Greetings! We are happy and blessed at this time as we come into our favorite season when so many of our friends return to the Coachella Valley! God was with us through a hot and trying summer, meeting all of our needs through each one of you who faithfully pray for and support Mama’s House Ministries!

From having empty beds and desperately needing staff as we went into summer, to having staff needs met and a full house as we prepare for the new season to begin, we have so much to be thankful for. However, when the beds and household are filled to the brim with mothers, children and infants, that inevitably leads to a waiting list. The waiting list is good only in that it shows to others the great need that we already know exists and it is bad in that these women cannot simply wait. Unable to find refuge, they are left to stay on the street, sometimes living in a hot broken down car, often returning to drugs, an abusive situation, or an abortion clinic.

I know that most of you have heard this before and the ability to serve more women in need is the reason you caught sight of the vision that was cast in February 2020 for the Expansion Project! You invested in a big way, enabling us that very day to raise money and cash purchase the 1 acre property with an existing beautiful, large home that God had showed us! “But God” will always go abundantly above and beyond what our minds can imagine as we trust in Him, and the joy was infectious upon learning the zoning would allow us to quadruple the number of residents we currently serve! Hallelujah!

As I write this, we are 2 years into plans and all the city and county permits. All the while, Orr Construction, Holt Architecture, Hyde’s Electrical, and others have been busy finalizing big and small details for the 5 casitas and remodeled big house that make up the Anne Silverstein Campus for Mama’s House. The plan is to break ground in February 2023, though it will be in God’s perfect timing, not ours. Our job has been to continue in faith: sharing the love of Christ and working daily to improve our acclaimed program that leads our moms toward success; hiring and training staff; creating a “best possible” work environment; and providing a benefit package to attract and keep qualified employees.

So YES, we have - and with your continued support - will continue to THRIVE! If you are one of the many who have invested in this ministry in any way, including the Expansion Project - THANK YOU! Come and see for yourself what you have built alongside us because we are in ministry together! If you would like to make an investment there are many opportunities to choose from and all are critically important! I look forward to hearing from you and scheduling time to visit. In the meantime, please keep sharing Mama’s House with others and never forget that you are loved and greatly appreciated!

Jan Lupia

Founder and Executive Director

844-232-8622 extension 1 janlupia@themamashouse.org

Sanctity

Many years ago, I wrote this one-liner as part of a sermon on the preciousness of life. “The sanctity of human life comes not from what we say, but in our actions, in our deeds, by what we do each day.”

At Mama’s House, we believe in the sanctity of human life – that God created each one of us and our children in His image. In His word He calls us His creation and says that we are to be holy, sacred, blessed, saintly, spiritual, pious, devout, righteous, good, virtuous, and pure – not of our own making but because we are His children.

Mama’s House was founded and exists based upon the belief that it is our calling to “provide a safe home for women facing unplanned pregnancies or are otherwise at risk…” We believe in the sanctity of life, for all of God’s children and especially mothers and their unborn children who from the moment of a heartbeat are God’s creation!

Our culture, our community (koinonia), and our programs are rooted and grounded in that belief. It’s in our DNA and we pray every day it will be in the DNA of all the moms and babies who begin a new life in Mama’s House’s “cradle of faith, hope and love.”

All of you who receive this Newsletter are a vital part of our ministry. We thank God for your love and support. Our donors, volunteers, Mama Mia’s, staff, Board and all who support our ministry in various ways are a lifeline for our clients and our House.

As we enter our period of Expansion, growing from being able to accommodate ten mothers and their children to over fifty, we encourage you to pray, give and serve. We appreciate you and your faithful and generous support. We solicit your prayers and involvement as we maintain and extend our campus and the myriad of services that will support our clients and bring glory to our Lord. For it is through Him and in Him that we accomplish “more than we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20.)

We are so thankful and elated to announce that Mama’s House is a full house! Praise God, and Hallelujah! We currently have 8 residents, 11 children and 1 on the way due October 17th, 2022! We are continuously grateful for the staff that helps us serve and nurture our mothers and babies.

Classes at Hope Center continue to educate and enrich the lives of our community and our residents. Please see below and call 844-232-8622 ext 1002 for questions regarding attendance.

Mondays:

• Parenting w/ Mental Health Wellness Class, and Relationship Building Class with Dr. Chris Miller

Tuesdays:

• Daughters of the King Bible Study with Rheta Buoy Somohano

• Earn While You Learn Parenting Classes with our volunteer “Mama Mias”

Wednesdays:

• Therapy with Jim Powell

• Art Class with Maria Hunt

• Drug and Alcohol Class with Christina Flores

Thursdays:

• Earn While You Learn Parenting Classes with our volunteer “Mama Mias”

Fridays:

• Therapy with Jim Powell and Ellen Schaller

In addition to our Walmart Gift Registry, we have a “Wish List” for those who might feel so inclined to contribute:

• Two clothing vouchers for residents (Two $150 gift cards to Ross/Walmart)

• One $150 gift card to Target/Walmart for toddlers / elementary school uniforms (includes 5 sets of tops and bottoms, socks, underwear, backpack, and shoes).

Thank you so much for the generosity of our community and our volunteers! We appreciate your love and support throughout the year. It is such a blessing and gift for all of us collectively. We hope you'll continue to stay connected with us through our newsletters, social media, classes, volunteering, and special events. See you here!! We love having you!!

Our staff have been working purposefully to support the mothers, babies, and children of Mama’s House and our mission. I’m pleased to welcome the following staff that have joined since our last newsletter:

• Brittney Harris - House Manager

• Lucy Murillo - House Mother

• Keshia Mora - House Mother

• Nicole Skoff - Executive Assistant

• Ceci Martinez - Case Coordinator

Mama’s House is still hiring for House Mothers to work in the house with our residents and children and a Development Director to fulfill our fundraising needs. Please refer any possible candidates to us for more information!

We recently had a colleague engagement activity that was included as part of a staff meeting. This was a great opportunity to be together and strengthen our bond as Mama’s House staff. From those who have served this ministry for years to those who were newly onboarded, it was a fun time for all. Maria Hunt, our faithful volunteer and talented artist, graciously led the art workshop for staff.

2023 HEARTbeat of LOVE Luncheon February 11th at 11am

& VIP Reception February 10th at 5pm

Your sponsorship supports the proven programs & mission of Mama’s House!

$100,000 ULTIMATE Sponsorship - Includes Two (2) tables for Ten (10) guests at the Luncheon at the best table location - next to The Speaker. Twenty (20) guests may attend the VIP Reception. Four (4) guests may attend the Private Dinner with The Speaker following the reception. Sponsor also receives: special recognition in the Luncheon Program and Invitation; and special gift for the host and guests. ($95,780 is tax deductible)

$75,000 PREMIER Sponsorship - Includes One (1) table for Ten (10) guests at the Luncheon at the best table location - front and center. Ten (10) guests may attend the VIP Reception. Two (2) guests may attend the Private Dinner with The Speaker following the reception. Sponsor also receives: special recognition in the Luncheon Program and Invitation; and special gift. ($73,220 is tax deductible)

$50,000 ANGEL Sponsorship - Includes One (1) table for Ten (10) guests at the Luncheon at an excellent table location. Eight (8) guests may attend the VIP Reception and Two (2) guests may attend the Private Dinner with The Speaker following the reception. Sponsor also receives: special recognition in the Luncheon Program and Invitation; and a special gift. ($48,380 is tax deductible)

$30,000 PATRON Sponsorship - Includes One (1) table for Ten (10) guests at the Luncheon with a prime table location; Six (6) guests may attend the VIP Reception. Sponsor also receives: special recognition in the Luncheon Program and Invitation; and a special gift. ($28,870 is tax deductible)

$15,000 GUARDIAN Sponsorship - Includes One (1) table for Ten (10) guests with a preferred table location. Four (4) guests may attend the VIP Reception; and receive recognition in the Luncheon Program. ($14,230 is tax deductible)

$5,000 CHAMPION Sponsorship - Includes One (1) table for Ten (10) guests at the Luncheon with a better table location; Two (2) guests may attend the VIP Reception; and receive recognition in the Luncheon Program. ($4,390 is tax deductible)

$1,000 VIP Individual Ticket - One (1) guest at the Luncheon and VIP Reception. ($875 is tax deductible)

CALL TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPONSORSHIP!

For more information REGARDING SPONSORSHIPS please call Jan at

844-232-8622 ext 1 or 760-406-3413

or email janlupia@themamashouse.org

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

During the very hot month of August, we were able to take our residents to the beach for a special outing. Here's a glimpse into what fun it was for everyone!

“We went to the beach on August 27th and had so much fun playing in the waves with all the other kids. I dug a big hole and buried my son in it with his head sticking out and he loved it! At one point, there was ‘let’s see how far we can go until the waves knock us down.’ I am so thankful that we got to go and God blessed us by getting us there and back safely. We all had a blast and I want to say thank you to everyone who directed it and made it all possible” - Amber

“The beach trip was fun, it was a nice sunny day. We had a lot of fun playing in the sun and sand and dancing together. We decided to rent a four seat bicycle to ride up and down the beach path. My son kept asking the people who were fishing if he could see what they caught. Overall it was a great experience, especially with our Mama‘s House family.” - Cariza

“The beach was nice and I enjoyed getting out. I haven’t been in a while and have never been to Oceanside Pier. And to take my baby for the first time, with our toes in the sand and waves was exciting. After the beach we had an amazing dinner at a place I had never been to and we really enjoyed it. Thank you for the fun, amazing trip.” - Olivia

“I was hesitant to go to the beach at first because of my two kids. I prayed about it with an open heart and God was calling me to go, so I listened and packed our bags. When we finally arrived, I was so excited for the crisp beach air and the temperature difference. We walked along the sand and picked a spot to set up all the tents and blankets. We started to build sand castles, and the staff took pictures for me. I am so glad and thankful I had the opportunity to go and had a lot of help.” - Audriana

If you have ever asked the question, “What does Mama’s House need?”, here is your answer! We have created a Walmart gift registry of items that you can purchase directly for Mama’s House. The current focus is refreshing the house: replacing the existing towels & bath mats, lampshades, etc. We will continue to update the registry as needs change moving forward. Here is the link to the gift registry.

Volunteering at Mama’s house has given me many opportunities for Christian service. I started to be actively involved 7 years ago, baby-sitting and driving the residents to appointments. I love being able to share in the lives of these wonderful moms and their babies.

In addition to baby-sitting and house-sitting, here are some of the opportunities I have had: joining in morning devotions, guiding them in “earn while you learn” lessons, accompanying them on outings, fellowshipping with them over a meal, praying with them and for them, visiting them and assisting them at the hospital. I have also had the opportunity to help at our fundraiser and help prepare mailers that now reach more than 4,500 households and businesses.

There are so many ways a person can volunteer at Mama’s House. When you participate, you are not just a volunteer, but you become part of the Mama’s House family. I love Jan and all the staff. They have become great friends. My main focus now is hospital visitation and as a leader of morning prayer and Bible study.

If you want to experience many blessings in your life, come and volunteer at Mama’s House.

Babysitters Needed - With 11 children in the house, we are in desperate need of babysitters, especially on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays while residents work their program. Shifts vary in length from 1.5 hours to 3.5 hours and are available morning, afternoon and evening.

Child Development Coordinator (or someone who loves to be with children) - Needed in the house daily from 4:45pm-6:45pm to do activities with children between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. The play area, TV area, nursery area, patio area, and casita room may be utilized for activities. Shifts can be rotated if you can only do a specific day(s).

If you are already a registered volunteer, please use the Volunteer Scheduler Pro (VSP) app to sign up for shifts.

We are so thankful to have our incredible volunteers. They are critical to the operation of Mama's House. If you have a heart to help women find the courage to carry their child to term and get their lives on track for success, we will find a place for you to volunteer. We need mentors, babysitters, tutors, drivers, Earn & Learn facilitators, teachers and tutors of all kinds, and more!

For those interested in volunteering with Mama's House, please email or call Illona Anderson at volunteer@themamashouse.org / 844-232-8622, extension 1002.

As we continue to share our newsletter each month, we would love your feedback on how we can improve it. Do you enjoy writing articles or have topic suggestions? We would appreciate it if you would provide your comments by completing this survey. If you are interested in contributing to the newsletter, please email or call Illona at volunteer@themamashouse.org / 844-232-8622, extension 1002.

MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of Mama’s House Ministries is to provide a safe home for women in crises - with special emphasis always on those facing unplanned pregnancies or are otherwise at risk – women with children and/or victims of abuse - who are vulnerable with no place to go or means of support. At Mama’s House their physical, emotional, spiritual, educational, and vocational needs are addressed. With nurturing support, these mothers are being equipped with necessary life skills for stability, recovery and self-sufficiency. Upon completing the unique, faith-based program at Mama’s House, these women are prepared for brighter futures with opportunities to reach their full potential as productive members of their communities.

A GLIMPSE OF WHERE WE ARE GOING - OUR VISION STATEMENT:

The Anne Silverstein Campus for Mama’s House is completed, fully funded, staffed and operational. It is widely recognized and respected as a model for supporting mothers and women in crises. Mama’s House Ministries has a strong and committed staff, Board of Directors, volunteers and donor base. There is a sustainable revenue base to ensure ongoing stability. We are well positioned to grow our resident population and further expand to support more women with special emphasis always on mothers and babies in need of our programs and services.

We love to show off our babies as they, and their beautiful mamas, are the reason we are here! Please click on the website link below to see pictures, read resident stories, and so much more!

Scan the QR code if you would like to financially bless those we serve and invest in seeing these lives changed forever. You will be directed to the "giving page" of our website. Thank you!

If you fear you're in danger or want help making a safety assessment, reach out to the free and confidential National Domestic Violence Hotline at TheHotline.org or 800-799-SAFE (7233).

Also to better understand the dynamics of abuse, check out the insightful book "Is It Abuse?" by Darby Strickland. It offers a wealth of screening questions to help determine the presence of abuse and how to find support.