By Karen Willoughby, Managing Editor
MONROE – The mention that revenues were 5 percent over expenses the first quarter of the year was the first of several bits of good news heard by trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home during their May 10 meeting in the Rusker-Austin building’s conference room on the Children’s Home campus.
In his report to the trustees, President and CEO Perry Hancock said he was “encouraged by the growing support of our churches.” Income from VBS offerings “continues to grow, year after year,” he added. Online giving is up and the number of givers also is up, Hancock reported, though the specific dollar amounts are down about $7 per gift.
Pool renovations are complete, Hancock reported. This includes a new roof, two new restrooms, and the refinishing of the pool walls and floor.
The new 40 X 80-foot pavilion near the Children’s Home fishing dock is completed, Hancock continued his report. A ribbon-cutting of the new metal-roofed structure – with two restrooms and a gated outdoor kitchen at the back – took place after the board meeting. As part of their ministry, Campers on Mission earlier in the week had built a railing around the dock.
Updating – new flooring, carpet and paint – at Grace Cottage was recently completed, Hancock continued, before turning his report to the Children’s Home statewide endeavors.
With Sellers Maternity Home in Baton Rouge transitioning to private homes across the state, the Cheatham campus (site of Sellers) in Baton Rouge is in the process of being returned to donors. “Our continued support of crisis pregnancy ministries is indicated by our retention of the name ‘Sellers,’ which is recognized by most Louisiana Baptists,” Hancock said.
Northside Baptist Church in Denham Springs has opened its parsonage for the use of Ron and Cindy Kouf, the couple who run the Mobile Pregnancy Care Center. “We’re very grateful for Northside’s partnership in this,” Hancock said. The mobile unit that provides ultrasounds and counseling for pregnant women is in use at least two and three times a week, statewide.
The Children’s Home now has “memorandums of understanding” with four international adoption agencies, as part of its Foster Care and Adoption services. The Children’s Home in effect becomes the agent-of-record for the overseas-based agencies in order to streamline the process of international adoptions in Louisiana.
The Children’s Home foster care partnership with First Baptist Church of New Orleans is working smoothly, and similar partnerships with other churches across the state are possible, Hancock said. One couple over an 18-month period provided emergency care for 20 children.
Victims coming out of sex trafficking have long-term needs to rebuild their lives; the Children’s Home is looking at ways to minister, Hancock said.
The Children’s Home is a partner with several Louisiana Baptist churches to establish an orphanage and medical clinic in Haiti. The Children’s Home also is newly partnering with Nicaraguan Christian Outreach with other Southern Baptist individuals and churches in Louisiana – Jim Wallace of First Baptist Minden leads NCO; see www.nchristo.com for more information. LBCH helps coordinates mission teams and also helps creates awareness.
“We have a platform they don’t,” Hancock said. “Perhaps we can accelerate the process [of statewide missions involvement in Nicaragua] for them.
“All the projects we do are directly related to children,” Hancock said. “We’re looking for those partnerships, to work with people with like minds and like hearts.”
It was that focused attention on the needs of children that drew the interest of Miss Mary Rives Gallaspy. When she died Dec. 10, 2010, she left half her estate to the Children’s Home. It remains the largest individual donation ever to the Children’s Home.
A small portion of her sizable donation was used for the construction of a new pavilion near the LBCH fishing dock, at the side of Bayou Desiard. The trustees joined Gallaspy family members, children and staff for a ribbon-cutting ceremony that followed the conclusion of the board meeting.
The Children’s Home’s major service areas include Residential Child Care and Foster Care, Residential Family Care (HomePlace), Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network, Christian Women’s Job Corps of Monroe, Sellers Maternity Ministries (now in individual homes), Mobile Pregnancy Care Center, and Granberry Christian Counseling Centers with eleven centers across the state. Services are provided without regard to race, gender, religion, or ability to pay.
To learn more about the work and ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, and to see a list of current trustees and officers, see www.LBCH.org. The next LBCH scheduled meeting is Sept. 20.