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 In This Newsletter
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Memorable videos from 2013
We are so privileged to share the inspirational stories of the courageous families Jill's House serves. To provide a glimpse into the lives of some of these families, we create videos that inform and inspire. In case you missed them, here are three from 2013:
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The Woodlins: A widower keeps faith strong through support from Jill's House.
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The Spies Family: Jill's House is a special place just for teenager Emily.
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The Garveys: Jill's House stands behind this single dad's decision to keep son at home
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You can find more stories of inspiration in our past newsletters, with more videos to come in 2014.
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In 2013 You Saved Marriages, Made Spiritual Impact and So Much More!
Thank you for making a difference
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Dorian danced the night away with her dad at the Jill's House Joy Prom last spring.
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Through your giving, praying and volunteering, you helped save marriages, keep families together, make spiritual impact and create ordinary experiences for extraordinary children. Below are just a few of the ways you have made a difference:
You created ordinary experiences for extraordinary families. Through events such as our Joy Prom and Variety Show, your generosity helps give families normalcy and provide typical experiences they otherwise would not have. A mother of a boy we serve said, "I never believed it would be possible for my son to stand up in front of a group, sing his heart out, and have people clap for him. Thank you for making this ordinary experience possible for my extraordinary son."
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Watch this inspirational story of a marriage saved.
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You helped save marriages. Katie, a child we serve, does not sleep. Before connecting with Jill's House, Katie's parents were ready to give up on their marriage. They tried to keep their family, job and marriage strong on little to no sleep, but they were at a breaking point. Now during Katie's visits to Jill's House, her parents get regular rest and the chance to connect with each other and their other daughter. Katie's mom recently told us, "Jill's House saved our lives."
You kept families together. One child we serve has severe behavioral issues stemming from his intellectual disability. He was very close to being institutionalized prior to coming to Jill's House. Thanks to you, his family is renewed during his Jill's House visits, giving them the strength they need to keep him home, where he belongs.
You made spiritual impact. The father of one of the children we serve recently joined God's family because, in his words, he saw the people of Jill's House (like you!) "walking the walk and not just talking the talk." Other parents, children, donors, volunteers and even strangers open their hearts to God when they see His love reflected here. In fact, the father of one of our volunteers accepted God after a visit to Jill's House, just two days before he passed away.
You made these inspirational stories possible! Since Jill's House receives no direct public funding, your gifts make a direct impact on families like these and hundreds more like them. Thank you for making a difference.
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Martina McBride to Perform at A Celebration of Special Children
Four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year to highlight event on May 30, 2014
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Martina McBride will headline A Celebration of Special Children.
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Martina McBride and the McLean Bible Church Orchestra and Choir will be the featured entertainment at A Celebration of Special Children, an Evening of Inspiration for Jill's House. Leon Harris and Alison Starling of ABC7/WJLA-TV will be guest emcees.
Graciously hosted by Wayne and Catherine Reynolds, the black-tie event will honor the courageous families Jill's House serves on Friday, May 30, at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. Acuity, Inc. and the Johnson Group are presenting sponsors.
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Watch "God's Will" and catch a glimpse of the heart Martina McBride has for children with special needs.
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Join us for this elegant evening of music, exquisite dinner and inspirational stories of hope. To sponsor the event, reserve a table or learn more, visit jillshouse.org/celebration. You can also contact Teresa Lee at events@jillshouse.org or 703.639.5670.
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Thank You for Your Gracious Support!
Donors came together to match -- and well exceed -- $200,000 matching gift
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Katie's smile says it all! If she could talk, she would thank you for making her stays at Jill's House possible.
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Thank you for your generosity in 2013 to transform lives, save marriages and lift up the families Jill's House serves. Because of you, Jill's House provided over 135,000 hours of respite in 2013 alone, with more than 309,000 cumulative hours of respite since we opened our doors in 2010. We served 345 families in 2013, including 74 new families. We also expanded our national programs to serve families in Colorado Springs, CO, Los Angeles, CA, and Austin, TX.
God is so good! Last month an anonymous donor challenged friends of Jill's House to match a generous $200,000 end-of-year donation. We asked you to pray to help us reach this goal and go beyond to raise a total of $1.2 million in the last 45 days of the year. God heard and answered your prayers by providing exactly what we asked for! Total end-of-year giving not only met but exceeded our goal.
Thank you for providing hope and renewal to deserving families here and across the country. If you gave $100 or more in 2013, please look for your giving statement in the mail next week. We are so grateful for you.
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Setting a goal to serve 1,000 families in 20 cities by the year 2020
The vision of Jill's House is to change the face of disability ministry in America so that each family of a child with intellectual disabilities has overnight respite within reach and a connection to a church that embraces them.
To this end, Jill's House will launch 20 camp-based programs around the country by 2020. Drawing on the training and expertise developed at our world-leading facility, Jill's House will plant programs that bring the gift of overnight respite -- and an introduction to Jesus -- to more than 1,000 families.
To make this vision a reality, Jill's House will prayerfully identify geographic areas that present the best opportunities, launching one or two camp-based programs each year. Each program will start with quarterly weekend respite, ramping up to 20-30 weekends of respite.
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Learn how your group can change lives in just three short days as part of an OXYGEN3 team.
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We will do this by identifying local leaders, finding excellent locations, partnering with a local church, and raising funds. For this plan to succeed, we must also recruit OXYGEN3 missionaries to serve as buddies to children with special needs under the guidance of Jill's House staff.
OXYGEN3 mission trips provide a high-impact, weekend experience that welds teams together and gives missionaries a glimpse of God's heart for disability. If you know a group of 10 to 15 people (16 years or older) that wants to make a real impact on the life of a child, they can learn more and sign up at oxygen3.org.
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Busy professional makes positive impact on children, families and staff
JH: How did you first hear about Jill's House?
JW: I came to your Open House last October and started volunteering the next month. Since then, I've been helping out about twice a week, once on weekends and once during the week. I will do whatever is asked, but so far I've worked directly with the children.
JH: What made you want to volunteer?
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Jeff, a CFO consultant, makes time to help at Jill's House twice a week.
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JW: My wife Mary and I have friends raising children with special needs. In one case, the parents have not been out together in 11 years, since their son was born. When I realized that in one volunteer effort I can help a child play and learn, assist a childcare specialist, and make it possible for parents to get some much-needed rest, it made volunteering very easy. How often do you get to help three different groups of people with one volunteer experience?
JH: What do you like best about volunteering at Jill's House?
JW: When a child reacts with a huge smile to something he or she has never experienced before.
JH: Do you have any special experiences that stand out?
JW: One day there were five children shooting basketballs in the gym. We had only three balls, but the staff and I did not have to ask the children to take turns; they did a beautiful job sharing among themselves. It was awesome to watch them give each other a turn to shoot. The kids we serve are amazing human beings.
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Photo of the Month: Eli
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Eli enjoyed winter fun at Jill's House Blue Ridge with OXYGEN3 team members Kim (left) and Alyssa from Paul VI High School.
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January 31, 2014
Since opening in October 2010, Jill's House has provided 309,844 hours of respite care.
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Jill's House Fellow and Intern Applications Now Being Accepted
Do you know someone about to graduate college with a nursing, social work or special education degree?
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Watch this video and learn more about becoming a Jill's House Fellow.
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We are now accepting applications for Jill's House Fellows and Summer Interns. Deadline is February 28. For more information, visit jillshouse.org/fellows.
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Jill's House Partners with Joni and Friends
The world's leading disability ministry, Joni & Friends, is partnering with Jill's House and Access Ministry to give interns a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience all aspects of disability ministry, from a mission trip to Haiti, to service at Jill's House Tysons, to supporting the ministry of Access, to spending weekends at Jill's House Chesapeake Bay.
Those interested raise some support, with scholarships available through Joni & Friends. To learn more, visit Cause 4 Life.
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Accessibility Summit Coming to MBC
April 4-5
The 2014 Accessibility Summit, a conference for the special needs community, will be held at McLean Bible Church Tysons April 4-5. The keynote speaker is Dr. Paula Kluth, a highly respected expert on inclusive education and the author of numerous books on the subject.
During the two-day conference, there will be 45 workshops of interest to parents, teachers, churches, or professionals connected to children or adults with special needs.
Visit accessibilitysummit.org for more information. Immediate members of families currently served by Jill's House are eligible for a discounted rate of $65 for a basic registration. Use the promo code JILL14 when registering online. For more information contact Rosie Oakley at 703.770.2918 or rosie.oakley@mcleanbible.org.
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What Our Families Are Saying
"Our daughter had a blast at Jill's House! My husband and I were having a really rough week, and you contacted us about a spot that was available at the last minute. It was an answer to our prayers. I don't know what would have happened if we were unable to work on our marriage. Thank you so much for being a blessing to so many."
"My son is overjoyed to attend Jill's House. He always has a wonderful time, and I am very thankful to the Jill's House staff for allowing my son the opportunity to be himself. Thank you for encouraging him!"
"Our time of respite allows us to breathe and focus on our marriage, which we sometimes neglect."
"In the words of Mary Poppins, Jill's House is practically perfect in every way!" |
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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 position:
-PT Childcare Specialists
View complete listing and job descriptions here.
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Volunteer at Jill's House
If you are 16 or older, visit jillshouse.org/volunteer to explore ways you can serve children, help with administrative tasks, and more!
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Watch this video to learn how you can make a direct difference in the life of a child with special needs.
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Donate Your Old Vehicle and Help Us Serve More Families
Wondering what do to with your old car, truck, motorcycle, RV or boat? Donating it to Jill's House is convenient, easy and may qualify you for a tax deduction. Best of all, your donation will make a big difference in helping Jill's House provide respite to families. To learn more, call 866.628.2277.
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