The CALL in Southeast Arkansas is Releasing Several Big Announcements This Week!
April 17th, 2024 by Submitted
The CALL in SEA is expanding their work across Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Desha, Drew, and Lincoln counties. The mission of The CALL is to educate, encourage, and equip the Christian community to provide a future and hope for children in foster care in Arkansas. The CALL’s vision is no waiting children in foster care in Arkansas. The CALL recruits, trains, and supports foster and adoptive families to step into the gap for children in crisis. The statewide organization is defined by its core values: Christ-centered, church-focused, relational, service-oriented, accountable, and excellence-driven.
CALL Support Center
In June, The CALL in SEA will be opening its first full CALL Support Center to serve children and families impacted by foster care across the area. After years of officing out of homes, utilizing storage units, and most recently, setting up shop temporarily at Pauline Baptist in Monticello, The CALL in SEA has found a long-term home large enough to serve as a Support Center for all of Southeast Arkansas. The SEA CALL Support Center will create a context for the local Christian community to minister to children and families in crisis. The space will have multiple volunteer work spaces, an expanded CALL Mall (a shopping experience of basic necessities and more for all children impacted by foster care), an expanded Resource Library for foster and adoptive families, staff offices, a CALL Community Event Room, and a homey Family Visit Space for children experiencing foster care to build positive memories during regular visitation with their parents and/or siblings. Church and community groups are invited to come help serve as the space is set up, and sponsorships for specific rooms and spaces are available. The 3600-square-foot storefront will be located at 103 N. Main St. in Monticello.
Satellite Support Sites
In addition to the Support Center, The CALL in SEA is working with local churches in the counties surrounding Monticello to set up CALL Support Satellite Sites within each county. Much progress has already been made! Southside Baptist Church, a treasured church partner of The CALL in SEA, has set up The Outreach Center on their property. Their Outreach Center houses Family Visit Spaces as well as a clothing closet and food pantry where their congregation has been serving the community for a few months now. Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Crossett, another treasured partner of The CALL in SEA, has dedicated a large space for the development of a Family Visit Space and Foster Family Freezer Meal Ministry. Support Satellite Sites are in the initial stages of development phase within Bradley, Chicot and Desha counties, as well. The local Christian community in each area is invited to be a part.
New Staff Member
To help support this growth and increase its capacity, The CALL in SEA is pleased to announce they have hired Libby Miller of Drew County as an Administrative Assistant. Miller joins County Coordinator, Betsy Anderson (Bradley County), as the staff of The CALL in Southeast Arkansas who work alongside the affiliate’s volunteer Leadership Team: Stefanie Abbott (Drew County), Jessica Griffin (Bradley County), Levi and Jamie Hammil (Drew County), Dr. Brenda Jacobs (Drew County), and Haley McKinney (Lincoln County). Leadership team representation from Ashley, Chicot and Desha counties is still needed.
10 Year Anniversary
This year, The CALL in SEA is also celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary. A 10 Year Anniversary Celebration event for The CALL’s church partners, community partners, corporate partners, volunteers, and foster and adoptive families is being planned for September 28, 2024 at New Life Church in Monticello.
50 Days of Prayer
May is Foster Care Awareness Month. For the next 50 Days, The CALL in Southeast Arkansas is launching 50 Days of Prayer for Foster Care. Churches and community members are invited to follow along with a 50-day prayer plan for children and families impacted by foster care in Southeast Arkansas and the system that serves them. Prayer guides can be requested by email: sea@thecallinarkansas.org.
50 for 50
Along with the prayer initiative, The CALL in Southeast Arkansas is also launching 50 for 50 Campaign over the next 50 days. The organization is seeking 50 individuals and churches to commit to partner financially monthly by gifting $50 or more. These gifts will create further capacity and sustainability for The CALL to continue to create contexts for ministry moments with those impacted by foster care in Southeast Arkansas.
Interested church partners, community members, or volunteers can reach out to The CALL at sea@thecallinarkansas.org or (870)308-9502.
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