UPDATE: the donation time has passed, but the results were awesomely fruitful! I’ll update with details once they’ve become official! Thank you to everyone who donate!Dear Blogosphere (including all my friends and family that read this),

If you have $10 and 2 mins today, would you think about sending a donation to Saint Gianna’s Maternity Home, through Impactgiveback?

Every donation is matched. AND if they receive a $10 donation from someone in every state by Midnight Central time tonight (2-13-14)  they receive an additional $500! UPDATE: Giving has been extended till 1AM CST since 1/3 of North Dakota is on Mountain time. Who knew?

Why should you? I’ll let the words of my dear friend Eleri Kerian, who is on their board, speak for themselves:

Why do James and I volunteer and support Saint Gianna’s? 

1. 87 babies and their mothers (and in many cases, older siblings) have lived in our home. We have assisted hundreds of others through counseling and material needs.

2. It is our tenth anniversary.

3. St. Gianna’s is licensed to care for up to 18 women and children. We are able to allow a women to bring her other children with her – she doesn’t have to decide between her unborn baby and her other kids. This allows them to break free from bad relationships and circumstances. 

4. About 20% of our babies are placed for adoption. Nationally, only 1/100 moms in out-of-wedlock situations place. We have had women stay with us for months or even years after placing so they can finish their education. We support them in the grieving and mourning process.

5. We encourage good parenting skills and try to help our women grow into the successful parents and families they want to be. 

6. Many of our women experience family for the first time at St. Gianna’s. We support many of them emotionally (and sometimes materially) when they leave our residence. 

7. I was privileged to coach one of our mothers in a 36 hour labor and delivery. Baby was born via c-section, and I cut the cord and held him for the first time while mom’s surgery was finished. I’m so glad she didn’t have to do it alone. He is now 2.5.

8. We’ve watched frightened, scared, young women blossom into determined and fearless souls. We have an awesome Director and team of house mothers who go all over all hours of the day to help those in crisis pregnancies. 

As of my (Eleri’s) last update, we are still praying for $10 donations from:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
West Virginia
Wyoming

Head over to Impactgiveback.org and type in “St. Gianna’s Maternity Home” under participating ministries to send your $10 and support this fantastic ministry!

In thanks, I promise to upload some super adorable 3-D ultrasound pics of our son next post!