Category: CH Updates

Christ’s Haven Releases Annual Report

Christ’s Haven recently released its 2024 Annual Report. This is an annual resource of organizational updates, outcomes, financials, and donor recognition. While also celebrating a 70th anniversary in 2024, Christ’s Haven saw significant program and revenue growth positioning the organization to serve a wider reach of youth and families.

A few of the highlighted outcomes include:

  • 80% sibling groups live with all of their siblings. It matters because there is significant benefit to siblings staying together when they are displaced from their biological parents
  • 97.5% average school attendance. It matters because students who miss school often due to foster care placement changes or family instability fall behind academically.
  • 12% increase of teen Casey Life assessments. It matters because we want to make sure teens are prepared for adulthood, and a research-backed, youth-friendly assessment can inform how we provide support.
  • 100% young adults with drivers licenses. It matters because when displaced young adults are couch surfing or exiting foster care without a driver’s license it can create hardships related to housing and employment for years to come.

Christ’s Haven Leads Local Awareness Effort for Child Abuse Prevention Month

As we close out April and Child Abuse Prevention Month, we know that the work continues.

Thank you to all of the community partners who helped raise awareness and advocated to prevent child abuse. Each site displayed 91 blue pinwheels in honor of the 91 victims of child abuse each week in Tarrant County.

We hope and pray the numbers are even less next year.

Thank you Just for Grins Family Dentistry and Orthodontics, Keller Public Safety, Texas Health and the Fort Worth Police Department.

Image of blue pinwheels

A Record Breaking Year

Golfers posing

Christ’s Haven 32nd Annual Golf Tournament was a record breaking event!  We are thrilled to announce that an amazing $91,885 was raised to support Christ’s Haven’s trauma-informed, family model of care for displaced youth.

That means $91,885 to help fund our Residential Program, College & Career Readiness Programs, and Family Resource Center. 

We appreciate all of the sponsors, golfers, vendors, and volunteers who made this year’s tournament such a success. Be sure to check out the Photo Album with link below of all of our golfers.

 

Golfer taking a swing
Golfer contemplating putt
group posing at golf tournament
Lunch
Foursome golf posing
Golf Cart Lineup
Golfers posing
Women golfers at lunch
Foursome golf posing
Golf Foursome
Sponsors of tournament, with logos

Also, thank you to The Golf Club at Champions Circle & Backswing – Beat a Pro

To see all the pictures from this event, click here to visit the album on Christ’s Haven’s Facebook page.

Meet & Greet with Local Professionals

Our annual Professional Meet & Greet was another great success allowing youth from Christ’s Haven and local foster youth to meet with a variety of professionals whose experience spans a wide variety of industries.

Thank you to the following professionals for volunteering their time, sharing about their careers, and providing Hope for a bright future.

Elisa Adkins – H-E-B

Andrew Burrow – Haskin Aviation

Tracy Deitzel – Keller Center for Advanced Learning

Tom Dickson – Guided Solutions

Mark Fadden – Community Impact

Michael Fejes – Keller Public Safety

Carissa Floyd – H-E-B

Haley Frieler – Drive Grace

Arlin Gold – Community Impact

Abbie Gurley – Miller Storm Roofing and Reconstruction

Sara Han – Caterpillar

Rilee Harrmann – Caterpillar

Brooke Jiminez – Drive Grace

Nicole Mountjoy – Caterpillar

Mandy Seifert – Just for Grins Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

Courtney Sikes – Just for Grins Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

Mark Smith – Texas First Insurance

Brandi Storey – Just for Grins Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

Brian Ulch – Guided Solutions

Joseph Wegman – Caterpillar

Kate Welsh – Stio

Robert West – Haskin Aviation

Matt Whitington – Drive Grace

Patrick Wiltrout – Wabtec Corporation

 

Christ’s Haven’s Fashion Show a ‘Flourishing’ Success

Flourish Fashion show image of women taking 360 photo

The 7th annual Christ’s Haven Fashion Show and Brunch was an incredible success.

300+ women came together and raised a record-breaking $120,000 to support Christ’s Haven’s trauma-informed, family model of care for displaced youth.

As our CEO, Cassie McQuitty, shared during the program your support of Christ’s Haven helps youth and families flourish. From a young girl getting to take advanced classes and compete with the wrestling team to a mom getting to stabilize while she finds a job and apartment. So many kids and families are flourishing because of Christ’s Haven’s generous donors.

Thank you to all of the sponsors, table hosts, boutiques, volunteers and attendees who came together to support Christ’s Haven. It was a beautiful day of fashion, food, fun and FLOURISH.

Thank you to Kacee Anderson Photography for the wonderful photos capturing the day.

Image with sponsor list and logos

To see all the pictures from this event, click here to visit the album on Christ’s Haven’s Facebook page.

Christ’s Haven selected as Nonprofit of the Year

Christ’s Haven was honored to be selected by the Greater Keller Chamber as the Nonprofit of the Year at their recent annual awards.

Thank you to the staff, donors, volunteers, families, and community who all work together to make a difference in the lives of youth and families. We have seen significant growth in the last few years, and we are grateful for so many who come alongside to make sure each child, teen, young adult, and family we serve is provided with Normalcy, Dignity, & Hope.

Christ’s Haven CEO, Cassie McQuitty, shared the following in her acceptance remarks:

“Thank you so much or this honor. Christ’s Haven just celebrated our 70th anniversary. The beautiful thing about that is Christ’s Haven, for seven decades, has been standing on the legacy of this community and the people in this Chamber. So we serve families and children well because you show up with us every day and walk along side of us. Such an honor for Christ’s Haven, our community, and the families we serve. Thank you.”

Mentor Spotlight: JD Danielson

As we celebrate January as National Mentoring Month, we recently asked volunteer mentor, JD Danielson, to share some of his experience.

What made you interested in becoming a mentor at Christ’s Haven?

After stepping down as a ministry leader at church youth groups for over 15 years, I asked God where he wanted to use me in the next chapter of my life. He didn’t take long and through my wife, I heard about an opportunity to mentor a set of brothers at Christ’s Haven. I set up a meeting with Dan Franks and committed then to respond to this new calling God had placed on my heart.

What has been your favorite part of being a mentor?

This is a tough question because there are so many good things that come with being a mentor, but my favorite part is spending the one on one time with these young men and getting to see them grow and mature in all areas of life. From helping teach them how to drive, to picking out a tuxedo for prom, to getting to see them walk across the stage and graduate, it all brings much joy to my life.

What are the typical ways you interact with your mentee?

I love to interact with my mentees in several ways, here are just a few. Going out to eat, going to the movies, going bowling or to play laser tag, skateboarding, fishing, hanging out at my house and playing pool or ping pong, going to the mall, or one of my favorites; the summer youth trips.

Why would you tell someone it was important for volunteers to become mentors?

The most important reason is because the young people need us and they need the Lord. They need positive influences and encouragers in their lives. The other great reason is because of the blessing you receive when getting to know and grow with your mentee. It brings a sense of joy and fulfillment to your life as you serve others.

What skills or abilities does a good mentor have to offer?

There are no “special” skills needed to be a mentor, but I always use 5 qualities that I believe make a great Mentor and lead to maximum impact in the life of your mentee:

1 – Be supportive
2 – Be a good listener
3 – Push them… but just enough
4 – Be authentic
5 – Show them Christ’s love

Thank you to JD and all of our volunteer mentors for their support and dedication to the youth at Christ’s Haven. 

If you are interested, you can READ MORE HERE about becoming a volunteer mentor. 

New Playground at Christ’s Haven

Christ’s Haven’s neighborhood of homes recently received a renovated playground. 

Thanks to the generosity of donors Kenn Wardle & The Baird Foundation, youth living at Christ’s Haven have even more options to play and create childhood memories. 

Their generous donations funded two brand new playscape areas for younger and older kids, new swings, along with kid-friendly rubber mulch.

They playground is played on and enjoyed every day by youth living at Christ’s Haven. 

Thank you to our donors for believing in our Core Value of Normalcy and helping make these childhood experiences possible. 

Holiday Volunteers & Donors Spreading Christmas Cheer

It is because of the many holiday donors & volunteers that Christ’s Haven has been able to make this season so special. We believe every child deserves fun Christmas memories.

Your toy drives, donation collections, and volunteering make the holidays a special time and help provide Normalcy, Dignity, & Hope.

Thank to our generous Holiday Drive donors:

2020 Companies
Altrusa
Bear Creek Bible Church
Body Bar Southlake
Caprock Elementary
Child Hope Services / Gateway Church
Corning Optical Communication
Creek Stone Church
CRF International
CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC
Cub Scouts Pack 717
Custom Christmas Lights – Chuck Macheca
Deloitte
Dominion Equippers Homeschool
Greater Keller Chamber
Kava Culture
Keller United Methodist Church Journeys Group
Kona Ice
Marsh
Methodist Southlake Medical Center
Metroport Meals On Wheels
National Charity League – Keller

SOS International
Tarrant County Commissioner
The Barron Family
The Bongau Family
The Brandner Family and friends
The Brown Family
The Ehlers Family
The Goode Family
The Hays Family
The Hills Church
The House Church
The Key Church
The Scout Guide Southlake & Grapevine
The Vaughn Family
Tidwell Middle School
Tuesday Study Club
Turn 14

Abby LeBeau
Amber Jellison
Beth Downs
Cindy Pierce
Erica Adams
Gerald John
Jamie & Alex Stafin
John Crock
Jordan Belford
Karen Lewellen
Lesli Craig
Mandy Kimbell
Nicole Thomas
Noah Anzaldua
Rebecca Ruiz
Rollin Phipps
Travis Parker