TLC Vision
We are dreaming of more beds. It is awful to have to turn away moms and their young children simply because we do not have available beds. This is happening more than ever recently.
We are dreaming of more beds. It is awful to have to turn away moms and their young children simply because we do not have available beds. This is happening more than ever recently.
When a social worker from a local hospital called this week, we had to say “Sorry, no vacancy.” The mom she was calling for had just given birth and was homeless. DCF will place her baby if she has nowhere to raise her child. Another desperate mom will probably call us today or tomorrow. TLC will not be able to help. We need to expand if we do not want toddlers living in cars–or worse.
TLC has limited space. We focus on a wide variety of our residents’ needs. That means we help a few people a lot rather than helping a lot of people with a few things. That often means we have no vacancies and more potential clients than we have beds. We filled one opening a month ago. Since that time, 12 moms have asked for admittance. Here is what the most recent woman said in a fb message: “I’m 25 years old with 3 children under the age of 5. Currently homeless, staying with a friend for the past month after leaving an abusive man. I’ve been trying to get a job but have no transportation or babysitter and we have to leave with nowhere to go.” Could TLC help? Absolutely, TLC could help…if only we had more resources like an additional facility.
Property has just become available that is perfect for our needs. It is located near the current shelter so we would be able to maximize resources including our newly renovated adult classroom.
There are so many seeking shelter. Our current priority is sheltering the youngest moms with the youngest babies. We are dreaming big now, but what if we could offer shelter to others?
-Moms over 25 (current upper limit)
-Moms with children over 5 (current upper limit)
-Those in the Foster Care system who are parents of infants.
-Single dads
Currently we are operating completely with volunteer labor. We NEED paid staff to expand our services to include:
-Consistent on-site supervision 24/7
-Daycare services.
-Increased number of Life Skill classes
-Case management & infant monitoring
-A cottage industry to provide employment for adult residents.
What do we need for this dream to become a reality? To make this happen we need sustainable income and greater financial support.
What can Hernando County provide to help those in need become independent, self-supporting citizens? We need more community involvement to provide:
-Jobs for hard-to-place residents
-Used vehicles for residents (and a volunteer mechanic)
-Assistance with facility maintenance needs
-Additional volunteers to assist paid staff (once we have paid staff!)
That is our dream. That is our vision. That is our prayer. We need help! We need miraculous help! We have already seen God provide a building for TLC three different times in the last six years. We need more miracles. Please pledge financial support or volunteer or pray this vision be fulfilled. We want God’s perfect will in His perfect timing.
His heart. His hands, His house.
Volunteering at TLC is rewarding, frustrating and eye-opening. Here is how one insightful volunteer describes it:
“The residents at The Life Center need time to open up and trust someone. All they have ever known is being let down, left alone, and unloved. It is a whole new world to have people in their lives who mean what they say and say what they mean. Unfortunately, they come with lack of knowledge of basic living skills and communication. So they manipulate, seek attention, and feel the need to be defiant. Some will fight tooth and nail. Others collapse into TLC and soak everything up. TLC has made a difference in so many of these young women. No matter what, they all take away something from their TLC experience. It is their choice what they do with it.
“It is the volunteers who have made that happen.
A volunteer may witness acts of service from another volunteer with no hidden agenda or prize. Or she may feel used, hurt, unwanted, and unappreciated. Being a volunteer means giving time, sweat and, for some, their money. That is why it is so important to know where the residents come from and to understand the damage their childhoods have done so we don’t take acting out personally and so we can show them a way to overcome and not be a victim. They were the victim in the past and now they play that role into adulthood. Given love, guidance and discipline, people can be accountable. With God all things are possible. He can make the worst situations into something that glorifies Himself and helps us grow if we let him. He has done it in my life and continues to do it daily.
So, volunteers, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES!!!!”
So many have done so much, it is hard to know who to thank first.
The First United Methodist Church on Spring Hill Drive chose The Life Center of Hernando for its “Mission of the Month”. The entire month of August, they featured TLC and the work we do to bring homeless mothers and babies off the streets and into shelter where we prepare them to return to the community as productive, independent citizens. We think FUMC would agree with these well-known words, “When you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me.”
A group of volunteers from Faith Evangelical Presbyterian Church came Saturday morning, Sept. 15, to tackle various projects: window film, drainage, painting the new classroom ceiling, checking electrical outlets in the kitchen, and switching the Hot and Cold faucet supply lines. Our property is looking better and better. There were over a dozen people that morning and everyone was busy, busy, busy!
Several churches are involved in TLC. Would your church allow us to share our vision with the congregation or mission group?
TLC couldn’t exist without our team of regular volunteers. One returning volunteer is Sharon L. Sometimes in the past our TLC volunteers have had to contend with poor housekeeping. Not so last week. Sharon was amazed at how the house looked at 8 a.m.!
She had this to say, “The carport looks great. Someone has done a lot of work out there and it shows.”
Other new volunteers, Alicia and her daughter, took a couple of pictures in the common areas so that everyone could see the house was spotless.
TLC’s Very Young Residents
An open letter to Megan:
“Welcome, precious baby girl! You are the tenth baby to be born while mom was living at TLC. We are so glad you had a safe, clean home to come to when you left the hospital. We all pledge to watch over you so you can enjoy safe, peaceful sleep; clean, dry clothing, and lots of love. In the past 5 ½ years since opening, TLC has housed 52 families. You are child #70 to live at TLC. We invite you to stay at TLC with your mother until she is ready to live independently. It won’t be easy for her. Moms need schooling, employment, transportation, and you will need childcare.
May God bless you and your family! Love TLC"
This little sweetie is enjoying time at the TLC sensory table. We are in the process of relocating some of the play equipment and were not set up yet, but she couldn’t wait. She is busy at work mixing sand and sawdust.
What can you do with a bunch of toddlers on a hot afternoon? Just turn on the hose–they figure it out from there! Kids at TLC do not seem to mind sharing a home with so many friends.
At TLC, we believe in giving our preschoolers the best possible start in school. We have an inviting playroom stocked with educational materials. We also have Story Ladies who come in the evenings to love and encourage the little ones. This fall, we have several 8th grade volunteers from two local charter schools who are working on a Pay It Forward project. The toddlers love them. We have cropped the pictures to provide privacy. Too bad because their little faces are all adorable. We don’t have quite enough laps yet.
If you would like to volunteer, please call Barbara at 352 597 0119 and leave a message.