in Monroe. The Family Plus Program specializes in helping families by providing in-home assessments, parent training, referral services and counseling. Since the first of January this year we have had approximately 300 requests for individual children to be placed in one of our several programs of residential care. We have been able to admit 100 new children into the various levels of care during this time period. Two thirds of the appeals could not be served, not because we don't know how to but because we have no room. That is one of the primary reasons we established a Family Plus Service. We pray that by addressing family needs early on the need to apply to place a child on the campus will be avoided. Finally we are about to complete a new video that will explain what, how, and why we are doing what we are doing. We will make it available to everyone willing to receive it. It will be like God's Love, ready and waiting for you to reach out and grab it! Yours in Christ, Terrel DeVille | |||
by Terrel J. DeVille, President and CEO|
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