Christmas Charities 4: Warming Hearts Project

Allow me to introduce Bonnie Gano. Bonnie is an office assistant and a resident of Bradenton, FL. She is also a wife, mother of 3 and grandmother of 8 who loves being active in her grandchildren's lives. Last November she started an organization called Warming Hearts Project, which gives blankets to foster children and seniors in her community.

I asked her how she got started:

Have you ever asked God "What can I do to help?" I did and He answered.

A friend asked if I would like to help in a local outreach. They were collecting food, used goods etc. and handing it out each month. Christmas was coming and they were collecting toys for the children. Toys are expensive and with the economy the way it is, I thought it might be difficult for me to find a way to help. That is when God said "I gave you a talent, use it!" I love to crochet and what better gift than a cozy warm blanket to cover a needy child with LOVE.

So it started, one blanket then two and the need became greater than I expected. I needed help and the Lord provided me with people one by one. Some wanted to crochet, some sew, some gave financially. All help was welcome.

The blankets have become very important to mission to me I know there is a great need to spread Love and Comfort to others. I have observed this when giving the blankets out and the love and security it brings to those receiving them.

With the help of diligent crocheters, Bonnie has given out over 200 blankets since last November, and her ministry is growing. Last Christmas she gave out 40 blankets to foster kids and seniors, and this year she plans to give out about 135. She teaches a crochet class twice a month in her home to teach people how to make the edging for the blankets. Her future plans include retiring in order to have more time for her ministry.

She said that when the foster kids receive a blanket, it's a tangible reminder that someone cares. It acts as something that is "theirs," that goes with them everywhere even when their lives are unstable and changing. She thinks that kids need something physical to hang onto, and they love the soft fleece the blankets are made of.

Here is an example of some Warming Hearts fleece blankets with crochet edging:

Warming Hearts is always looking for 2 things:

1. People to make blankets. You can contact her through her website if you're interested. Don't worry about your skill level; the blankets are intentionally easy and require minimal crocheting and no sewing. They're very quick!
2. Funds to buy supplies, including fleece, yarn, crochet hooks and rotary hole punchers for the edging. Blankets are made in 3 sizes: Big kid (1 1/2 yds fleece), little kid (1 yd fleece), and baby crib/senior lap blanket (1/2 yd fleece). Fleece usually runs about $9.99/yd, plus the cost of yarn.

If you would like to help in any way (or if you would like blankets), you can email Bonnie Gano at warminghearts91@verizon.net.

Quality Time: Developing A Faith-Based Supervised Visitation Program

BAANK is on a committee which is in the beginning processes of developing a supervised visitation program, which we call Quality Time. Members of the Faith-Based Supervised Visitation Program (FBSVP) overseeing committee include people from Safe Children Coalition, Family Safety Alliance, BAANK (Believers Against Abuse and Neglect of Kids), Guardian ad Litem Program, Bridge a Life (A ministry of Bayside Community Church), and Judicial Overview. Guardian ad Litem is heading up the administration, and BAANK will be recruiting volunteers.

Supervised visitation is important for a number of reasons. Because it strengthens the bond between parent and child, it helps the parent(s) be motivated to complete court-mandated requirements, leads to more reunifications, and ensures a stronger parent-child relationship upon reunification. Supervised visitation is a crucial part of the process because reunification is a major goal of the Department of Children and Families, as well as of the families themselves.


From The Bradenton Herald:

"Overwhelming trauma children feel after separation from parents requires a lot more time during the first five-to-seven months of the case," said Milessa Dunlop, assistant director of the 12th Circuit's Guardian ad Litem program, adding that most cases last about a year. "This program creates more quality time for the family to bond, build, continue and promote strength in reunification. Once these kids go home and the court closes the case, they're stronger and healthier."

Judge Scott Brownell, who first voiced the concern about the urgent need for more supervised visitation between parents and children in foster care in the 12th Circuit, said,"When the children were living with the parents, there was contact every day, every morning, every night. How do we get as much of that back as possible while being affordable and safe?" His solution was to involve the faith community. According to Judge Brownell, the faith community shares the same passion for building and rebuilding strong families that people working in child welfare do, and would also be a good source of volunteers. And Milessa Dunlop of Guardian ad Litem saw another reason the faith community would be helpful: parents will meet other parents who could be positive role models on parenting.

So what makes it faith-based? Quality Time will be volunteer-driven, and these volunteers will be recruited by BAANK through faith-based organizations. We want to allow visitation to happen in more natural family and social settings rather than inside an institution. For example, parent and child can be together in a large gathering or public place, like a school event where the child is familiar with all the adults present. This tells the child that all the adults in his life are friends, not enemies, and offers more emotional security for him or her.

We are prayerful that this will be an effort that is effective at re-uniting children with their parents and getting parents on the right track. If you have any questions, you can contact Rod Myers or Milessa Dunlop of Guardian ad Litem. If you are interested in volunteering, call (941) 861-4875.

Remind Me Why I Do This?

Why should we care about abused and neglected kids?

I know: it sounds crude to even ask the question. Isn't it obvious? It should be, but if it were, perhaps there would not be as many abused and neglected kids in our community as there are.

Let's make it personal: If you were working out in your yard and heard the screams of a small child who was obviously in pain and ran to his aid, only to find his father beating and kicking him senseless, what would you do? Of course, you would intervene to save the child even at risk to your own safety. What if you found a small child on the side of the road who looked as if they had not eaten in three days, what would you do? Of course, you would immediately intervene to get this child help.

But this and similar occurances happen in Sarasota, Manatee, and DeSoto counties every day. The only difference is that you do not personally witness these children. They are mostly "out of sight." And you know how the rest of that phrase goes.

According to James 1:27 it is a Christian's business to take care of the vulnerable within our midst. This is why BAANK exists. It is our purpose to identify strategic places Christians/churches can intervene right here in our community, to research and design—along with folks within the child welfare community—standards and trainings to provide the greatest quality of programs, and to recruit volunteers to step into these places to serve and make a difference.

Honestly it is my goal to be able to say one day that the abuse and neglect of our kids in this community is cut down to a trickle. But this will not happen unless we all commit ourselves to very practical work. Yes, work. Involvement. BAANK needs your partnership and your wisdom and your talents to find the best ways to do this work. Won't you help? Give me call.

-Rod Myers