March Special Offering: Blessing House

Our original house had become home to the children who had left their handprints and footprints on the walls of our playroom. Each print was a story of God intervening in a child’s life to bring them to a place of safety and compassion. We believed that God’s grace would lead us to a place where we could continue sharing God’s love with the children. 

In June 2020, we broke ground on a wonderful piece of wooded property across the street from our original house. The land is home to many of God’s creatures including deer, wild turkeys, and a bald eagle. It sits behind a former school so we know it is familiar with the sound of children. The land was blessed by several local pastors before we began building the new home. It gives us outdoor green space for the children to safely enjoy. 

The new design would not only provide space for more children but also help us be more efficient in our care. We labeled children’s blocks with the names of the different rooms that would be needed, spread them on the dining room table, and figured out where each should be and what should be nearby. This allowed for a better flow to provide care while also giving the children space for play. We photographed the arranged blocks and sent the picture to our architect who put together plans matching that design. The architect said they’d never known of anyone using kids’ blocks to design their new home! 

Our builders were able to keep building throughout the pandemic, completing the building in late Spring 2021. We welcomed friends and neighbors for a blessing of the building and ribbon cutting in May. Each room was blessed by a local member of a faith community.

The first thing people notice about the building is the heart on the front. This is our proclamation that God’s love awaits those who enter. All 1,600 children who stayed at the original Blessing House are now part of the new building as their handprints from the former building fill the walls of the entry way of the new house.

We thank you for your concern and support for our children. We welcome your visit to the new house to experience God’s gift to the children of our area. Each child creates a memory that brings them hope as they grow. Please continue to pray for our children. God bless you.

Sister Mary Berigan SND ~ Executive Director, Blessing House