The 3rd graders at Bethesda Christian School collected hygiene items, brought them to Cornerstone, and put together 172 bags for people in need! We were blessed by their servant hearts. They made a second trip to Cornerstone with hot cocoa mix and thank you notes to encourage our staff. We want to share some of their sweet notes.

Dear Cornerstone,
You guys are great at your job. There is nothing you do better! And don't forget Matthew 25:35-40. - Cole

Thank you for letting us come. I hope you don't have to say no to many people. I like Cornerstone a lot. I hope I get to give more things to you. - Grace

You are very good people. I adore you. B.C.S. looks up to you. You are awesome. Please read Luke 2:1-7 and Luke 2:8-20. - Spencer

Thank you for inviting us! I hope you have blessed many people with the hygiene items we brought. Merry Christmas! - Audrey

Thank you for letting us come and help. It was fun. Have a mearry Christmas with your family. - Brady

I thank you for giving us a tour of the place. I hope you get a lot of thank you for the presents. I had a really fun time learning about y'all take care of people. I think it is more fun serving others. I think what you do is great. There are a few people I met on the tour. They are Ms. Kristen and Mr. Roddy. - Graham

I love what you do. You are "osom". Let the Lord shine in your heart. May God bless you. And a very mary Christmas to you. - Ian

I like to go to Cornerstone to help the needy. And Cornerstone is a fun place. They have stores and the best part is you can bring hygiene items and they let you organize it yourself. And I wish I could go there every day. - Jacob

I really liked sorting hygiene items. It was a lot of fun. I hope to go again sometime. I like how you like the verse Matthew 25:35-40. Remember to keep doing what you're doing. - Kinsey

Thank you for letting us come to help you sort hygiene items! We're praying for you. One again, thank you. -Garrett

Thank you for helping the needy when they need it. I like your place. You are helpful. You are helpful to others. You are generous to others. Thank you for letting us come to Cornerstone. You are loving and kind. - Luke

Thank you for letting us come. That was the most fun I've had with something that had to do with the bathroom! I hope you are doing OK. Just so you know I am fine. Merry Christmas! - Liberty

Thank you for letting us come! We had lots of fun. The best part was, well it was all good. I think you are doing a great job helping people. I also think you all have a really big heart. The field trip was great. - Addy

Thank you for letting us come to help you! It was so much fun, it really made me happy!! It was so exciting. It felt sooo good to help you. I hope I get to come there again!!! - Kaleigh

A family exited the program early due to earning enough income to maintain their monthly expenses without help. The mother is experiencing and has been experiencing many health problems, but she is thanking God they are able to provide for the needs of their family without assistance.

The husband of one of our families has just gotten out of jail. The wife has a seven year old at home. Their faith has sustained them, even as the mother had surgery and was unable to work for a few weeks. We had a sweet prayer time at their first case management meeting praying for a job for her husband and thanking God for this provision for their rent. You can really see the joy of the Lord in them.

A mother in our program has two children and one was only a month old when she came in. Her husband had been working, but his hours were cut. He got a new job, but they needed help getting caught up. This family was very grateful for the help. They moved to Texas recently and are experiencing some southern hospitality along with the prayers on their behalf. This is a young family just starting out that needed a helping hand that we were able to give.

One of our ladies was at her wits end when she came in. She has been experiencing depression while her life had been going downhill. She had just been hired at a resale store, but did not start work soon enough to pay her rent and back rent. She was so grateful for the chance to succeed at her new job. She and her son are going to be able to stay in their home this Christmas because of our help.

I had the opportunity to have an extended interaction with a client, a single, homeless mother of three who was fleeing domestic violence. Despite a mountain of challenges, I found she was able to encourage me through the joy and peace she had via a personal relationship with Jesus. Much concrete aid was rendered, though the tone of interaction with her blessed my heart more than anything else.

A woman came via one of our partner churches who ultimately was unable to obtain monetary assistance due to ZIP ineligibility. Regardless, I was able to spend a great deal of time with her, praying with her, and ministering to her. She had such an upbeat, positive attitude. In my experience, such an attitude amidst circumstantial stressors is evidence to the habitation of Jesus in her heart. By Holy Spirit empowerment, we both parted ways “glowing.”

We had the privilege of serving a woman in her sixties who needed items for a baby. This godly woman was raising two great grandchildren under the age of 2. In addition to these children, she had two older grandchildren living with her. She was so pleased to get assistance with a few items she needed for the children.

We have been blessed to have another woman volunteer with us that loves the Lord and has a gift of ministry. We were able to help her with a few groceries. It is a privilege to serve her!

We were able to help a man living in his truck with some groceries and a pair of jeans. Needing so much, he only asked for so little. He was going to start a job the following day. More than just meeting his physical needs, he has felt the love of the Lord in his life.

In need of some warm fuzzies this chilly Wednesday afternoon? Read these Cornerstone stories our staff was blessed to be a part of in November.

One of our single mothers is teaching her daughter how to avoid mistakes she made before they got into the program. She continues to say how thankful she is for Cornerstone and wants to give back by investing what she has learned in her daughter.

A young mother in our program has recently started a job that is within walking distance from her apartment. Her employer is willing to work around her school schedule and is very understanding when it comes to her child. She is now learning how to balance work, school and motherhood all at once. These skills will benefit her as she continues to go forward in her goal of self-sufficiency.

One of our mothers is watching her children excel academically. This family has overcome a lot since they have been in the program. It is encouraging to watch the effect it has had not only on the mother but the children as well.

This month, a man in our program decided he was willing to seek out counseling resources to recover from his grief over the death of a loved one. He was still angry with God and still has lots of questions. We had the chance to talk a lot about the comfort we can have if our loved ones are in heaven. Through that, I had the opportunity to share the Gospel with him. Please keep praying for him and his family.

A man in our program had to move out of his apartment due to maintenance issues. The apartment staff agreed to give him a first floor apartment and have their staff move his belongings to the new unit. We are currently working on partnering him with a church member to help fix his car. He is also looking to go back to school this spring.

A 9 year old daughter of one of our families had another severe meltdown due to a medication switch. She again wanted to harm herself and was rushed to the hospital where she spent another 5 days. She is attending a school where she will receive therapy for a large part of the day. The prayer request is that the doctors would be able to assist her and her parents in managing her medication and modifying her behavior. Both the child and parents are attending counseling sessions.

A mother of 7 underwent surgery to remove her gall bladder and right kidney. She lost a lot of blood, but she was able to receive enough blood to keep her healthy. She was released from the hospital and is recovering at home. The prayer for this family is that the recovery process would not be too long and she will be able to return to work in a timely fashion in order to support her family.

A single mother was able to acquire full-time employment in a position that allows her to use her automotive certification. She also took the Give Thanks, Give Back lesson to heart and has decided to have her children give away some of their toys and clothes and help another family out this Christmas. She does not wish them to take part in receiving gifts this year.

A single mother fell into depression after losing her job. She'd stated a couple years ago that if Jesus wanted her to follow Him, He would tap her on her shoulder and tell her so. During her most recent bout with depression, she said that she felt Jesus calling her to Himself and has had an insatiable appetite for His Word and fellowship. She has begun to consistently attend church and Bible studies and read her Bible at home. She said that her recent study of the Bible has helped her more than the medication the doctors wanted her to take.

A single mother of 7 has struggled with depression and feeling confident for many years. This month, her electricity was turned off because she did not manage her income properly. She felt ashamed and did not want anyone to know her family's situation. It was during this time that she turned back to God and began reading her Bible by candle light and having her children read with her consistently. Now that her electricity has been turned back on, she and her children continue reading the Bible as they did when they had no light. She has decided that she and her family have been blessed beyond measure and are not in need of gifts and things for Christmas. She and her children will volunteer at the shelter they were sent to prior to entering the program.

“Give Thanks, Give Back” is the theme of the Fall workshop for Cornerstone’s Comprehensive Care Program families. It is a time to reflect and be thankful for many blessings and to make a plan to give back. This year, Tangulon Gardner, from the Sickle Cell Disease Association, presented information about Sickle Disease. She provided handouts and prizes for participants giving them a wealth of knowledge about a disease not many are familiar with. While the adults enjoyed their presentation, the children (of all ages) enjoyed activities that generated discussion about being thankful and helping others. They also created crafts with Thanksgiving themes. For example, the children used apples, toothpicks, gumdrops, and marshmallows to create their turkey snacks. Everyone, adults and children alike, created books of thankfulness and made plans to give to someone else throughout the holidays. They were able to write down the things they were thankful for and create a booklet to remind themselves of these things when things seem to go wrong. As a direct act of giving back, the adults sorted socks and underwear for the Cornerstone Thrift Store. Finally, everyone contributed to our Thankfulness Tree which can be found hanging on the wall in the case management hall at Cornerstone Assistance Network. Each person placed a hand print on the tree and wrote what they are most thankful for. This tradition began a few years ago and will continue as we fill up our tree with thanksgiving.

The purpose of the workshop for our 3CP families is to engage them in learning things they would not otherwise be exposed to in a manner that they can receive. In a way, the workshops serve as teachable moments, therapeutic engagement, and social exercises. We look for new ways to engage our families each year in order to help them continue on their way to becoming self-sufficient.

Click here to see pictures of the Give Thanks, Give Back workshop.