Archive for category: Monthly Updates

What an amazing month the development team experienced on the Phone Campaign Trail!  A big shout out to all our donors and volunteers who graciously gave their time, financial support and prayers.  Thank you to the following churches that partnered with us during the 2024 Phone Campaign:  Waterford Church of Christ, West Chicago Church of Christ, LaPorte Church of Christ, Wheatfield Church of Christ, Naperville Church of Christ, Northwest Church of Christ, LaGrange Church of Christ and Park Forest Church of Christ.  We are in the process of finalizing our numbers for the Phone Campaign and will have this information available in the next Telegram.

The residents enjoyed time off this week for Spring Break.  Some of our kids had the opportunity to go home for visits with their families.   Thank you to Cub Scout Pack 995 and Currant Road Church of Christ for making Easter baskets for the kids.  The kids were ecstatic to receive the baskets.  We are never too old to enjoy Easter baskets.  Thank you for thinking of our kids.

As we celebrate Easter, we remember Jesus’s death on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins and his resurrection from the dead.  Our kids learn Jesus’s teachings at school during daily devotions, at Bible Study on Wednesday nights, and Bible Study and Worship Services on Sunday mornings.  At Shults-Lewis, we are planting the seeds in each of these kids daily with the hope that these seeds will grow and each child will one day have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)

In the next four months, we will be having youth groups on campus from DeMotte Christian School, East Hill Church of Christ, Wheeler Road Church of Christ and Naperville Church of Christ.  We are excited to have the kids here to work and interact with our residents and staff.  What a blessing they are to Shults-Lewis!

We are excited to share that we have added a new calming room at the school for the children we serve.  The calming room is a place for our residents to decompress.   Children can de-stress in our tent or bean bag chairs.  The room is equipped with stress balls, large Jenga game, puzzles, Legos, mp3 players and headphones.  This room provides residents with the ability to channel their anger and frustrations into a more positive way.  This is an added therapeutic element to meet kids where they are.  Anger and sadness are sides to trauma that need attention.  This room helps with that.

On January 27^th, the girls attended the VU men’s basketball game against Missouri State.  The girls enjoyed hot dogs, popcorn and rooting for the VU Beacon’s.  The half time show starred two dogs that fetched a frisbee in the air.  Boy could the dogs jump!  The girls had fun and laughed a lot!  We love seeing smiles on their faces.

February kicks off the beginning of the 2024 Phone Campaign.  Donors will receive a Phone Campaign postcard and newsletter.  During this month, we will be accepting pre-pledges.  Donors may contact us at 219-462-0513 to make a pledge.  Donations may be made by check and mailed or by credit card on our website at www.shultslewis.org.

In February, we will be visiting Clay City Church of Christ and Naperville Church of Christ Maplewood to share information about what the kids of today are facing, how we are impacting the lives of kids, and to connect with our donors face-to-face.   If you are interested in having us come out to your church to give a presentation on the work we are doing at Shults-Lewis, please contact me at 219-462-0513 ext. 103.  Thanks again for taking this journey with us.

In November, we enjoyed a Fall Festival Luncheon with staff and residents.  It was a great time of fellowship with one another.  A special thanks to Peter Bumpass for his donation of tickets to our houseparents and residents to attend the circus and enjoy some food.  Cheers and laughter could be seen and heard by the kids during the event.

On November 5^th, we had the pleasure to visit Grandville Church of Christ in Michigan.  We enjoyed Bible study, worship, a presentation to the elders and lunch with the Young family.  It was great to meet with members of the congregation as we shared our work at the children’s home.

On November 11^th, we were invited to attend the 75^th anniversary of Sunnyside Church of Christ in Decatur, Illinois.  This was a great opportunity for us to meet current and past members as well as neighboring individuals from sister churches.  Did you know that Sunnyside Church of Christ has been supporting Shults-Lewis since 1948? What an awesome testimony to their partnership with Shults-Lewis and the residents we serve who face trauma.

In January, we will be visiting Maplewood Church of Christ, Memorial Parkway Church of Christ, Clay City Church of Christ and Springbrook Hills Church of Christ to share information about what the kids of today are facing, how we are impacting the lives of kids, and to connect with our donors face-to-face.  If you are interested in having us come out to your church to give a presentation on the work we are doing at Shults-Lewis, please contact Stephanie at 219-462-0513 ext. 103.  Thanks again for taking this journey with us.

September was a busy month with back to back fundraising events.  On September 9^th, we kicked off with Popcorn Festival.  We sold out of hot dogs and bratwursts.  That was a good problem to have.  The highlight of the day was when we met a former resident, Mia, who shared her story with us.  Without Shults-Lewis, she said “I would never have completed high school and finished college.”  We cried and hugged her and our hearts were full!  This is why we do what we do!  We help kids overcome trauma and change their life forever!

One week later, we celebrated Annual Day.  It was wonderful for our staff and residents to finally put names to faces.  Thank you for all your positive feedback.  It truly takes a village to run this event.  I am excited to announce that with your help we raised $20,333.23 in revenue and after expenses earned a net profit of $13,585.43.  We also raised an additional $1,000 for our Emergency Medical Responder Services Dinner slated for Spring 2024 in order to honor our police in our community.

In October, we will begin visiting churches.  If you are interested in having us come out to your church to give a presentation on the work we are doing at Shults-Lewis, please contact me at 219-462-0513 ext. 103.  Thanks again for taking this journey with us.

In July, our staff and residents attended Brynne (age 12) & Brighton (age 9) Vermillion’s birthday party in Genoa, Illinois. Brynne and Brighton requested that donations be made to Shults-Lewis in lieu of presents. They sacrificed presents from their friends in order to support the kids at Shults-Lewis. What an awesome act of kindness and selflessness! During the party, I made a bet with Phillip Vermillion. If he donated $1000 to Shults-Lewis, I would go down the Toilet Bowl slide with my clothes on. To my amazement, a $1000 check was in the envelope with other donations. Phillip and I both accepted the challenge and rode down the Toilet Bowl Slide! Thank you to the Vermillion family for inviting us and helping to support the kids at our children’s home. It was a lot of fun!

Day of Prayer and Giving results are in! We raised $42,719 in money to help fund capital improvements here on campus. These funds will be used to purchase the following: a zero turn mower, new computers, new floors in the bedrooms of Home 5 and 7 and seal coating the parking lots. Thank you for your generosity as we continue to serve kids and spread God’s word in their lives!