Favorite Fall Recipes

In our last volunteer newsletter I asked for people to send in their favorite fall recipes to share with our families. Here are a couple of great ones:

Mulled Cider

Ingredients:

1.       1 qt. apple juice

2.       1 cinnamon stick

3.       10-20 black peppercorns (optional)

4.       10-20 whole cloves

5.       1 to 2 Tbs. brown sugar

6.       Lemon zest (optional)

Process:

1.       Select a pot or pan large enough to hold all the apple juice. Toast the cinnamon, cloves, and peppercorns to bring out their distinct flavors and aromas. Do this by heating your pan over medium heat with the spices in the pan. Toss the spices in the pan occasionally to prevent burning. The spices should become very fragrant within a minute or two.

2.       Pour the apple juice into the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. When the apple juice gets warm stir in the brown sugar so it fully dissolves.

3.       Once the apple juice is boiling, reduce the heat so it just simmers. Add the citrus zest at this time.

4.       Maintain the simmer for thirty minutes.

5.       Pour the mulled juice/cider through a fine mesh strainer and into the container of your choice. If your cider has a great deal of particulate matter, you may want to place a cheesecloth or coffee filter in your strainer (or sandwiched between two strainers) to filter out the fine particles. Serve hot. (Only necessary if you have used the lemon zest).

Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:

1.       ¾ cup light corn syrup

2.       ¼ cup margarine

3.       2 tsp. cold water

4.       2 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar

5.       1 cup marshmallows

6.       5 qts. plain popped popcorn (unpopped kernels removed)

Process:

1.    In a saucepan over medium heat, combine first five ingredients. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn until it is all coated.

2.    Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Family Beach Retreat 2012

2nd Annual BigHouse Family Beach Retreat

Location: Laguna Beach Christian Retreat

Nothing but blue skies and sunshine!

Our kids had a blast with the sandcastle contest.

 A little friendly beach volleyball competition engaged the teens.

 When the sun went down, we went crab hunting, followed by an ice cream social.

 Group pic taken after our Sunday morning worship service.

58 made the trip with us!

 Couldn't have done it without our awesome volunteers!

Check out more pics on our facebook page. Many thanks to all of you who donated money and provided food for our trip! We had a great time with our families. Here's some feedback we got (Blake interviewed the parents without telling Micah or Susannah):

“Thank you BIG HOUSE for such a wonderful beach get-a-way for my Family!! The trip was AWESOME!! Not only affordable but such a blessing to have all the volunteers to help with the children!! Also the food was TERRIFIC!!!! Micah please thank your Sunday School Class for takin

g the time to make all of the Yummy Casseroles....it was so WONDERFUL to be able to rest and not have a worry in the world...no cooking...no planning...no schedule making...no cleaning....it was just a little piece of Heaven!!!!”

“The annual BigHouse Beach Trip is AWESOME! It's so relaxing to know that my kids are able to run around and have fun in a safe environment.”

“My family got to relax, which doesn't happen often. We enjoyed watching our children forge friendships with other kids who have similar backgrounds.”

“The beach trip was fun and relaxing. It was a special time that families came together for fun and fellowship. We enjoyed good food, shopping, and great exercise and to top it off a word from on high.”

“Micah and the BigHouse staff are awesome! They say when you start fostering you should have a good support system, and it's nice to know that we can consider BigHouse a support system and just a listening ear in good and bad times. May God bless the BigHouse Foundation, the staff and all the families involved with BigHouse.”

More Than Fun

"I'm afraid I won't do enough good things to get into Heaven."

This was a fear expressed by one of our teens during an activity at Kids' Night Out. This is why we must "always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1 Peter 3:15) Fortunately, the small group leaders were able to address her fear with real hope - none of us can do enough good things to get into Heaven, but "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

Our monthly Kids' Night Out events serve a variety of important functions:

• Respite for foster parents who desperately need that short break.
• A chance to build relationships with our preschoolers, kids, and teens.
• A way for volunteers to "put a face" with foster care, which always has a significant impact on them personally. (Read an account from a first-time KNO volunteer here.)
• An opportunity for churches to connect with foster families by providing the space and meal for our event. We are grateful to Cornerstone Church for partnering with us and hosting KNO this year!

This Fall we've taken a more structured approach to help minimize chaos and create more opportunities to be spiritually intentional with our kids. This is what KNO looks like:

Space for preschoolers to play and make friends

High-energy Team Leaders who facilitate games and crafts

Worship

(lively for preschoolers and kids; acoustic for teens)

Small group Bible lessons for all ages

Interested in joining our KNO Team for the Spring? Email us at bighouse@ourbighouse.org. Give online here to support this important BigHouse program!

Serving Well

The Conflict

When you are exposed to someone else’s need, you have a choice – to respond or ignore. There are consequences either way. If you respond – you will make some kind of impact on the other person (positive or negative), you will be held accountable for your actions, and you will open yourself up to respond to more needs. If you ignore – you will have to figure out a way to go on living like you did before you were made aware of the need, you will be held accountable for your inaction, and you will try to protect yourself from those who are needy.

As Christians we are commanded to respond.

Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. (James 4:17)

But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:17)

“For the poor will never cease to be in the land, therefore I command you saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and your poor in your land.’” (Deuteronomy 15:11)

Pressure.

At BigHouse, our hearts are stirred and broken by the needs of foster children. The more we know, the more helpless we feel to adequately meet their many physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We will be the first to tell you we do not feel qualified to do what it takes to help them. There is a constant pressure to do more – for those we are already serving in some way, to minister in other ways; and for those we do not yet know, to find a way to reach them. We want to serve.

Fear.

Our pride constrains us from taking on tasks that do not look attainable. Our self-dependency blinds us to the all-sufficient provision of our Almighty God. We can be consumed by the worries of “What if?”s. What if we don’t have what it takes? What if this isn’t the right time? What if we pour our energy and resources into this and it fails? We want to succeed.

Urgency.

Foster care is a whirlwind. Here today, gone tomorrow. The longer they wait, the longer it will take to recover. The more homes they live in, the less likely they are to build meaningful attachments. The older they are, the closer they get to “aging out” and facing the world on their own.  Social workers, foster families, teachers, and caregivers all float in and out of their lives without much explanation. We want to stabilize.

The Remedy

Humility.

I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me. (Psalm 57:2) We are dependent on God for our very life and breath, so surely we must depend on Him to do the work He’s called us to. It is foolish and sinful to try to do it on our own.

Faith.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) We believe God’s Word, and He says that He hears the cry of the orphan, and that He knows what we need before we ask Him, and that He works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Love.

[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:7-8) Love is not the giving of gifts, or clothes, or time. Rather, it is the motivator behind our every action. If we continue to run programs and host events and build relationships, but do not sincerely and sacrificially love the people we are doing it for, we are laboring in vain.

Our Prayer:

Father, thank You for holding the world in Your hands. Thank You for loving us and saving us from sin and death. Thank You for giving us life and purpose through Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for sending Your Helper, Your precious Holy Spirit, to guide and teach us. Thank You for giving us everything we need for life and godliness. Lord, the needs around us are great, but You are greater! Help us to obey Your commands to love You and love others with everything that we have. Forgive us for trying to do it on our own. Forgive us for ignoring the needy. Forgive us for being self-focused. Please use us to do your work. We give all that we have, and all that we are to You, for Your glory. In the victorious name of Christ Jesus we ask these things, amen. 

Ready for school!

On Saturday, July 28th, we hosted our annual Back-to-School Bash in conjunction with DHR's foster care unit and Lee County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association. We had over 60 school-age kids receive a total of 874 school supplies and 359 items from our Clothes Closet. Several also got a trim from a hairstylist who volunteered. Toiletry kits that had been given to DHR were also distributed. All of these necessities were provided for free thanks to the generosity of our community!

(Most kids received 15 school items and were allowed to select 10 clothing items.)

(Average haircut cost: $20 - thanks, Amber, for donating your time and talent for our kids!)

(DHR, LCFAPA, and BigHouse supporters provided a hot dog lunch for all the attendees.)

(As a special project, we invited everyone to paint their hand print on our new shed wall completed by AUMC's Sweat Week work crew.)

We collect school supplies throughout the year that can be given to kids that come into foster care (many times with only a few personal belongings). We also keep our Clothes Closet stocked with new and gently used kids' and teens' clothing. Donations can be dropped off at 211 Samford Ave. in Opelika from 9-5, Monday - Thursday or after-hours in our donation box in the parking lot.

10 Ways to Minister to a Foster or Adoptive Family

Over the past three years, we have met many people who ask how they can help a foster or adoptive family. We usually try to mention and idea or two or get them plugged in through BigHouse, but has become apparent to us that there are A LOT of people who would be willing to help these families, they just don't know what to do. We have compiled a list of 10 ways you can minister to foster and adoptive families in your community to try and connect your resources with these families needs.

1. Take them a meal. Simple enough. Provide a meal for a family once, once a month, or even once a week if you are able. Find out what the family's preferences are and cook meals to suit their needs/tastes. Make meals that are easily frozen in case something comes up and they need to eat it later.

2. Pass along hand-me-downs. I am not talking about junk either. I'm talking the nice school clothes, play clothes, and church clothes that your child has out grown. Or bikes still in good shape. Maybe baby toys or bouncers for a family that just got a baby. Things that are in good condition and nice quality. Clothing and toys can be a financial burden on a foster family and passing along your child's nice things can be a simple way to help that family fill in the gaps. At BigHouse, we have a clothing closet that is stocked with donated clothes that are gently used in great condition for our families to shop through for free. We also keep baby items for our families that might get a younger child. But remember- ask the family if they would be interested in receiving your items first, and don't be upset if they can't handle them at that time. We don't want to overwhelm foster families with stuff they don't need.

3. Volunteer to babysit. Get to know the family and see if they need a night off or a weekend away. We have seen families develop relationships with babysitters who would come every other Friday night for free. This gave the babysitters a chance to love on the kids and the parents a night of peace and quiet. If you are interested in babysitting, be prepared to go through the "proper channels". It may mean you need to get fingerprinted and have a background check. Understand if the parents want to build a relationship with you before heading out the door. Not all children do well when left with someone different, and chances are the parents realize that. So be flexible and understanding. Be upfront about wanting to provide this as a ministry to the family, not a paying job.

4. Leave your judgements at the door. If you aren't in their shoes, chances are you don't know what they are going through. We have a tendency as humans to assume we could probably do it better, we would definitely do it differently and they should change how they are doing it. That mentality just isn't helpful here. Grace, empathy, compassion and understanding are all great mindsets to take on when ministering to these families. Their children have sometimes endured things we couldn't imagine and now these families are trying to put together the pieces of these broken little people. Offer an encouraging word, a comforting verse, or just a shoulder to cry.

5. Hang Out! Lots of times when a family becomes a foster family their friends are supportive... from a distance. Sometimes it's fear, sometimes it's the assumption that the family is now too busy or overwhelmed, but these families need their friends. When it's possible, get your kids together and play. Foster children don't have leprosy and don't need to be quarentined from other children. They need to see how healthy families interact. It can also be a great way to start a conversation with your children about foster care and how they can minister to these kids themselves.

6. Cut their grass. Rake their leaves. Weed their flower beds. Help them with the day to day up keep of their yard. These things can fall to the wayside when they are working hard to care for the children in their home.

7. Share your space. You can get the necessary clearances through the state to provide respite for foster families. Or, if you have a vacation home, you can offer it for a foster family for the weekend (or longer). Perhaps you live on property with horses, a creek, a pond, or your neighborhood has a pool - invite them to use what you have access to.

8. Pray for them. If you know a foster parent, find some time to speak with them privately about the concerns and stresses they're facing and ask what you can pray for them. Whether or not you know a foster family personally, you can pray for these things:

• Safety for the children
• Healing for the biological families
• Strength, wisdom, patience, and compassion for foster families
• Energy, wisdom, and rest for foster care workers
• Growth and wholeness for the children in all areas of development

9. Encourage them. A heart-felt note, a phone call to catch up, or other word of appreciation will go a long way in buoying the spirits of foster parents. Find ways to cheer on their kids too, whether it's attending their sporting events, school performances, or asking about their interests.

10. Ask them what you can do. "Let me know if you need anything," sounds nice, but not many people will feel comfortable asking for help. Suggest one of the things listed above, and if they agree to accept your assistance with clothes, meals, etc, follow through! A well-supported family is a much safer, healthier, happier home for any child, and especially those who have been abused or neglected in the past.

Back-to-School Bash

• $308 - the amount the average child needs for supplies and clothing for a new school year
• 30 - the number of school-age youth in traditional foster families in Lee County
• 4 - the number of hours we need volunteers one Saturday to help with haircuts, shopping, parking, registration, and food service for our Back-to-School Bash

Stock our Clothes Closet

We collect new and gently used children's and teen's clothing throughout the year, but particularly before our Back-to-School Bash we need school-appropriate items such as jeans, shorts, khakis, skirts, long and short sleeve shirts, jackets, shoes, NEW socks and underwear, and accessories. Here are some specific gaps:

Girls' Size 6 - Shirts

Girls' Size 7 - Shirts, Shorts, Skirts

Girls' Size 8 - Shorts

Girls' Size 12 (Large) - Shirts, Shorts, Skirts

Girls' Size 16 (XL) - Jeans

Junior/Misses Size XS - Shirts

Junior/Misses Size XL - Shirts

Juniors' Size 1 (Women's 0 - 2) - Jeans

Juniors' Size 13 and up (Women's 14 and up) - Jeans

Boys' Size 5T/5 - Jeans

Boys' Size 6 - Jeans

Boys' Size 7 - Shirts, Shorts

Boys' Size 8 - Shorts

Boys' 10 - Shirts, Shorts

Boys' 12 - Shirts, Shorts

Boys' 14 and up - Shirts, Jeans, Shorts

Mens' Small - Shirts

Mens' Small and Up - Shorts, Jeans

Donate School Supplies

In order of priority:

- Composition books

- Graph paper

- Pencil sharpeners (that collect shavings)

- Mechanical pencils and lead

- School boxes

- Pencil pouches (zippered, for 3-ring binder)

- 3"x5" index cards

- Clear plastic backpacks

- Mesh backpacks

- Colored pencils (12 count)

- Washable markers (10 count)

- Crayons (24 count)

- 1-subject spiral notebooks (wide and college rule)

- White copy paper

- Protractors/compasses/rulers

- Pocket folders with brads

- Loose-leaf notebook paper (wide and college rule)

- Black/blue/red pens

- 1" - 3" binders

- Glue sticks/white glue

- No. 2 pencils

- Highlighters

- Correction tape

- Basic and scientific calculators

Volunteer

Can you cut or braid hair? Would you like to drop off cookies, brownies, chips or drinks to serve our guests? Are you available from 9am - 1pm on Saturday, July 28th and want to assist with registration, shopping, parking or entertaining? WE NEED YOU! Email us at bighouse@ourbighouse.org or call (334) 363-2634. 

Family Night Out

This summer we're offering Family Night Out in lieu of our monthly Kids' Night Out respite events that we have during the school year. In June, we invited the families to join us at the skate center for the evening. It was a great opportunity for our summer interns to bond with the kids.

For our July event, we hosted a cookout at BigHouse prior to the annual fireworks display put on by the City of Opelika. We had over 80 attendees! We feasted on hotdogs, hamburgers, watermelon, cupcakes, homemade ice cream, and more. The parents enjoyed talking with one another while the kids played together in the backyard. From our building, we had just a short walk to view the fireworks show. We hope to make this an annual event.

A dose of reality...

I got a little dose of reality today.

I came across some statistics from an organization on the west coast that helps foster care youth who are aging out. Aging out means they are turning 18 and going to be considered a legal adult, so they no longer need (or usually want) to be in foster care. At first glance (a very quick glance) this seems like a good thing- they have "made it " to adulthood and can finally take care of themselves. Yeah, right. In reality, many times this is the beginning of a long and painful road to adulthood. One filled with homelessness, hunger, mental health problems, unplanned pregnancy, lack of education, and lack of job opportunities. The options are few and the issues are many for a teen trying to make it on their own. Please go read the statistics for yourself here!

I wish I were writing this blog post because BigHouse was launching some amazing new program to change these kids lives and put an end to the depressing list above. I'm not. I honestly don't know what to do to help these teens. I mean, I had the financial, emotional and physical support of my family until marriage, and even after in some ways, so what do I know about "making it" on my own at 18. I don't know what the right thing to say to teens in this or facing this is. BUT I do know that I can pray for them and God can meet those needs. So I'd like to ask you to join me in that. Not in doing yet, but in praying.

Pray for their safety.
Pray for their protection.
Pray for their comfort.
Pray for their provision.
Pray for their spiritual, emotional, mental and physical being.
Pray for their decision making.
Pray for their resistance to unhealthy habits, places and people.
Pray for their opportunities.
Pray for their salvation.

Also, pray for BigHouse, our community and yourself... how can we respond to this? How can we meet these needs and point these teens back to Christ?

Pray for wisdom for all of those who come into contact with these teens or make decisions on their behalf: judges, social workers, teachers, employers, land lords, doctors and government leaders.

Pray... and then if the Lord moves you to action, respond.

Eph. 3:20-21

-micah

Just a little background...

I was recently asked by a friend to tell her a little about BigHouse for a magazine article she is writing. I thought I would share my thoughts with you all as well...

In January of 2007 my parents became foster parents. I was a junior in college and even though I wasn't living at home, it really impacted me as well. They took in 5 children total, a group of siblings, and they were all completely overwhelmed. My parents had a lot of friends and family that were able to help meet the needs of the kids in their home. They had friends that would pass on their daughter's hand-me-downs, they had girls who volunteered to babysit, people willing to help tutor and their Sunday school built them a huge playground in their backyard. I was able to see that when the body of Christ knew the needs of foster children and the family caring for them, they were willing and able to help. During the spring of 2008, God really began to give me a passion for children in foster care. I had grown to know and love the kids in my parents home, and realized that they were just regular kids who wanted to be loved and cherished. I was also challenged at a college worship service to begin to pray that God would reveal whose feet I should wash with my life. Who was my "people-group" that I should serve with my life? I have a distinct memory of walking across campus and calling my mom to tell her I knew who my people group was - it was foster children. It is the invisible, forgotten and often tossed aside children that are truly America's orphans. I began to pray that God would show me how to serve these children and the families that care for them. While talking with a close friend a couple months later, I shared with her some of the startling statistics about children and their experience in foster care, and how I knew there had to be something we could do. She said "Foster children need an organization like Make a Wish" and that was when God really gave me a vision for BigHouse. Foster children needed the opportunity to experience childhood like other children. They needed to have opportunities and experiences that many of us took for granted growing up. Going to camp or on vacations, picking out your school clothes or birthday present, taking art, dance classes or playing sports, etc. However, I knew from personal experience with my family it is hard for their foster families to provide these opportunities on their own.They need help. And our community needs to be responding. So BigHouse was born to meet the needs and improve the quality of life for children in foster care through support from the community. Our mission statement is "Connecting the needs of foster families with the generosity of the community through the love of Jesus Christ." At the end of the day, we just want our kids, parents, and volunteers to know that Jesus knows them, loves them, cares for them, and has a plan for them.

To say I did anything special to make BigHouse go from a dream to a reality would be incorrect- God has taken care of BigHouse EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. Even when I make human mistakes and wrong decisions, He has worked it out for His good and glory. He has opened every door, even doors that we weren't aware needed to be opened. He has allowed other people's hearts to be moved by the reality of foster care and what these children face and they in turn have supported BigHouse. The last three years have truly been a testament to God's grace and faithfulness. He has taken BigHouse from a big dream to a big reality.

We have a lot of different programs at BigHouse and we are always trying to find ways to serve our families better. Right now, we are knee deep in towels for our 2012 Statewide Swimsuit and Towel Drive. We have collected new swimsuits and new towels for 3000 foster children in our state and we have each towel embroidered with the child's name. This drive is a huge undertaking, we will probably embroider about 1500 towels ourselves, but it is so important to our kids. Many of the children we serve have very little they can call their own, much less something with their name on it - made especially for them. In each bag, we include the swimsuit, towel, and a card from BigHouse. The card says that not only is that child loved by their community, they are loved unconditionally by a Heavenly Father and He has a plan for their life. 

During the year, we also have a fully-stocked clothes closet for children to come and shop in for free. It takes up the 2nd floor of our building, and we have everything from preemie onesies to teen clothes. We want our kids to feel comfortable in what they wear and proud to wear their clothes to school or church. We also have a birthday club for our kids, we send each child a card the month of their birthday with a certificate to come to our birthday closet and pick out a gift. We have tons of new toys, games and gift cards for the kids to choose from. 

We also try to meet the needs of our foster parents with our Kids' Night Out program. Each month we have a respite night for our families, we provide dinner and entertainment for the kids while the parents get the evening off, for free. This is a very popular event for our families because many of our parents just need a little time off to reconnect with each other. We also have day camps during the Summer, a beach trip in the Fall, and other special events throughout the year.

We have found that many people are excited to help a foster family when they know how. We understand that not every family is called to be foster parents, but we have ALL been called to care for the orphan (James 1:27). The 400,000 foster children in America are America's orphans, with over 120,000 waiting to be adopted by a forever family. Instead of turning a blind eye to foster children, we need to be embracing them, loving them, and showing them the love of Christ. We often get asked how someone can help foster children. The best answer is support their foster family. Love on those who are sacrificing their lives to care for these kids. IT IS NOT EASY. Take them meals, cut their grass, offer to babysit (for free!), pass on nice hand-me-downs, and include the family and kids in activities. Invite them to the lake or over to cook-out. Give them your passes to a football game or offer the parents a weekend at your condo. Or, if you have an organization like BigHouse in your community, volunteer there or support them financially. Just don't sit back and do nothing. We have been called to this! :)

Here is a note from Saddleback church's orphan care ministry that has some good stats!
org https://www.facebook.com/notes/orphans-and-the-church/the-american-orphan/155263781164493

www.ourbighouse.org

"Attempt something so great for God that if He isn't in it, it is doomed to fail."

I'm not sure where I heard this, but I know I've heard it said many times. This is exactly where we are with our Statewide Swimsuit and Towel Drive. We are attempting to provide over 2800 of Alabama's foster children with a new swimsuit and towel embroidered with their name this spring. In each bag there is a card from BigHouse that tells the children not only are they loved by their community, they are loved unconditionally by a Heavenly Father. Our goal is to provide these children with a gift that has been made just for them, to show them how special they are to Him!

We know we can't do this alone. We need others to stand with us and support this drive. Not only do we still need donations, we need help from embroiderers. We need people who will commit to helping us make these towels so special for these children. We have heard over and over from different families how many of these children have NEVER had something with their name on it- NEVER had something that was made especially for them- maybe even NEVER had something that they could call their own.

I think most of us would admit that we don't know what it feels like to not have something that is our own. Something that no one else in the world can claim. I know growing up I had a blankie, clothes, toys, a bed, a bike, dolls, money, a car, and much more that I could call mine. Although I did share a lot with my siblings, there were things at my home with MY name on them. It is hard to imagine living in someone else's house, sleeping in someone else's bed, playing with someone else's toys, just waiting to be someone else's foster child. Their lives can be difficult to imagine and although we have wonderful foster parents who do their best to make these children feel comfortable and at home, it still isn't their home. These kids face issues of fear, confusion, disappointment, loss, grief, anger, and separation that most of us have never known. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to know how to help.

Sometimes it's easier to just ignore the issue of foster care all together and hope it goes away or hope you are never confronted with just how hard life can be for these kids. I'll admit, sometimes I get overwhelmed by the whole system and just want to forget about it. I don't want to lay in my bed at night and think about how over 500,000 children in the US are sleeping in a bed that is not their own tonight. I don't want to think about how there are close to 120,000 waiting to find a forever home. I don't want to think about the foster parents who, at that very moment, are holding, rocking, patting, or singing a crying child to sleep because that child feels scared and alone. BUT I do. I have to. Not because I am a good person, but because God is a GREAT God and he has given me a passion for children in foster care. And I am not alone. He has pressed the call of the foster child into more hearts than mine; into my husband Blake's, into our friend and BigHouse staffer Susannah's, into my parents, into families across our community who are doing foster care, into local churches, into area business owner's, and I believe into MANY more who have not yet answered the call. Some of those being called may be called to be foster parents, but the majority of us are not. We are not off the hook- we are called to be supporting those families and children ANY WAY WE CAN. We are the body of Christ and we need to wrap His arms around these families and kids and love on them.

How can we do this? How can we live out James 1:27 in America today? How can you, the average, hardworking citizen make a difference in the life of a foster child? You can start small. You can start with a swimsuit and embroidered towel. You can start by donating $25 to sponsor one child in this drive. You can make sure that one more child will receive something with their name on it, something they can call their own, something that tells them they are special. But you can, of course, do more than that. You can donate $100 for four children, or $1000 for 40 children. You can donate new towels or swimsuits. You can embroider towels with your machine. You can donate your machine to BigHouse for a week, a month, or forever. You can buy BigHouse another machine so we can do 2x as many next year. You can donate clothes to our clothes closet. You can donate new toys and gift cards for our birthday club. You can volunteer for our Kids' Night Outs. You can pay our rent for a month(or a year). You can volunteer to tutor. You can help us with quickbooks. You can donate a car, boat, motor home, trailer, etc. You can sponsor a family for our beach trip. You can come and clean our building. You can buy a t-shirt. You can do a lot or a little to help. But you can do something.

Pray about where you fit in the foster care system. Are you being called to be a foster family? Let us know and we can help you get connected to more resources. Want to support those already fostering? Call us, email us, come by, facebook us, tweet us, JUST GET IN TOUCH. We NEED you!

Want to know more about BigHouse- check out our website- www.ourbighouse.org.

Please don't quiet the call. Your life will be blessed.

-Micah Melnick
Founder and Director of BigHouse Foundation

A learning experience...

Yesterday, Blake and I had the opportunity to go to The Foundation Center in downtown Atlanta and take some free classes on grant seeking. This is an area we are working hard to educate ourselves about in hopes that we can find more funding sources for BigHouse and our programs. We were able to take 3 different classes, all extremely informative, and I feel like we have a much better grasp on what we need to do to pursue more grant funding.

In our first class, I was really surprised to learn that, on average, about 73% of non-profit funding comes from individuals. That is almost 3/4's of a non-profit's budget! Why it shocked me, I'm not sure but it really helped me realize that BigHouse needs to do a much better job of engaging individuals to support our programs. It is the financial commitment of our families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church congregations, community members and complete strangers that will keep BigHouse running. And we need that commitment. We need people who will stand with BigHouse financially.

Now, I know we are all asked about 1,000,000,000 times each week, month, year, to donate money to a cause. And most of these things are really great causes that deserve your support! It can be hard to know who or what to support, especially when money gets tight and support may be limited. That is why I am asking our families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church congregations, and community members (and complete strangers) to please prayerfully consider supporting BigHouse. If God leads you to support other groups- that is great and you should! BUT if God is leading you to support BigHouse, please be obedient to His call. We hear it said often "I can't do foster care but I want to help" and this is a BIG way you can help. Supporting BigHouse supports those who are able to be foster parents. Supporting BigHouse supports those in our county and state that are most vulnerable. Supporting BigHouse helps us reach over 3,000 children in Alabama's foster care system each year through one or more of our many programs.

Maybe you are wondering exactly what your giving would support... That is a great question! BigHouse has many programs in place to support foster families in Lee County and we are working on growing them to support other counties as well!

Our Clothes Closet is one of most utilized programs because it meets an immediate and tangible need for our families. We keep new or gently used clothing for preemies to young adults organized and ready for our families to shop- FOR FREE. Our clothes closet is dependent on quality donations from families in our community and support from our clothes closet sponsor Kids Clothes Connection. Without this help, many of our families would bear the financial burden of clothing their children alone. Although small vouchers may be available to new children in care, it can take days to receive the voucher and it is hard to build a complete wardrobe for a child on a voucher for around $65. This is a tangible need BigHouse meets for children in foster care.

One example of how God provides for our families through our clothes closet was a time when a group of young siblings came into care in the middle of the night. They brought only the clothes they were wearing to their new foster family. First thing the next morning, they came to BigHouse on their way to a court hearing. We were able to find suitable school/play clothes, shoes, some underwear and pajamas for all the kids. And we watched these sweet, scared little children play in twirl in clothes they picked out. I will never forget how it felt to see their faces light up in their new clothes.

Another program that is popular with our kids and parents alike is our KNOs! Our Kids' Night Out program allows us to provide respite care for 3 hours 1 Friday night a month for our families. Parents drop their kids off with us for an evening of fun, food, and a fair share of chaos! We play games, do crafts, watch movies, eat dinner, and have a lot of fun, all while getting to know and love on our BigHouse kids. We also get the opportunity to share God's love with the kids through our time, energy, words and actions. We average about 50 children each month, ranging in age from infants to teens. We are so thankful for our KNO Partner Cornerstone Church and the blessing they have been to provide a space and meal for all our KNOs this spring.

The biggest program we do at BigHouse is our Statewide Swimsuit and Towel Drive. This drive is in its 4th year and this will be our second year to do it statewide. BigHouse will collect new swimsuits and new bath or beach towels for children in foster care. We will have each towel embroidered with the child's name to make it extra special and unique. Last year we completed 3421 requests from children in 61 out of 67 counties. We include a card to each child that explains that their community loves and supports them and that they have a Heavenly Father that will never fail them. The feedback we have received from kids, teens and families lets us know that this drive is important to helping these kids feel cherished and special. For many, this may be the only thing they have every had personalized just for them.

BigHouse has many other programs including a Birthday Club, Preschool Mothers' Day Out, Tutoring, Summer Day Camp, Family Beach Retreat, Back to School Bash, Glitz, Glam and Gowns Event, Care Packages, and Breakfast with Santa, all of which you can learn more about on our website. Our goal with ALL our programs and events is to provide for the needs foster children and families have while sharing Christ love with them. We hope that we can plant a seed or make an impact that God can grow and magnify for His Glory.

Supporting BigHouse with your finances will not only help us grow and take these programs to other children in other counties, it will also allow us to keep the lights on(so to speak) at BigHouse. Your support will help provide our rent and utilities, our 2 paid staff, and our insurance and background checks so we can continue to work with these children. Your giving, whether it is a little or a lot, will go a long way in our efforts to serve foster families. If you are one of the many people we have spoken to that want to provide for the needs of children in care, but can't be a foster parent, please become a BigHouse supporter. We NEED you!

To make a one time donation OR set up a recurring donation (as little as $10 per month!) please use our Razoo Donation Page.

**Razoo is an established organization that helps non-profits like us set up ways to accept online donations!

Thank you all for reading and praying about this opportunity. We look forward to having others join us in our passion to support foster children.

-Micah Melnick

Founder and Executive Director

Have a question? Shoot me an email at micah@ourbighouse.org

Swimsuit and Towel Drive

It is finally March, which means that our 2nd annual statewide Swimsuit and Towel Drive has begun!

Allison and I have officially been inducted into the SSTD club- we learned how to embroider last week! As we hear stories from Micah and Susannah, this skill will come in handy over the next few months. I'm proud to say we are already well on our way to finishing our first county!

Our first of many towels to embroider!

We are excited to have requests from over 45 counties across the state! This means that we need all the help we can get with donation sites and embroiderers. If you are interested, visit our offical website. We would love for you to be involved, even if you aren't right here in Lee County. We can't wait for the kids to have their new swimsuits and towels with their name on it for the summer. It's coming up so quickly!

Glitz, Glam, and Gowns

This past weekend we hosted our first annual "Glitz, Glam, and Gowns" event! The day was absolutely perfect. We had spent hours and hours preparing, and it was absolutely worth all the work. Our girls looked beautiful, and we loved getting to spend the day pampering them!

We had about 25 high school girls from all over the state come to the event. Upon arrival, they received a goodie bag with make-up samples and walked down the red carpet to the refreshment area. We are very thankful to our volunteers, Fresh Market, Chick-fil-a, and Panera for donating snacks and drinks to the event. After visiting for a while, the girls were invited back to shop for a prom dress. We had over 210 dresses available to the girls!

All of the dresses

After trying on many dresses, the girls got to pick one to take home at no cost. The next stop on the route was the Shoe and Jewelry room. Each girl was able to pick out a pair of shoes and some jewelry to match their new dress. After that, the girls headed to the Beauty room. Here we had volunteers waiting to do their hair, make-up and nails. Our volunteers could have been professionals- they did a great job teaching the girls how to recreate their look for the special night.

A volunteer giving a manicure to one of our precious girls

When the make-overs were done, the girls were invited to put their complete outfit on. We had a wonderful photographer who took glamour shots of the girls. We will mail these out to the girls to help them remember how to create their look on the night of their dance. It was so fun to watch the girls pose and dance around. They were glowing!

One of our great volunteers helping a girl tie up her dress

Our photographer showed the girls their photos after they took them so they could see how beautiful they looked. One sweet girl looked at her photo and started to cry. She said "I've never felt this beautiful before!" Tears came to my eyes too as I watched this stunning young woman twirl around the room. Countless others gushed about how they just couldn't believe they got to take the dress home! My favorite part of the whole day was watching the girls light up as volunteer after volunteer told them how beautiful and loved they were.

That is why we did this event. Not just to provide a dress for a high school dance, but to love on them and let them know that they are beautiful children of the Creator of the Universe. We are so thankful for the opportunity to share a piece of life with these beautiful high school girls!

The ladies of BigHouse

BigHouse is Three!

Happy Belated Birthday to BigHouse!

We turned 3 last Friday. To celebrate, we threw a surprise party at our Kids' Night Out on Friday night. The party was complete with balloons, decorations, cupcakes and ice cream. The kids had a blast! We are thankful for the past three years and cannot wait to see what the coming years have in store!

Girls working together on a Valentine's Scavenger Hunt

Playing with the balloons

We are so thankful for Cornerstone allowing us to use their church!

All in all, it was a fun night!

And we are right back in the swing of things at BigHouse this week. This morning we had our very first Food Bank pick up. BigHouse has taken on Food Bank ordering and pick up for the Lee County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association. It was so exciting to see all the families coming through this morning. We are excited to serve them in this way. It was a chilly morning (BigHouse with no heat still- brr!) but it was still great to see all of the smiling faces.

Here we go!

The new year is in full swing here at BigHouse! We have many exciting things in store for the next few months, so stay tuned for all the updates. Between the Swimsuit and Towel Drive starting, summer internship applications, dance class, Food Bank, and our teen girls' event, we certainly are busy over here on Samford Avenue.

As Micah mentioned, I'm Melissa. I am one of the interns here at BigHouse for the semester. Allison, the other intern, and I have loved getting to know Micah, Susannah, and the families involved at BigHouse. We are both seniors at Auburn majoring in Human Development and Family Studies. Hopefully I'll be able to keep you up to date with all of the things happening around here!

Last night we had a restaurant night at Chappy's Deli to benefit our "Glitz, Glam, and Gowns" event. If you haven't heard about this event, we would love for you to get involved. "Glitz, Glam, and Gowns," which I like to call GGG for short, is on February 25th from 10am to 2pm at Trinity United Methodist Church. Prom is such a special event for high school girls, and we don’t want them to miss the opportunity to attend their spring dance. Our goal for this event is to have prom and semi-formal dresses, shoes, clutches, and jewelry available to the girls at no cost. Along with getting a dress, we want this event to be a fun day of pampering for the girls, with hair, make-up and nail demonstrations. We would like to encourage them throughout the process of getting ready for their special dance by having volunteers help them find a dress and prepare for the night while fellowshipping with other girls. Each girl will be offered snacks and drinks while they shop as well as a goodie-bag on the way out to help them re-create the look for their event. We are thankful for Chappy's generosity for donating the proceeds from last night's dinner to our event. If you would like to get involved with GGG, let us know! We are very excited to love on our teen girls.

As Micah mentioned, we have our Kid's Night Out coming up on Friday. We'll post some pictures and stories from our birthday celebration next week!

And we're back!

Hey Friends-

I once again apologize for the long blog abscence. I think it's safe to say regular blogging isn't my strong suit. However- we are blessed to have interns at BigHouse this semester and one has so graciously offered to help us keep our blog up to date... Thank goodness! We have A LOT of fun things coming up this spring and Melissa will be checking in frequently to keep everyone up to date with BigHouse news! I am hoping to also occasionally pop in to share as well.

This spring is shaping up to be our best yet at BigHouse. God has continued to provide for our needs and has opened the door for BigHouse to grow and change. We have been averaging 50+ kids at our Kids' Night Out events this fall and winter and look forward to more this spring. We will also celebrate our 3rd Birthday this Friday with a Kids' Night Out Birthday Party! We feel so blessed to have made it 3 years and we know God has even bigger plans for BigHouse and our families! Can't wait to see what the next the next 3 years will hold!

Thanks for reading and please check back often- I feel certain Melissa will do a MUCH better job keeping you all "in the know" at BigHouse!

Much Love!!
Micah