2017 Family2Family2Foundation Christmas Adoption

“We live in a critical hour in which the “least among us” (Like 9:48) are growing at a frightening rate. We can no longer see pain and suffering as something that takes place “over there” in Third World settings. We now hear the cries of our own people , especially those in our urban centers.” Beyond Charity, John M. Perkins (Author, Activist, Co Founder of the Christian Community Development Assoc. and much more)

We have had the privilege this fall to attend our first ever Christian Community Development Association Conferences and had the privilege a month later of being able to have lunch with the CoFounder, John Perkins and his daughter, Priscilla Perkins at Belmont University. We and have been impacted tremendously and have prayed and been inspired to make some big changes in the ways we have do things at Front Porch Ministry. One of the first big changes we are making this year to go BEYOND CHARITY….is that our Family2Family2Foundation Christmas Adoptions is getting an INCENTIVE for Foundational Growth (hence the added “Foundation” to our program name).

We have been helping with Christmas Adoptions for over 11 years now, and have seen some families work hard to change their situation and some who have not, but still want the same benefits as those working hard to grow. We would like to put more of our efforts with the former

with hope that as we keep walking, ALL of the families we walk with will become incentivized to want to grow too. We have learned that when people (any of us) are new to growth in a area, it can be hard. We are much more motivated to push through that “hard” if we have an incentive. So

this year, as part of our Christmas Assistance, we are partnering with Project Connect Nashville to offer each family an incentive to GROW in their FOUNDATION.

How it works:

The hope of the Family2Family2Foundation Christmas Adoption Campaign is to provide Christmas gifts and needed items for Nashville families who are less fortunate, but also spread the message that we want to help those who are also trying to help themselves. Our goal is to accept 30-35 families (representing around 170-185 people, depending on how much is raised) that we know who have all completed applications and “contracts” and who are currently in need and willing to walk (or continue to walk) in relationship with Front Porch Ministry and who are committed to taking advantage of these PNC Classes being offered, community events, service opportunities and life skills classes with our ministry.  We limit the number of families selected so that we can better serve

This year, money donated to our Family2Family2Foundation program will stretch further because it comes with an awesome opportunity for our moms to gain a stronger foundation. We have partnered with Project Connect Nashville (www.projectconnectnashville.org) to provide classes for our moms to attend and a big incentive for them to FINISH STRONG and FINSH with the DIGNITY of knowing they have accomplished something which will help them GROW.

Each mom who signs an application for our Christmas Assistance Program this year (formerly Family2Family) will also sign up knowing that are being given the opportunity to take a Faith & Finance Class and/or Work Life Class at PCN starting in January (check out their website for more details on these classes.)

As part of the incentive to complete the 6 weeks classes, we are offering each family who signs up and completes an application for our Family2Family2Foundation Christmas Adoption program the opportunity to have 1/2 of their Christmas Assistance up front to shop for Christmas and the remaining will be saved for them to receive upon completion of either Faith & Finance or Work Life (their choice of classes, which each run for 6 weeks starting in January). If they choose not to complete all 6 weeks of classes, then they will only receive the first half and will run the risk of not being invited to participate in the Family2Family2Foundation next year. We

These classes will help lay a foundation and are designed to help those walking in poverty to learn skills that can help educate and equip them to deal with life’s challenges, through the power of relationships and life skills. We have been blessed to have built relationships with many families (mostly kids) in our neighborhood, but the challenge in working with adults for us has been finding ways to help with dignity and not dependence. This has been a real challenge.  We want to empower our neighbors and families to help themselves more than they have been and encourage them in their talents and potential. We have found that sometimes helping yourself can mean the loss of benefits or social services, which can often make things worse before they get better. But we have found that they only way out of poverty is to work and learn the skills needed to manage the finances that do come in. Work Life and Faith & Finance are GREAT opportunities for our families and we are so excited to begin offering these class to our families.

Front Porch Ministry will be attending weekly Sunday night classes with those who chose to attend Faith & Finance and will walk alongside in friendship and mentorship (please let us know if you would like to join us – our goal is to have one mentor per family who is willing to commit to once per week for 6 weeks ).

Suggested Donation Amounts & Family Sizes:

Our Suggested donation is $50-$75 per family member which provides each person adopted: Something they NEED, Something to WEAR, Something for FUN. And Starting THIS YEAR… INCENTIVE FOR FOUNDATIONAL GROWTH.

• Adopt 1 (we have 16 individual teenagers this age) = $50-$75 per person
• Adopt a family of 2 (we have 4 families of this size) = $100-$150
• Adopt a family of 3 (we have 7 families this size) = $150-$225
• Adopt a family of 4 (we have 6 families this size) = $200-$300
• Adopt a family of 5 (we have 7 families this size) = $250-$375
• Adopt a family of 6 (we have 6 families this size) = $300-$450
• Adopt a family of 10 (we have 3 families this size) = $500-$750
• Adopt a family of 15 (we have 1 family this size) = $750 -$1125

Tax Deductible

All funds donated for Family2Family2Foundation are 100% tax deductible and will be used to purchase Gift cards by Front Porch Ministry through designated funds that are collected between November 15th – December 16th and to incentive further education (per their agreement).

Times of Connection

Many of the families we serve, do not have transportation or the means of shopping. So we are offering to take many of them shopping along with volunteers on Saturday, December 16th. Adopting families and the families being adopted are all been invited for times of connection to go shopping and wrap their gifts with volunteers on December 16th or to attend any of these upcoming events which are designed to encourage relationships and hope through connection. We will also have many more opportunities for connection throughout the year as well but here are some coming up.

Upcoming Connection Times:

• Christmas Gathering – Sign Ups for Family2Family2Foundation and Classes- Saturday, December 2, 10:15am-12:00pm (McFerrin Park Community Center)

• Help Portrait Nashville – Help with Rides for Families for Free Family Portraits – Saturday, December 2, 12-1:30pm (From McFerrin Park to Crosspoint Church, about 3/4 of a mile)

• Shopping/Wrapping Day – Saturday, December 16, 10am-1pm (From FPM to Walmart and back)

• McFerrin Park Community Center Christmas Party – Friday, December 22, 2-6pm (Volunteer or donate an Unwrapped Gift for a child ages 6-16)

• January Project Connect Nashville Classes (6-Week Mentorship by attending Weekly Class with a Mom Beginning Sunday Evening, 4-7pm, on January 14, 2018

Pray

Pray for our families during the Christmas Season and hopefully even beyond. Some of these families are battling some pretty difficult circumstances and generational hardships and/or addictions that have had a hold on their families for years. Pray for their freedom from addictions and strongholds and that they would know the hope and love of their Savior, Jesus Christ. If you have a desire to adopt a specific family and/or would like more details on the family who will be receiving a gift card from you, please let me know. I can provide you information about the family so that you can connect and pray specifically for them.

Questions about why anonymous family donors

In the past we have connected families directly and allowed the shopping and donation to go directly from the donor to the family and have had both blessings and challenges. Although we LOVE the connection of families, we have come to learn that it is very important that the family (or families) donating financially remain anonymous to our families receiving so that new relationships between our Front Porch families and volunteer (and donating families) can begin on a neutral ground that is not based on giving and receiving materially, but instead on friendship and hope. We have found that this protects the families donating from being asked for financial assistance again from our families struggling in crisis. We are requiring that all donations & family assistance take place through Front Porch Ministry to keep ongoing relationships & friendships alive with healthy boundaries place. There will be lots of opportunities for face-to-face interactions among families throughout the Christmas Season and throughout the coming year. Relationships are key to impacting others.