February-March ‘22 Update
As winter has been slowly fading out & spring buds start to bloom, things have also been blooming on some branches of Garden 58!
Pinwheel Tutoring
Murphy Pinwheel tutor training had a great turnout- around 30 volunteers from at least 5 churches came together to learn the ropes of being a Pinwheel tutor. They heard from Murphy Elementary principal Dane Rickett, the Andrews Pinwheel directors, and from the new Murphy director, Lauren Goins.
Now we are into the final weeks of Andrews Pinwheel & the second full week of Murphy Pinwheel! What a privilege it is to connect over 100 caring teens & adults with kids from our community! We are so thankful to the churches & individuals who support Pinwheel with volunteers, space, supplies, funds, and prayer.
Enjoy some pictures from the different programs below…
Revolving Door
First of all, we need to give a big shout-out to Rock Bottom Recovery because they donated an awesome printer to Garden 58 & it has already been a huge help! We have already been able to print out the materials needed for two branches of Garden 58. Thank you RBR! We praise God for how He is using your ministry to bring His hope to those in jail & those in recovery.
Faith & Finances
The Faith & Finances class was part of our original plan as an element of the transition home program. It became evident that we will use this class for multiple groups of people, however, as it provides an incredible relationship building element over the 3-month course as well as practical education that will provide many people the chance to heal & grow! We will offer the class inside the jail, in the community & eventually at the transition home as part of the ladies’ weekly program.
Craft Time!
The excellent curriculum by the Chalmers Center incorporates hands-on learning, story-based learning, & lots of discussion.
Here are some ways to help with the Faith & Finances class:
Provide a dinner for the group one Monday night: Meal Train link
Dinnertime!
These meals are a highlight for all of us & really help set the relational tone of the class!
2. Help with childcare one Monday night: Childcare Sign Up
We can’t have an effective class without the kids being supervised elsewhere! If you have kids & want to bring them to hang out with a few other kids, this is a great way to support the class.
3. Donate to the savings incentive- if possible, we want to be able to match what the ladies save throughout the course to give them incentive to change spending habits & to finish the course! Venmo @pinwheelkids (designate to F&F savings incentive), write a check to Garden 58, or donate on the Meal Train link above.
The Revolving Door Resource Closet
This is a connection point we know is needed for the ladies who are released from jail. Not only are they often truly in need of clothes, they are in even greater need of personal connection and relationship. We hear so often of the lack of even one good friendship, so we need this excuse (valid as it is) to meet up with them as soon as possible upon their release.
If you would like to donate something to the Resource Closet, right now we are in need of some more organizational tools & some books they can take as encouragement that they might have started reading in jail but couldn’t take with them! Revolving Door Amazon Wishlist
More Than Enough
Our first two Care Teams have been activated- serving two foster families in our community! One encouraging report from a team member came our way about learning so much from one foster mom who has cared for over 200 children! Also, this team member’s teenage daughter has been impacted by the peace & structure in this home & has grown to care deeply for the kids she has spent time with there.
This is the beauty of this ministry & the essence of Garden 58- you glean easily as much as you give, if not more!
Look for a full post soon about More Than Enough and the ways we hope to increase support for safe homes as well as interest & investment in our entire foster community!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this update. We appreciate your prayers as we await what God will do next! What a privilege it is to watch so many of God’s children work together with Him & grow more like Him in the process!