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How it started (Fall 2004)I attend church in the inner city of Fort Worth. We minister to the needs of a very impoverished community by reaching out to the children there through after-school literacy programs, tutoring, hot meals, etc. In January of 2004, I was touched by one of the Moms who saw my scrapbooks and commented that she'd love to do something like that. But the cost - even if she did it the cheapest way possible - was too great. At that moment, I knew that I needed to provide a way to make it happen for her and other women like her.
I believe that every woman deserves the privilege of preserving her family's precious heritage....no matter how impoverished she may be. I decided to buy what I could afford to buy, and start on faith that more would come. I mentioned it in passing on ScrapShare - I didn't even ask for donations....I think I just mentioned that I was starting this ministry. Anyway.....people came out of the woodwork to donate to it!! One generous friend allowed me to place a $400 retail order, and she paid for the whole thing. I got lots of page refills, short cuts and adhesive with that order. Another friend sent 7 12x12 albums. Many others have sent Mrs G's stickers, die cuts, etc. Yet another sent pre-decorated pages and borders. I've been blown away by the generosity of my friends on the board!! Even so....keeping consumables like adhesive and pages in stock has been hard!!
The ministry has grown by leaps and bounds! In the summer of 2005, we moved the ministry from my home to the Fortress building, because we'd outgrown my house. The ladies come once a month for a scheduled crop, and several of them pop in during the month to get supplies or just to work on the albums on their own. My dear friend Kristi is as passionate and dedicated to this ministry as I am, and has been a huge blessing to it. It has been an amazingly rewarding experience! I love the women who come, and I am constantly touched by their devotion to their children. Some of the women are unwed teen mothers. Others are hard-working single Moms. Some are stay-at-home Moms with busy families who dedicate their talents and income to Fortress. Still others are students who are striving to get out of the cycle. They all have one thing in common - they love their families and want to preserve their memories!
You can find more info on ScrapShare by searching "Scrapbook Ministry" with my name.
This ministry would not be possible without the generous donations of my online scrapbooking friends. It truly is a nation-wide effort, and we at Fortress are thankful a thousand times over. |
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