April ‘22 Update
Garden 58
*Prayer requests are in italics*
Good news! After many months of waiting, our 501(c)3 application was approved by the IRS! This is significant for us because we will be able to apply for grants to help us build the transition home for Revolving Door, expand & improve Pinwheel, help more churches start up care teams for foster families, and whatever else God has in mind! We thank God for this answer to prayer.
Our next steps as a non-profit will be to prayerfully raise a base of monthly support that will demonstrate stability as we apply for various grants. We hope to have a dinner for potential supporters soon- stay tuned for news about that!
If you’d like to support Garden 58 through Amazon Smile, here’s how!
Pinwheel
At the beginning of April we had our last two weeks of tutoring in Andrews. We finished off with a great time at Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters for an afternoon of recreation, snow cones, & cotton candy! Enjoy scrolling through these fun pictures…
Here is an update on our new branch of Pinwheel from their director, Lauren Goins:
Pinwheel Murphy has had a great first semester so far! It has been so rewarding to begin the work of building relationships among churches in the community, with Murphy Elementary and their wonderful staff, and with the ten 2nd-graders we have the privilege of tutoring, as well as their families.
God has shown His abundant favor to us in so many ways.
Mountain View Church has been more than generous to the Pinwheel community and their space is perfect for us! So many kind people have continued to donate books, supplies, prizes and snacks for the kids, and the best birthday cupcakes ever.
Our tutors show up every week engaged and full of energy, excitement, and love for the students, as well as the patience it takes to build relationships — and teach phonics to 2nd graders. They have also been super flexible and gracious through all of the first-semester chaos.
The weather has been beautiful every single week and the kids love playing outside after tutoring. On Mondays, the Meiners family shares their musical gifts with us and leads the kids in fun, Scripture-filled songs. We have lots of fun at Pinwheel!
We are looking forward to our end-of-the-year event. Please pray that tutors and families will come and relationships will strengthen and continue over the summer.
We are grateful for your support and prayers and grateful to God for His kindness and faithfulness! -Lauren Goins
More than Enough
Our first care team has been a steady source of support for their foster family & has enjoyed building a friendship with a foster mom who has fostered over 200 children! They’ve been able to spend time with several children who have been in her home this year. Our second care team is working on setting up supports for another family who has adopted children and a foster child.
One of the best things about providing foster care & adoption support is the exposure our team members get to the daily ins-and-outs of foster & adoptive families. It takes a lot of the mystery/scariness out of it & brings the joy of loving the kids to the forefront.
As these relationships grow, the support network & positive impact in each child’s life grows as well! Pray we can start more Care Teams soon!
Getting to know foster kids & families is a great experience for the Care Team kids too!
Garden 58 is excited to be a Gold Sponsor for the Walk Me Home 5k happening on May 21 in support of foster kids & families. We are so thankful for everyone who is going to walk the 5k with us and for everyone who pitched in to help us become a Gold Sponsor!
If you’d still like to donate to the 5k, we can sponsor additional walkers for $25/walker. The easiest way to give is to Venmo @gardenfiftyeight, but you can also send a designated check to Garden 58 at 205 Chestnut St. Andrews, NC 28901.
Revolving Door
We are so thankful for all the books, toiletries, Bibles & clothes that people donated this month for our resource closet! Pray for us to figure out the best way to make contact & keep in contact with the ladies upon their release. The transition of coming out of jail & starting a new chapter in life is a vulnerable time. Hopefully the resource closet will be a tool God can use to help them connect with good, supportive friends & get clothes & other things they need.
It was great to see Carla Lloyd recently. She has steadily been promoted at her store & is now the manager! Click here to view some of her story & input about the importance of transitional ministry.
The Faith & Finances pilot class has been going so well! Please keep our class members in your prayers as we have completed 9 weeks of the class & just have 3 to go. We have built some sweet friendships & enjoyed some good food together! The Chalmers Center curriculum helps us discuss a variety of financial scenarios & guides us through Biblical teachings of simplicity, generosity, & wisdom with money.
Several of our class members are participating in the Walk Me Home 5k together - we have learned giving can be financial, but can also be using our time & energy for the benefit of others! For both our Allies & Participants this has been an eye-opening class, a source of accountability, & a lot of fun!
Thank you so much for taking the time to look at this update.
Communicating about needs really helps us work more effectively as a team in our community. Thanks for doing your part to be aware & spread the word… maybe you know someone who would enjoy this update! Who knows? You could be someone’s connection point to a life-changing experience!
Together let’s
connect,
serve,
& grow.
“We must learn to devote ourselves to good deeds, to help cases of urgent need, so that we do not become unfruitful.”