By Robin McCall, WMU Communications
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – WorldCrafts, the fair trade division of Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU), has expanded an initiative that supports Southern Baptists’ work for children and families through a partnership with Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries in Monroe.
The initiative, which was first launched with Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes & Family Ministries and Arizona Baptist Children’s Services & Family Ministries in January, supports the work of the Baptist Coalition for Children and Families. Through this initiative, churches or individuals partner with WorldCrafts to support at-risk children and to provide life-sustaining work for global artisans and their families.
“The new WMU WorldCrafts initiative for Baptist Children’s Homes will make a significant impact on the lives of our children here in Louisiana,” said Perry Hancock, President and CEO of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries.
“LBCH is one of the few children’s homes across America that receives no government funding for the care of foster children. The new WMU project will help us expand our support of foster children both on campus in Monroe and across the state,” he continued. “Most of all, we will be able to continue our work of providing love, care, and hope in Christ for children in need. Thank you WMU for meeting needs and changing lives at Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home.”
Currently more than 430,000 children are in foster care in the United States, according to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS), the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families. Baptist children and family ministries serve this population through Christ-centered resources designed to protect foster children and to reunify families.
To support children served by local Baptist children and family ministries, churches or individuals can host a one month online WorldCrafts benefit. To begin the process of hosting a benefit, the benefit host will complete an online registration form.
Then WorldCrafts will create a unique promotion kit for the host, including a webpage, promotion code, media slides and sliders, social media images, and a bulletin insert. Twenty percent of all sales generated by the benefit will go directly to the host’s selected Baptist children and family ministry.
Sandy Wisdom-Martin, executive director of national WMU, said this initiative to assist Baptist children and family ministries is a natural fit for WorldCrafts.
“Most faith communities are aware of the foster care crisis in our country,” Wisdom-Martin said. “Many people have a desire to assist foster children, but don’t know how or where to get started. This initiative through WorldCrafts can help create connections between churches and families and their local Baptist children and family ministry.”
Like Baptist children and family ministries, WorldCrafts desires to bring grace and restoration to hurting people throughout the world.
WorldCrafts exists to develop sustainable, fair-trade businesses among impoverished people around the globe.
Its vision is to offer an income with dignity and the hope of everlasting life to every person on earth.
WorldCrafts encourages churches and individuals to partner with children and family ministries by
- Praying for their local Baptist children and family ministry.
- Supporting their local Baptist children and family ministry by hosting benefits and visiting WorldCrafts.org to learn how to raise awareness of their work in the community.
- Going to their local Baptist children and family ministry and exploring how to assist with current ministry needs.
