LAKELAND, Fla. -- A group of more than fifty women from across the state converged on the Lakeland campus of the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes on March 13 to learn more about the ministry and to raise funds for special projects.
The group, called Women of Compassion has as their mission of building a community of women that are passionate about helping abused, neglected, and orphaned children. The Women of Compassion group includes women who have pledged or contributed $1,000 or more to the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. Their goal is to eventually have more than one-hundred women from across the state involved in the group.
Julie Boyd, vice president of development for the Children’s Homes said that the Women of Compassion group focuses on raising needed funds, but also works to unite women leaders around key goals and objectives of the Children’s Homes.
The inaugural event included tours of the Lakeland campus as well as speakers on a variety of subjects. Deborah Polston from Tallahassee spoke about her personal journey of adopting six boys that were all siblings. She adopted the boys after raising four biological daughters that are now grown.
Desiree Montgomery spoke about her experience of coming to the Children’s Homes with her two younger sisters when their father could no longer care for them. She talked about the loving care and guidance she received from Christian house parents. Desiree was salutatorian of her high school class last year and is now attending Southeastern University on a full academic scholarship.
Christi Haag spoke about the Children’s Homes’ international childcare program and how they are reaching some of the poorest and neediest children in the world.
“An important component of the Women of Compassion initiative is to maintain an ongoing dialogue with women philanthropic leaders on the needs of children in our community, across the state, and around the world,” Boyd said.
“This was the first annual Women of Compassion meeting, which raised more than $50,000. The women voted to direct $7,500 to help furnish the new care home for developmentally delayed women that will be built on the Fort Myers campus. They also voted to use $2,500 to help independent living residents who have aged out of the foster care and residential care programs. And then another $2,500 was designated for the Sound the Call Conference next fall where the Children’s Homes provides training and support for pregnancy center directors and volunteers,” Boyd said.
Boyd said that 100 percent of the money raised by Women of Compassion will go towards the direct care of children with 75 percent designated for daily needs and 25 percent restricted to special projects voted on by the group.
To learn more about Women of Compassion or to join the group contact Julie Boyd at the Florida Baptist Children’s Homes at 863-687-8811 or JBoyd@FBCHomes.org
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