 Family Goes from Surviving to ThrivingSpotlight: The Larson Family
"Jill's House is going to keep us afloat. It is going to help take my family from surviving to thriving," said Cindy Larson, the mother of Jill's House guest Bridger, six years old. Born with a rare genetic disorder called congenital disorder glycosylation type 1a, Bridger is one of only 200 people in the United States with this condition, and he requires constant care. Bridger has seizure disorders, vision impairment, is fed through a tube, and has delayed speech and physical development.
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Bridger cried "More Jill's House!" after his first visit last month.
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Bridger had his first visit to Jill's House in late March. He was somewhat familiar with Jill's House since he attended an intake session earlier. "He rolled right in on his wheelchair," Cindy said, "and started pounding on the door to one of the sleeping areas, yelling 'Let me in!' He has never spent the night away from me, so I was concerned about the separation. But he wanted nothing to do with me, he was ready to play!"
"At the end of his first weekend, on the way home, he started sobbing as we pulled away from Jill's House, crying, 'More Jill's House!' Now that I know what a wonderful time he had there, I will have zero guilt about future visits." Read more.
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Serving Families Across the U.S.
Accessibility Summit brings potential partners together to serve more children.
The Accessibility Summit, held at McLean Bible Church April 19-20, brought together families and caregivers, faith-based organizations, service providers, teachers, and other professionals connected to the special needs community.
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Many Accessibility Summitt attendees stopped by the Jill's House display to learn more about ways to bring respite to families. |
Attendees came from around the country to learn how to better serve the children and adults they work with every day. The Jill's House staff was on hand to connect with other ministries and spread the word about bringing respite to more families in more locations.
"We were able to use this opportunity to speak with church staff from places like Florida, California and Tennessee," said Christine Walls, director of distributed programs for Jill's House. "It was a great way to build awareness and let other people know about the opportunities we have to get involved with our programs."
Jill's House partners with churches to bring our world-class program to more families in need. If you would like to learn more, contact christine.walls@jillshouse.org or call 703.639.5688.
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Enjoy Amy Grant Live and Help Jill's House Serve More Children
Join us for A Celebration of Special Children
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Hear Amy Grant and support the families of Jill's House. |
Join us Saturday, May 4 from 6-9 pm at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, as friends of Jill's House come together to celebrate special children and honor the courageous families who love them.
This black-tie event will feature Grammy and Dove Award winner Amy Grant, highlighting an elegant evening of uplifting music, delicious food, and inspirational stories of hope.
Hosted by Wayne and Catherine Reynolds and the Jill's House Board of Directors, the event will also feature a 45-piece orchestra from McLean Bible Church with guest emcees Leon Harris and Alison Starling of WJLA-TV/ABC 7.
The majority of your ticket is tax-deductible, so don't miss this opportunity to hear Amy Grant, help the children of Jill's House, and enjoy an evening you will never forget.
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Media Pro Trains Jill's House Ambassadors
Volunteer Spotlight: Lee Ann Brownlee
 You may recognize Lee Ann. A former news correspondent in the Washington, D.C. media market, she was also a television news anchor in Roanoke, Virginia. When she started a family, Lee Ann stepped back from the heavy demands of the broadcast media world to care for her growing family, but she didn't step back from sharing her amazing talents.
Lee Ann now balances raising her two girls with generously giving her time volunteering her media expertise to Jill's House. On April 10 she trained a group of Jill's House Ambassadors, preparing them to share the Jill's House story with groups and organizations interested in learning more about Jill's House and the children and families we serve. Read more.
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Our Ambassadors are trained and ready to go. Request a presentation for your company or organization today. |
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Jill's House Selects 2013 Fellows
Applicants come from around the country.
Now in its third year, the Jill's House Fellowship Program is larger and stronger than ever before. From a record-breaking 60 applicants, we selected nine fellows who will begin serving as childcare specialists starting in July 2013.
"We are overjoyed in having nine exceptional young ladies partake in the 2013 Fellowship Program," said Andrea Podermo, weekday program supervisor at Jill's House. "These qualified young ladies exemplify what Jill's House is all about by demonstrating a passion to serve Jesus, and we are highly expectant of what is to come."
This year's fellows are Charlotte Foland from Dublin, California; Jordain Gagliardi from Peoria, Arizona; Rebecca Jensen from Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania; Kayla Liminois from Perris, California; Ellen Meyer from Glen Ellyn, Illinois; Aleesa Ribbins from Holland, Michigan; Elise Roswell from Dallas, Texas; Ali Strawhun from Moscow Mills, Missouri; and Allie Wexler from Moultonborough, New Hampshire. Please join us in praying that God uses this program to bless and grow these women.
To learn more about the Jill's House Fellowship Program, visit jillshouse.org/fellows, email andrea.podermo@jillshouse.org or call 703.639.5685.
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Dance Raises $40K Toward New Bus -- $10K Still Needed
Big Band Dance for Jill's House
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Team Network came together to thank our many sponsors. We also want to thank Radio King Orchestra, Flying Feet, Ido Photography, and Unipark Valet for their contributions to make the evening a success. |
More than 100 friends of Jill's House danced the night away on Saturday, April 13 to the sounds of the Radio King Orchestra. Held at the private home of Colby and Nina May, the Big Band Dance for Jill's House included elegant hors d'oeuvres and a fabulous silent auction, and it raised nearly $40,000 to help bring Jill's House one step closer to buying a much-needed bus. Read more.
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Photo of the Month: Bryce and Titus
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Bryce was all smiles during time with Titus, the therapy dog. Titus looks pretty happy, too! |
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April 25, 2013
Since opening in October 2010, Jill's House has provided 205,741 hours of respite care. |
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May 4, 2013: A Celebration of Special Children, an inaugural benefit for Jill's House, at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, featuring Amy Grant
June 15, 2013: Ride for Jill's House, a 100-mile motorcycle ride
October 14, 2013: Links for Little Ones Golf Tournament, 1757 Golf Club
October 27, 2013: Team Jill's House - Marine Corps Marathon
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What Our Families Are Saying
"We were amazed at how special the staff made us feel from the moment we arrived (felt like VIPs) to the time we picked up our son. I have been dreaming of something like this to happen for some time and it was for real! The staff sent pictures to us on Saturday, which was a complete surprise! This was our son's first visit, and a wonderful and perfect experience for us -- thank you!"
"I just want to thank you so much for loving our daughter; she does a happy dance each time she approaches your front doors, and I never worry for a moment knowing that you take such good care of her. Thank you so much for your sacrificial service to 'the least of these.'"
"I really couldn't ask for more. I am so grateful my daughter can go to Jill's House. She comes home from her weekends with that 'Jill's House glow.'"
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Be a Part of Our Team
As Jill's House serves more children, we continue to need great people.
We are currently hiring for the following positions:
-Development and Events Manager
-PT Custodian
-PT Bus Driver
-PT Childcare Specialists
-PT Water Safety Instructors
-PT & FT Registered Nurses (RNs)
-PT & FT Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
View complete listing and job descriptions here.
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