MERRY CHRISTMAS, 2007

CAN YOU IMAGINE how desperate a pregnant woman or a mother with a child or several children feels when she is homeless or in an unsafe situation, alone with no resources or support, and must call on strangers for help and shelter? She is frightened and wondering what will happen to her.

“I was a stranger and you made me welcome...” Matthew 25:35

It has been 30 years since we started Genesis House, Inc. in the fall of 1977 with the first of our three shelter homes for women. Our first Genesis House was started to provide a safe home for homeless pregnant women. Since then we have provided shelter for thousands of pregnant women and thousands more mothers with children. In the past year we have housed 73 women, 63 children, and 11 babies were born to our residents.

We receive about 120 telephone calls every month from women who need help. Many of them are frightened and tearful as they make their initial call. Every call is answered and interviews are set up for the women who need shelter to help them with appropriate placement in one of our three homes. Some of our callers need other sources of help, such as referrals for financial help, or other needs. Our Case Manager, Dona Lee Guindon, makes sure they are referred to other appropriate agencies. She is a wonderful source of knowledge in other resources in our area.

Our residents stay varied lengths of time, according to their personal needs. Some of them need a short stay in a safe place while they straighten out a situation or make arrangements with a friend or family for moving to another location. Most of the Genesis House I residents stay several months while they work on finding employment, childcare, long-term housing, or additional educational arrangements. If they enroll in any type of educational program and have exhibited that they can cooperate in our group living situation, then they can move to Genesis House II. All the residents in Genesis House III are pregnant women. Often they start an educational program and move to Genesis House II after their babies are born. The Genesis House II residents may remain with us until they have completed their educational pursuits.

It is our hope that you will consider making a donation to Genesis House. We need your help so we can continue to improve the future of the many women and children who come to Genesis House.

— Mary Allen, Director