1. URGENT NEED: Sponsor a Child for a Night

2. Family Spotlight: The Marsh Family

3. Volunteer Profile: Leah Newton

4. Jill's House Ranked Seventh on ExxonMobil Giving List!

5. National Religion Website Features Interview with Jill's House President and CEO

6. Jill's House Joins United Way--#8244!

7. Photo of the Month--Baylor University Visits Jill's House

We need many more Sponsor-a-Child-for-a-Night monthly sponsors!

Watch the Sponsor-a-Child-for-a-Night video.

Our weeknight program is quickly filling up, and without

monthly sponsorships, we are unable to give the gift of Jill's House to the many children and families who are waiting to come. In order to provide monthly respite to our growing family base, we need monthly recurring sponsors. Here's why:

There are so many families that are in desperate need of a break, and we cannot do this without you. Please consider becoming a monthly sponsor today. Your donation of $125 per month will allow us to provide a night of respite to a family in need, and give its child the chance to take part in activities he or she is otherwise unable to do. 

In addition, one gracious family has donated $425,000 to Jill's House as a matching challenge for the Sponsor-a-Child-for-a-Night program. So far, Jill's House has raised $262,000 toward this match. Will you prayerfully consider helping Jill's House raise the additional $163,000 needed? Your gift will have twice the impact. All gifts received by March 31, 2012, will count toward the match. 

You can become a monthly sponsor individually, or with your family, friends, club or Bible study group. These families need your help! Please consider becoming a monthly sponsor today. 

Learn more about the Sponsor-a-Child-for-a-Night program or become a monthly partner now when you contact Althea Katona at althea.katona@jillshouse.org or 703.639.5666.

The Marsh Family. From left: Ethan, Stephanie, Tom and Sterling.

A few years ago, the Marsh family heard at church, "You're not going to have an easy life. You're going to have trials and tribulations." Over the last eight years, Stephanie and Tom Marsh have embraced this truth as they raised their son with special needs, Sterling (8), and their typically developing son, Ethan (5).

From birth, Sterling did not follow traditional developmental patterns. As time went on, it became apparent that he was not meeting his gross motor and speech milestones. Finally, after rigorous testing and therapies, the Marshes learned that Sterling was born with congenital encephalopathy and developmental delays. To Stephanie and Tom, this complicated diagnosis has meant dealing with endless doctor visits, a variety of ongoing therapies and unexpected challenges daily. "With Sterling, we're constantly in vigilance mode. He doesn't know how to protect himself and doesn't know what danger is," says Stephanie. "He needs constant adult supervision. To do that 24/7 is exhausting. Unless you've experienced it firsthand, it's difficult to imagine how draining it can be."
 
It was in the midst of an intensely difficult year in which Stephanie lost her dad that the family discovered Jill's House. "God's timing is amazing. We needed a break so badly, and it came the first weekend Sterling visited Jill's House. We had been hanging on by a thread," says Stephanie. 
 
Sterling has become a Jill's House regular, enjoying weekend getaways and day camps at Jill's House throughout the year. His home away from home gives Sterling a chance to make new friends and visit old friends, which Stephanie says are like extended family to him. While Sterling is at Jill's House, Stephanie and Tom are able to recharge, spend time together and give one-on-one attention to Ethan.
 
Now Stephanie reflects on her family's struggles with thankfulness because she's encouraged to know others understand how hard it can be to raise a child with special needs. Stephanie says, "We've learned to trust that God will carry us through whatever we go through ... no matter what it is. Throughout our journey, we've seen the Bible verse Matthew 7:7-8 to be true in our lives: 'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.'" 

Read more stories from the families Jill's House has served. 

Back to top. 

Leah Newton actively volunteers at Jill's House.

Leah Newton shares her experience as a Jill's House volunteer.

JH: Tell us about yourself. 

LN: Last spring, I completed my associate's degree in Business Administration at Northern Virginia Community College. At that time, I made a year-long commitment to serve as caretaker for my mother and my brother. My mother is undergoing medical treatment and my brother (23) has autism. He requires round-the-clock care. Recently, I decided I want to become an ABA (applied behavioral analysis) therapist--one who helps patients overcome mental and social disabilities. My goal is to work with young adults with special needs and help them become independent. 

LN: A friend brought me to McLean Bible Church for the first time last year. I had not been to a church in years. During the service, Pastor Lon Solomon showed a Jill's House video, spoke about the ministry and invited people in the congregation to volunteer. I will never forget the sense of purpose that overcame me. I had just begun my year-long commitment of caring for my family and had never thought about the families who do not receive respite. I knew I needed to get involved with Jill's House! 

JH: Describe your responsibilities at Jill's House. 

LN: I volunteer in the pool--supervising the children as they swim, keeping them engaged in activities and helping them to interact with their peers. 

LN: It is so rewarding to see the children with physical disabilities splashing in the pool! It's the one time in their lives they feel weightless and not pulled down by their bodies. They inspire me and give me courage. 

LN: Find an activity or a way to serve that you are passionate about and volunteer! 

If you'd like to learn more about becoming a Jill's House volunteer, visit jillshouse.org/volunteer, or contact Jan Pascoe at jan.pascoe@jillshouse.org or 703.639.5665.

We are so grateful to ExxonMobil and its employees for their enthusiastic support of Jill's House!  Of the hundreds of national and international charities on the ExxonMobil list, we are honored that Jill's House, a relatively small charity, ranked seventh in giving and pledges.  As a result, Jill's House received a grant of $44,000 on behalf of ExxonMobil Employees' Favorite Charities Campaign.

"We are so thankful to the ExxonMobil leadership and employees for their generosity. Their gifts to Jill's House enable us to celebrate children with special needs and renew their families," said Denise Daffron, vice president of advancement of Jill's House. "This grant gives the gift of Jill's House to many more special children and the gift of time to the ones who love them. And for that, we are truly grateful."

Last month, Jill's House President and CEO Cameron Doolittle was featured on Patheos.com--a website dedicated to engaging in the global dialogue about religion and spirituality. Read Cameron's interview in its entirety, including his discussion of the challenges and misconceptions facing families with children with special needs, the services Jill's House provides and Jill's House's current needs. 

Jill's House is officially a United Way National Capital Area partner. Here's how you can help:

To learn more, contact Althea Katona at althea.katona@jillshouse.org or 703.639.5666. Jill's House United Way catalog number is 8244.