Building Campaign
We Need A Home
Currently in Portland there are limited insurance-payout model options available for women facing drug and/or alcohol dependence, but there is a huge gap in services for pregnant women facing other barriers such as poverty, lack of support, abuse, and immigration issues. According to Frank and Alayna Garcia (Road 2 Hope), over 100 vulnerable pregnant women contact Road 2 Hope per year seeking shelter, with those numbers increasing. Road 2 Hope is able to shelter around 10 women and their children every year. They now have a campaign to open a "graduation house." This is to give shelter to women who graduate from their one year post birth program.
With the help of God and our community, St Maria’s Home can make this goal of offering long-term support a reality for vulnerable moms and their children.
Our Research
There are a few examples of such Catholic and Protestant homes across the country that St Maria's Home will emulate. The Sisters Of Life in New York and Philadelphia have directed us to Mary's Shelter in Fredericksburg, VA. We have been in close collaboration with Mary's Shelter. Marie, Claire and Becky met with Kathleen Wilson, Executive Director, Margaret Bereit, Mother/Child Coordinator and David Bereit, Member At Large. David also co-founded 40 Days for Life, has extensive knowledge in launching ministries, and has promised to help promote St Maria's and will be key to help us with fundraising.
It is Mary's Shelter that has shown us their successful model of how to start from one small apartment to now five Maternity Homes and counting. It is at Mary's Shelter where they have had so much success with a three year model of providing a home for moms to learn the skills to be independent. Here in the Metro area, Road 2 Hope has always been 40 Days For Life's go to when we need help trying to place an abortion minded mom in a Maternity Home. Over the years our team has developed a close and professional relationship with the core team who have promised to help us with the logistics and any moral support we'll need in the future. Road 2 Hope, a Metro based Maternity Home which is sustained by local Non Catholic Christian churches in the area.
