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Will you make love, joy, and hope
a part of her story this Christmas?

Imagine living in fear every night while you try to sleep. Or feeling so desperate that you want to end your own life. Imagine making a mistake and feeling that you may not get a second chance. Sadly, this is the reality for many children before they arrive on our campus in Lebanon.

At the Children’s Home, our trained staff help our teens feel safe, heal from their past, catch up in school, learn social skills and develop the goals they need for a life of independence and happiness. And we know that Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions on our campus also help our youth experience love and joy. During the Christmas season we focus on fun family activities that many of us remember from our own childhoods.

Most importantly, we help the children feel hope for the future.

That has been our mission for 107 years.

Courtney has lived in one of our family-style homes with seven other girls and her house parents for several months.

According to her case manager, Stacy Youngblood, “She participates in our art therapy program and has a reputation of being a great writer. Our hope is Courtney will reach all her goals while at the Home and that she will be reunited with her supportive mother and her stepfather in the spring.”

Courtney’s goals are on our minds as we approach the Christmas season this year. Her English class poem, “The champion I want to be”, was selected as the top poem in our school last month. Scroll down to read her poem. She told us she hopes to write music and is proud that she is learning skills she needs to reach her goals of independence.

Please make a gift before the end of the year to help us make love, joy, and hope a part of her story this Christmas, and know that your support helps us make love, joy, and hope a part of the stories of all our youth this Christmas.

From the Children’s Home to your home, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

The champion I want to be

By Courtney

I was born into a world full of hatred and sorrow
faith was strong, but love was hollow
I started to grow up and become a lady
I had people look up to me like a legacy
craving the victory to become a champion is no simple task
you gotta be quick you gotta be fast
you gotta be able to knock down a big task
but try your best to not let your opponent complete the task
yes to be a champion means to be good
but I just wanna make sure it’s understood
no journey you take is an easy one
it’s not quick it’s not fun
at many times it can get very lonely
but you gotta prove you’re not a phony
everything about it is real and humbling
often you might find your mind stumbling
if you can stick with it and pull through
you’ll rise like all the champions do
champions take the ring with pride
inside most of them have even cried
thoughts of the journey running
through a champion’s mind
of that big trophy they hoped to find
mindful of their recent defeats
does a champion brag, no they repeat