Restoring Hope for Vulnerable Families

Hope is one thing that can help us get through dark times.  When hope is lost, an overwhelming desperation digs soul deep.  Many families are living without hope, struggling to make it through each day.  Restore is a new OCA ministry, created to restore hope to desperate situations and bring light to children and families in need. Volunteers commit to providing respite for a family by caring for their children one weekend a month for six months.  OCA trains, does background checks, and matches the families.  The calls we have for families needing monthly respite far outweigh the number of volunteers we have trained to serve.

Here’s just a couple short stories about some of OCA’s Restore volunteers and how they are restoring hope in dark situations. 

Mackenzie and Tyler

Mackenzie and Tyler-Restore Family Volunteers

Mackenzie and Tyler are engaged to be married - their hearts are big, and they jumped right into Restore.  This past weekend, Mackenzie was matched with a single mom of two girls and a baby boy.  Mackenzie is helping out with the two little girls, watching them one weekend a month.  This mom is dedicated to making a new life for her family. She is currently staying with one of our partner organizations, New Life Directions, and working hard at her new job.  Her room is small-about the size of a hotel room, but she has made it a home for her family. When she met Mackenzie and Tyler, they gave her a vision for a healthy and strong family. As their relationship grows, they are providing rest and encouragement for the mom.  Mackenzie and Tyler are restoring hope into a desperate situation.  

Marsha and Scott

This mom was hesitant to receive help with her three year old daughter, as she’s been dealing with overwhelming anxiety and mental health issues. She has no family support and has been looking for someone trustworthy to help. Through a friend she met at a pregnancy center before her daughter was born, she was connected to OCA.  She said “This is what I have been looking for since I had my little girl. I never knew help like this was available. This is just what I need.” When she met her Restore family volunteers, Marsha and Scott, she was blown away by the generosity of strangers.  Marsha and Scott are shining the light of hope through Restore and building a relationship to help keep this daughter with her mom. 

More hands are needed to bring hope and keep families together. If you are interested in finding out more about Restore, please e-mail Lisa Owen at lisa.owen@orphancarealliance.org.