Caring Times

June 2019HopeTree Family Services

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The Developmental Disabilities Ministry shall develop, carry out, and regularly monitor policies and procedures governing discrimination in the provision of services to adult residents with developmental disabilities. HopeTree Family Services shall comply with all state and federal laws, including any applicable provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 USC 2101 et seq.), prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnicity, age, gender, disability, or ability to pay.

Caring Times is published four times per year by HopeTree Family Services, 860 Mt. Vernon Lane, Salem, VA 24153. CaringTimes@HopeTreeFS.org Phone: (540) 389-2112 Select photos may represent volunteers and not actual clients of HopeTree.Publisher...............................................................................................................................................Dr. Stephen RichersonEditor........................................................................................................................................................................Mark Early Staff Writer.................................................................................................................................................................Janna Lee

HopeTree Family Services' Board of TrusteesThe following individuals selflessly give of their time, talent, and expertise to

provide guidance and direction to HopeTree Family Services.

Lauren R. Beckner - Troutville, VA

R. Wayne Brockwell - Midlothian, VA

Dr. Herbert O. Browning - Midlothian, VA

Charles E. Clement - Chesterfield, VA

Stephanie Pitsenberger Cook - Roanoke, VA

Rev. George H. Fletcher, III - Midlothian, VA

John M. Garnett, III - Spotsylvania, VA

Ann McGee Green - Roanoke, VA

Sydney Gustafson - Chesterfield, VA

Derek T. Hicks - Roanoke, VA

Dr. Melissa A. Jackson - Richmond, VA

Dr. Forest Jones - Salem, VA

Edith M. Kennedy - Gainesville, VA

L. Richard Martin, Jr. - North Chesterfield, VA

Morgan M. Meador - Richmond, VA

Mia Pumo - Salem, VA

Glenn P. Reynolds - Blacksburg, VA

Thomas M. Stover - Salem, VA

Paul D. Taylor - Salem, VA

Rev. Peyton Wiltshire - Fredericksburg, VA

Richard W. Wright - Richmond, VA

On the Cover: A HopeTree Academy student crafted the Amazing Grace sculpture from horseshoes in his welding class.

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directions. We hope and trust that those in our care will take our message of God's love into their hearts. We also hope and trust that God will nurture the seeds we sow in the souls of those who come to us.

Finally, we hope and trust that those who support our ministry will remain faithful in their support year after year.

Meeting each person where they are in their journey and helping them overcome their personal obstacles is a tremendous challenge. But with your support and God's guidance, we persevere. We push on through the difficulties and trials because we trust that, in the end, each individual is worthy of our efforts and capable of becoming the glorious person God created them to be.

Persevering.

A Message of Hope

“[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes,

always perseveres.” --1 Corinthians 13:7

Love calls us to do amazing things; challenging things that often seem too difficult for us to achieve. But we attempt them anyway because the most difficult things tend to be the most worthwhile.

HopeTree Family Services was established almost 130 years ago primarily to protect children who had no one else to turn to for safety. They were orphans who had been set adrift by circumstances beyond their control. Our founders must have taken this verse to heart when they vowed to protect those children and the children they knew who would come after them.

All these years later, we still protect, trust, hope, and persevere. We continue to protect children and youth in ways our founders could not have imagined. We also provide a vast array of services for a vital group of men and women who once were not welcomed as full members of society. Now we help adults with intellectual disabilities them find their rightful places in their communities. The story about Debbie and David in this edition of Caring Times will illustrate that very well.

Our hope and trust are sent in three

Dr. Stephen W. RichersonPresident

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2019 Walk for HopeDespite a rainy forecast, nearly 100 HopeTree supporters joined us on the morning of May 11 for the 27th Annual Walk for Hope. While the attendance may have been dampened by the impending rain, we certainly reveled in the showers of blessings bestowed upon us by friends and sponsors.

Once the miles were walked and the numbers tallied the generosity totaled just over $20,000 in support for HopeTree's ministries to at-risk children and youth and to adults with intellectual disabilities.

If you would like to conduct a Hope event of your own, please contact Chas Colley at:

(540) 389-2112 or CColley@HopeTreeFS.org

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Thank you to all of our sponsors for their wonderful contributions!

Jamison’s Orchards

The Cartledge Foundation

Dominion Service

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School's Out!

The HopeTree Academy graduating class of 2019 tosses their mortarboards into the air to celebrate their achievements.

The seven members of the HopeTree Academy Class of 2019 received priceless gifts during their time at HopeTree: guidance, compassion, instruction, and encouragement. These remarkable young men and women received their diplomas on May 23rd thanks to their hard work, support from their families, encouragement from friends, and compassion from HopeTree supporters whose generosity make the Academy possible.

Salem City Vice-Mayor Jane Johnson provided the Commencement Address and encouraged the graduates to further their education as it enhances their career pursuits. Furthermore, she implored them to become fully engaged in their

Continuing an Academy tradition, each graduate rang the campus bell announcing their transition into their next phase of life.

communities, citing the need for passionate young people to step forward and use their energy to make the world a better place.

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2nd Annual Branch Gives Art ShowDemonstrates Student Achievement

Most students seldom have the opportunity to display what they learn in school other than through grade reports and test scores. Thanks to the resounding generosity of a Roanoke-based foundation, HopeTree Academy students have a remarkable opportunity to display their growing art skills.

Branch Gives, the philanthropic division of The Branch Group, for the second year in a row provided funds for HopeTree Academy's art program to purchase an array of materials to create items for a public art show. The art was put on display at Branch Builds' headquarters in nearby

Branch Gives Art Show patrons admire a sample of the hundreds of incredible art pieces created by HopeTree Academy students.

Roanoke. The show was open to the public with many pieces offered for auction as an additional fund raiser for the art program.

At the show's conclusion, 177 pieces were obtained in exchange for contributions totaling roughly $2,000. More important than the funds generated was the pride students showed as they pointed out their work to their friends and families. Branch Gives' generosity created a unique opportunity for each HopeTree Academy student to proudly display pieces they created with their own hands and hearts.

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From a delicate pottery air plant hanger (top left) to a horseshoe crab crafted from a horseshoe (top right) by a student in the Academy's welding class; from the sublime to the whimsical, (bottom), HopeTree students created breathtaking art thanks to excellent instruction from art teacher Amanda Atkinson and support from Branch Gives.

"Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning."

--Proverbs 9:9

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Whether we call them mistakes, trials, or disruptions, when things go wrong for foster parents they tend to tell us “I feel like a failure”. There is a point in our foster parent training class where we address this issue and have the class talk to an experienced foster parent. Tough times may feel like “failure” but they are actually opportunities for learning, growth and role modeling resilience to our kids. They are also a good opportunity to apologize to our children; to show remorse and ask for forgiveness. Every parent needs GRACE. Every foster parent will go through rough times. So, what do our seasoned foster parents have to say about this?

Here are some insightful comments from HopeTree foster parents.

All foster children are not “troubled kids”. They need guidance, love, support and grace.All experiences shape our lives and

for children who have had their formative years altered by adverse childhood experiences, it can take some time to reshape and restore.

Most behaviors are a response to unmet needs.

"The general belief that foster children are 'difficult kids' is misleading. Yes, they may have some behaviors that need to be worked

on, but they are not in foster care because they did something wrong. Something bad has happened to them and they have to process it. There is so much unknown about what their future is and where they are going to be. Acting out is their way of controlling the situation. You have to work with them and show them that you are there."

–HopeTree Foster ParentDon’t focus so much on the rules

Working It OutLittle adjustments can lead to big changes.

This is the first installment of a two-part featurearticle on providing foster care.

The conclusion will appear in the next issue of Caring Times.

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that you forget the relationship. Relationships are the framework for

change and healing. Without that relationship, change will not occur.

"Remember; it’s about the child. When our first child was placed with us and we learned about the situation and looked at his [file], we were concerned if we could handle him. The first night he talked with us about past issues. We told him we were starting with a clean slate and this was his chance to excel.

We discussed how we would all work and communicate together to make the household work for everyone. We all had to make some changes, but it has worked and our household is perfect. We built a family unit without the expectation of just him having to accommodate to fit in.

We held onto our core rules and restrictions but changed small things that would work for everyone. Those small changes made a huge impact because he felt like he had some input instead of just being a visitor. Our experience is that children do not want a lot, they just want someone to pay attention to them and help them."

–HopeTree Foster Parent

"Be ready to be flexible. Foster kids need boundaries that help them heal and relate, not rules for the sake of compliance."

– HopeTree Foster Parent

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning

I will sing of your love;for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble."

Psalm 59:16

Chester, VA HopeTree Foster Care Offices

June 10 July 15August 12

Richmond, VA Virginia Baptist Resource Center

June 11 July 16August 13

Martinsville, VAMcCabe Memorial Baptist Church

June 13 July 11August 8

Salem, VA HopeTree Family Services

June 27 July 25August 22

Abingdon, VA Abingdon Baptist Church

July 18

For more information, please visit HopeTreeFosterCare.org

or call (888) 854-0001.

2019 Foster Care

Information Sessions

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Making Their Wayin the World

David and Debbie are not exceptional. With regards to other Developmental Disabilities Ministry (DDM) participants, they are much like everyone else; charming, witty, motivated, eager to step out and take their places in their respective communities.

DDM staff provide assistance and support as necessary, but Debbie and David are blessed with their own internal motivation. For Debbie, that motivation recently took the form of wanting a job. Keeshia

Reese, manager of the Fife Home in Abingdon where Debbie lives, made arrangements for Debbie to participate in physical and occupational therapy to overcome some health issues. This gave Debbie the extra assistance she needed to begin volunteering throughout the community to gain work experience.

"It's really exciting to see that functional change in someone that other people may have given up on in the past. To see her do the same things I do every day and be just

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,so you must love one another." --John 13:34

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as proficient, how much better can it get than that," said Occupational Therapist Krista Jones of Debbie's progress with therapy.

Debbie has volunteered a great deal of her time at the Bristol Salvation Army and the Bristol Library, among others. These activities give her additional opportunities to truly engage with her community and build lasting relationships outside of DDM that will greatly enhance her overall quality of life, as well as the lives of those who get to know her.

Five hours away in Richmond, David follows his own motivation into the spotlight with a community theatre group. A long-time fan of the stage, David has performed in many productions over the years. His most recent role was with SPARC, an inclusive theatre group which boasts an array of student and adult performers with and without disabilities.

Erin Thomas-Foley, SPARC's Senior Director of Education, says this experience was tailor-made for David.

"He was enthusiastic when we first met him. He was wonderful. He was ready to sing and ready to dance. He was so polite and so kind to everyone. He is a joy as a human being and he is a joy to perform with," Thomas-Foley said.

"HopeTree has given David a great deal of independence and helped

him gain a great deal of confidence. He has really come out of his shell, thanks to HopeTree," said David's mother, Carol Williams.

DDM Area Coordinator Kristen McPherson says DDM is designed to provide all participants many opportunities to follow personal journeys of growth and discovery just like Debbie and David.

"We don't run an institutionalized setting. Our schedules are flexible. All the ladies in this home are involved in making decisions in how they want to live their own lives," McPherson said.

"When you see how much being able to direct her own life and be out in the community has helped her come out of her shell, it has made such a life difference. People should not limit others based on what they think others can do. You don't know what someone's possibilities are," Jones added.

To learn more about DDM and the marvelous life changes this program provides, please call (540) 387-5024 or (804) 545-1206.

If you'd like to see David and Debbie's individual stories, please visit our website or YouTube channel.

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HopeTree ClassicThe 2019 HopeTree Classic teed off at the Birkdale Golf Club in Chester, VA on May 2.

Sixty-eight golfers took their best swings in support of HopeTree's ministries to at-risk children and youth, as well as adults with intellectual disabilities. Their generosity and the tremendous support from our gracious sponsors, generated $13,000.

The next HopeTree Classic Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 10 at:

Botetourt Golf Club 2414 Country Club Rd.

Troutville, VA 24175

If you are interested in sponsoring a hole or playing in our tournament, please contact:

Janna LeeSpecial Events Coordinator

PO Box 849Salem, VA 24153(540) 389-2112

JannaL@HopeTreeFS.org

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Rev. George Fletcher

Kisiack Golf Club • Brandermill Country ClubIndependence Golf Club • Rodan & Fields - Wendy Ennis

Chick-fil-A • Pies & Pints • Virginia Peanut Growers Association

Chris & Shannon Updike

HopeTree Family Services extends its deepest appreciation to the generous sponsors who made the HopeTree Classic golf

tournament possible.

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You shop. Amazon gives.Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Kroger Community RewardsKroger is committed to helping our communities grow and prosper. Year after year, local schools, churches and other nonprofit organizations will earn millions of dollars through Kroger Community Rewards.Kroger Community Rewards makes fund-raising easy..all you have to do is shop at Kroger and swipe your Plus Card!

You can easily make a contribution to HopeTree Family Services each time you go shopping. Simply sign up for your merchant's rewards program and designate

HopeTree as your charity of choice. Most grocery and department stores have similar programs to the two examples below. Furthermore, many companies offer

gift-matching programs to their employees. Check with your own employer to see if they will match your own charitable contributions.

Speaking of Contributions....HopeTree received a gracious donation of $1,000 from Inve$tCo this past December.

We also were the recipients of $3,310 from the Iris Snyder McCallum Fund of the Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia in March.

HopeTree truly appreciates all contributions and giftsin support of our ministry to at-risk children and youth

as well as individuals with intellectual disabilities.

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Children’s Ministry HonorsJanuary 1 - April 30, 2019

The following individuals have been honored or memorialized by contributions to HopeTree due to the powerful impact they made in the lives of others.

Honors & MemorialsBrannock, Walter L.Mrs. Elva M. Brannock

Cox, LillianBroaddus Sunday School Class

Dwyer, Linda S.Mr. Roy Dwyer

Fishback, Rev. FrankLong Branch Baptist Church

Flora, Lee & BeckyMr. & Mrs. Michael L. Bowles

Lawson, PollyChestnut Grove Baptist Church

Loftin, GayChestnut Grove Baptist Church

Wiard, DanSalisbury Presbyterian Church

Young, Rev. & Mrs. Paige YoungMr. & Mrs. Don L. Bradley

Children’s Ministry MemorialsJanuary 1 - April 30, 2019

Baker, MaxineMs. Doris F. Farmer

Barker, Peggie S.Ms. Betty B. Jackson

Barnes, NealMs. Doris F. Farmer

Bowles, Hazel WhitlockMr. & Mrs. Michael L. Bowles

Buracker, Hester MaeMs. Doris F. Farmer

Byrum, John HenryMr. & Mrs. James W. Holland

Cantrell, KayMs. Doris F. Farmer

Davenport, Dallas & MaryMs. Sandra S. Johnson

DeFord, Edward F.Mrs. Iris K. DeFord

To recognize a special person in your life,complete the form on the reply envelope included with

this magazine and return it along with your gift.

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Denny, RandallMrs. Henrietta B. BassMs. Shelly Dungee

Dixon, JoeMr. C. Ray Hudgins

Donahue, ImogeneMs. Holly L. Roark

Dunn, Vergie DrewreyMrs. Janice D. White

Good, GeraldMs. Doris F. Farmer

Gray, BettyMs. Doris F. Farmer

Griffith, GilbertMs. Doris F. Farmer

Griffith, Martha A.Ms. Doris F. Farmer

Groves, JuneMr. & Mrs. Bernard F. Tautkus

Hayes, Thomas GrayMs. Betty B. Jackson

Hough, JaneMr. Ollie W. Pickral

Howard, Elizabeth G.Mr. & Mrs. Henry Howard

Hutcherson, LauraMs. Doris F. Farmer

Johnson, Charles B. (Chuck), Jr.Mr. Charles Johnson

Johnson, Delma T. Mr. Charles Johnson

Kelly, Danny & Tim & R.C.Mrs. Almeda S. Kelly

Lawson, Frank H.Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. AtkinsMs. Joyce A. Lanier

McNamara, OliviaMs. Charlotte E. Whitley

Mustoe, EllenMr. & Mrs. Phillip W. Bailey

Obenshain, JulianMrs. Joyce F. Obenshain

Perkins, Helen PhilipsMs. Nancy P. Williams

Rowe, JoyceMs. Doris F. Farmer

Russell, ElaineMs. Doris F. Farmer

Shirley, TommyMs. Doris F. Farmer

Simpson, Mr. & Mrs. Vinson B.Mr. & Mrs. Thomas G. Bracy

Vico, Helen M.Mr. & Mrs. John B. Suddarth

Vinson, Milton & LotieMr. & Mrs. Stephen T. Vinson

Wilson, Thomas & EstherMr. & Mrs. Bill M. Gentry

Winstead, Mr. & Mrs. MalcomMr. & Mrs. James L. Bacigalupi

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Developmental Disabilities Ministry Honors

January 1 - April 30, 2019

Day, LarryWomen on Mission, First Baptist Church of Rich Creek

Hughes, KittyMr. & Mrs. Richard D. JusticeMs. Courtney Wyatt

Wade, GerriMr. Tommy Wilkinson

Scott, Rachel AnnMs. Dorothy S. Adams

Developmental DisabilitiesMinistry Memorials

October 1 - December 31, 2018

Burgess, Mildred Y.Mr. Dewitt F. Burgess

Milam, Catherine HowardMs. Myra A. Milam

Mullins, BertMr. & Mrs. James C. Hughes

Mullins, MarjorieMr. & Mrs. Terry L. BarcoMr. & Mrs. Ray T. EskewMs. Nadine B. FarmerMr. & Mrs. James C. HughesMs. Betty JacksonMr. & Mrs. Tim M. OxleyThe Rehoboth TrustMr. & Mrs. Tom SheltonMs. Millie Willis

Pollock, Gregory LewisMr. & Mrs. R. Wayne Ogden

Price, Jack M.D.Mrs. Melanie D. Green

John Garnett of Spotslvania has served on HopeTree's Board of Trustees for nearly 15 years. His mother served on the Board for many years as well. He encourages everyone who has a heart for ministry to strongly consider supporting HopeTree with their prayers, energy, and resources.

"There is a good reason to invest in HopeTree. The assets that

go to HopeTree are used in the most careful fashion. We're touching the lives of a small

number of people compared to the needs. We know there are always more needs than there are assets. HopeTree is a good place to take care of some of

those needs."

--John Garnett

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