In response to Christ and the Church, the mission of The Methodist Home for Children and Youth is to be a model agency that restores childhoods, strengthens families, and cultivates a people-building organization. In this article, President/CEO Alison Evans shares how The Methodist Home’s partnership with the Georgia United Methodist Foundation helps the dreams of their children and youth come true.
Relationships Matter
Rarely is trust gained or given in an instant. More often, it is built over time through relationships. Dr. Rick Lanford (Foundation Regional Vice President) is known to many as “Daddy Rick.” He dedicated decades of service to our children at The Methodist Home. He traveled many miles and preached thousands of sermons while telling people of our incredible ministry and asking them to support our children with their prayers and financial gifts. While he has expanded his outreach through his work at the Foundation, it has been said, “Rick may have stepped away from his duties at The Methodist Home, but you will never remove our children from his heart.”
The Foundation’s leadership team or staff is always one phone call away. They are responsive, supportive, incredibly knowledgeable, and always mindful of their stewardship responsibility to our children. It is an honor to work alongside these trustworthy professionals. I know nearly half of the trustees and decision-makers of the Foundation. They have a keen understanding of our mission, and I trust them to make decisions that will help, not harm, our ministry.
One Sunday after Christmas, Alison Evans received the best gift ever. James, who was raised at The Methodist Home, sat in the pew behind her at Vineville UMC. She felt a presence and turned. James said, “I knew I would find you here. I just wanted to come by and say thank you for never giving up on me.”
Evening of Hope Sponsorship
Started by one of our Alumni, Dr. Edwin Chase, Evening of Hope is an annual fundraiser for The Methodist Home. The Foundation sponsors a table every year and invites local community leaders with the capacity to give generously in support of our mission and connect us to new friends who care about the children we serve.
Investing in the Foundation’s Certificate Program
Our investment reminds me of the parable of the gold coins in Matthew 25:14-30. When God provides us with a bit extra through a generous donor, I want to be a good steward and grow this original gift so it can be used for God’s glory. We chose to partner with the Foundation as they offered better than competitive rates and enabled us to ladder the certificates.
One of the things we value the most is that the Foundation is a Christian financial organization that shares our values and understands our needs for the future. We appreciate the strength of the Board and the leadership of Mathew Pinson (former Foundation President and CEO) as they serve with integrity, honor, trustworthiness, intelligence, and compassion.
The Methodist Home has been serving God’s children since 1872. While much has changed in 150+ years, our principles and values remain the same. Rooted in Christ and the Church, we must use the gifts and resources we receive from kindhearted and generous people to care for those entrusted to us with a faithful servant’s heart in obedience to God’s will. Our partnership with the Foundation is also rooted in Christ and the Church. This alignment of shared values is the core of our desire to invest in the Foundation’s certificates.
Anika Steed Earns Master of Social Work
Anika Steed
Anika Steed lived with The Methodist Home at Arabella during high school. When Anika asked me if she could attend Clark Atlanta University, I knew we would have to get creative to ensure she did not end up with massive student debt. Immediately, I reached out to the Foundation and learned about the various scholarship opportunities for her. The United Methodist Dollars for Scholars program was a perfect fit for her situation, and the Foundation team helped us every step of the way. Even as we continued to support her, she earned additional scholarships and worked several jobs to reach that goal of graduating without debt. She recently graduated from Troy University with her Master of Social Work degree. I am so proud of her!
