The Canvas Chronicles - Holiday Edition
Champagne, candy canes and frosted terrain - oh my!
This time of year always brings back memories of warm Christmas parties with friends, fluffy ear muffs, the scent of spruce, layers upon layers of clothes, and cozy, crackling fires. Some may be roasting chestnuts on an open fire, but as for us, we will be sticking to the sweet stickiness of toasted marshmallows. We hope that this Chronicle reflects those warm, fuzzy feelings and encourages you to share that love with those in the Auburn community. Below we have included six mini-features on local organizations that we have been proud to represent this year. This Chronicle serves as a reminder that, even in the middle of a gift-getting month, giving is always far better than receiving.
The Nourish Foundation is a multi-faceted charity seeking to improve the lives of those in the Auburn-Opelika area, starting with their stomachs. Their mission is to tackle food insecurity in the community through their two initiatives Nourish, AL and Nourish Wellness. Through Nourish, AL, the foundation provides fresh produce to food insecure families in the Lee County area. Additionally, through Nourish Wellness, they holistically approach the treatment of lifestyle illnesses for children and their families. During this holiday season, Nourish Wellness has opened a Holiday Gift Drive, which can be found here.
Founded in 2009, the Big House Foundation’s goal is to connect the needs of foster families with the generosity of the community, through the love of Jesus Christ. By meeting the needs of the community’s foster families, they hope to make a positive, lasting effect on the children in the foster care system. They seek to meet the needs of those without a permanent home, pairing them with and supporting those trying to provide the care and affection each foster child needs. To support the mission of the Big House Foundation, and foster children/families in our community, visit their website here.
Featured in July, Alongside Ministry is the foster care and adoption ministry at Auburn Community Church. They support foster and adoptive families with care communities - small groups of adults who commit to helping with practical needs such as meals, babysitting, helping around the house and of course, prayer. In addition, they help prayerfully equip families who may desire to adopt or foster one day. Visit their website to support their ministry during this giving season.
Baby Steps, featured in our August Canvas Chronicles, enables pregnant and parenting students facing an unplanned pregnancy at Auburn University to have their education and their babies by providing housing, support and community. Very few colleges in the United States offer any resources for pregnant/parenting women pursuing their degrees. This often leads to women having to choose between her education and her baby. By offering housing, support and community to Student-Moms in unplanned pregnancies, Baby Steps meets a critical need by empowering them to have BOTH their education and baby. As new women continue to come in every day, their needs are continually changing. There are two ways to support: buying products off of their Wayfair page, or by donating on their website.
Esperanza House is a Christian non-profit organization here in East Alabama. The goal of Esperanza House is to walk alongside and strive to improve the quality of life for Hispanic and/or low income children and families in the Auburn/ Opelika area. They hold countless events for the community such as food and clothing distributions, after school tutoring, Wednesday night Worship, and so much more. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for the children and families by helping them successfully integrate into society through our faith in Jesus Christ. To donate, visit their donations page.
The mission of Women’s Hope is to glorify God through sharing the Gospel of Christ while empowering individuals to make healthy, godly decisions for life. Their vision is for East Alabama to be a community of Christ-followers who value the sanctity of human life. In the last year, over 1,000 women and men have been served through the Clinic and Family Center. All of this is made possible only by the generosity of people like you! Your support will provide life-saving services to families, including: pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, prenatal care, parenting education, mentorship, counseling and the opportunity to hear the Gospel. You can join the mission by volunteering, hosting a donation drive for baby items, or partnering with Women’s Hope as a monthly donor.