Summer 2008 Newsletter

Mary’s Shelter
Summer 2008
Mission Statement:
Mary’s Shelter saves lives by
empowering and equipping homeless
and at-risk pregnant teens, and minors
with babies, for lives of dignity, hope
and self-sufficiency.
SAVE THE DATES!
FUNdraising FIESTA
August 10, 2008
Call for information
GOLF TOURNAMENT
September 17, 2008
Radission Hotel,
Newport Beach
Changing lives two at a time
JUNE GRADUATIONS!
Former resident graduates from College
W
e are so very proud of Lisa Apodaca! As a pregnant 14 yearold, Lisa lived at Mary’s Shelter in 1995, delivering her son
Anthony. She says she can’t imagine what would have happened
to her or her precious son if Mary's Shelter had not been there
for her.
When she returned home as a teen mother, Lisa took care of her
baby son, with the help of her parents, and finished high school.
She wanted to go to college but that seemed out of the question with
a child to take care of and support. But Lisa had a dream and was
willing to work for it.
She got an apartment, and worked nights at UPS while her son slept
(under his grandmother’s watch), and took classes at Cal State
University San Bernardino while he was in school mornings. That
Coyote Hills Golf Course,
Fullerton
GALA
March 7, 2009
left afternoons to catch some
sleep and play with Anthony.
After years of this grueling
routine, Lisa earned a BA
degree in Communication
with a concentration in Public
Relations. She was awarded
her diploma on June 15th,
lined up an internship with
Ronald McDonald House
Charities for this summer and
is engaged to be married! We
know this bright and determined
young mother will continue to do
very well.
Lisa Apodaca
Current residents graduate from High School
W
e also celebrated (with a beach
party) two teen mothers living
at Mary’s Shelter who completed
their high school education in June,
passing the California High School
Exit Exam. In addition to the determination
of these girls to create a good life for themselves and their
children, we also credit this milestone to the extraordinary
teacher at Mary’s Academy, Mrs. Carey Davis, our house
managers who assist with homework assignments and
volunteer tutors such as Gretchen Elg. We applaud this
accomplishment of our teen mothers who are working hard
to overcome the statistic that only 40% of girls who give
birth as minors ever complete high school.
RIP * Paul Peek
O
ne month after honoring Paul Peek at our Spring
Gala for his extraordinary leadership and generious
contributions to Mary’s Shelter during our entire 14 year
history, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor
and died three weeks later, on May 17th. He
was only 66.
Inside This Issue:
Gala Report and Photos
Featured Volunteer
Featured Employee
Current Wish List
This remarkable man was a devoted father,
compassionate businessman, generous donor
of his time, talent and treasure, special friend
to the unborn and the homeless, brilliant
engineer, marathon runner, fervent Catholic,
good friend…and so much more to so many.
He was a wonderful example of a life well-lived
with great humility and love and the seeds he
planted will generate fruit for years to come.
His children kindly asked for donations in lieu of flowers to
be sent to Mary's Shelter and Catholic Worker, a shelter for
the homeless Paul also cared very much about. As a result
of that request and the high esteem in which
everyone who knew Paul held him, Mary’s
Shelter has already received 38 gifts totaling
over $11,000 in donations made in his memory.
It’s not too late to honor the man this way and
add to his legacy.
Paul Peek
Our Board of Directors will soon use the
memorial gifts received in honor of Paul Peek
to open an Endowment Fund for Mary's Shelter
(Paul helped lay the groundwork for this)
– so that these memorial gifts will continue to
support this ministry into which Paul invested
so much of himself.
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Changing lives two at a time
Board of Directors
Pat Bartolic
Dana Bledsoe
Sherri Butterfield
Rev. Leo Celano, O.P.
John Fritz
Vicki Gardener
Jason Gorsuch
Peggy Holmes
Adrienne Matros
Berni Neal
Joe Nedza
Gus Ordonez
Erica Sheehy
Dick Schweickert
Arzo Yusuf
Advisors
Dave Belz
Pastor Tom Brashears
Michael Blumberg
Patrick Dirk
Robert Dowdell
Randy Fiorentino, M.D.
Kathi Frye
Dan Mackey, M.D.
Sr. Ellen O’Leary, CSJ
Evie Pilkington
Jim Poth
Patrick Powers
Laurie Prietto
Marla Merhab Robinson
Jerry Sheehy
Rev. Msgr. John Urell
Richard Wetzel, M.D.
Marilyn Whitehead
Executive Director
Barbara Nelson
Program Director
Mary Kerr
Mary’s Shelter
P.O. Box 10433
Santa Ana, CA 92711-0433
Tel: 714/730-0930
Fax: 714/730-3487
www.teenshelter.org
info@teenshelter.org
Non-profit Corporation:
Tax ID # 33-0203768
Group Homes licensed by
the State of California
Licenses #306000793
and #300613291
Featured Volunteer
M
ary’s Shelter had been without a regular Handyman for some time and the repair projects
kept piling up. When our volunteer receptionist, Joan Amort, told her husband Paul about
this, he started making time to help out each week.
In the two months since Paul became our Handyman, he refinished a dining table, replaced
door locks and a garbage disposal, and made countless general maintenance repairs inside
and out. When asked to look at a broken clothes dryer recently, he determined that it was not
repairable. He then offered to buy a new one which he and his wife donated to the shelter and
he installed!
Paul Amort
Having been in the construction business, Paul also is able to recommend specialists for various
repair projects beyond his expertise, and after he tells them what Mary’s Shelter does, he usually gets them to do their
work with deep discounts. Paul, you are a true friend to the girls and babies at Mary’s Shelter and proof that one person
really can make a difference.
Featured Employee
C
oreena recently celebrated her five year anniversary as a House Manager at Mary's Shelter!
As an experienced employee, in addition to providing the direct care and supervision of
our girls and babies, Coreena has taken on additional responsibilities, including being a Shift
Lead on the overnight shift, handling weekly food purchases and being the back-up person for
coordinating medical services.
With all of her experience, Coreena is a big help to newer employees and relates in a unique
way to our teen moms. For Coreena was one of our first residents, as a pregnant 16-year old, in
1995! She is grateful for the support she received back then which motivates her to encourage
today’s pregnant teens to succeed in life as she has done. She married Ricardo, the father of her Coreena Linares
daughter Miranda who is now 12 years old, and then they had a son, Andrew. Coreena came to
work for Mary’s Shelter in 2003.
We appreciate Coreena as one of our reliable House Managers with a listening ear and a big heart for helping teen moms
and their babies.
Officer Elections
T
he Mary’s Shelter Board of Directors elected new
officers in March. Bernarda (Berni) Neal became
President while former President Joe Nedza moved into the
Chairman position. Re-elected to their positions are John
Fritz as Treasurer and Arzo Yusuf as Secretary, and Adrienne
Matros will continue in her role as Chair of the Governance
Committee.
Volunteers Opportunities
To find out how you can help make a difference as a Mary’s Shelter volunteer, call Amy at Mary’s Shelter, (714) 730-0930,
extension 17.
Receptionists – Take calls at the Shelter reception desk, greet and sign-in visitors and do clerical tasks as needed to
assist the staff.
Drivers – Drive our girls and their babies to their doctor and other appointments.
Mentors – Matched to a particular girl, mentors maintain a relationship with the girl, serve as a friend and help her clarify
and achieve her dreams.
Child Care –Watch our precious babies grow and help them flourish while teen mothers are in school or job training.
Fundraising – Enjoy working with other volunteers to produce fundraising events, such as our Spring Gala and Fall Golf
Tournament, to benefit our girls and babies.
NOTE: To work in direct contact with our minors, volunteers must be at least 21 years old, fingerprinted for a background
check, be tested for TB and receive some basic training in such areas as confidentiality. In some cases first aid and CPR training
is also required.
Gala Report
The Mary’s Shelter Gala on March 8th truly was an evening of Irish Merriment!
Highlights included:
• The decorated pavilion filled with 90 beautiful silent auction gifts
• Chances for the treasures in the Pot O’Gold guarded by Leprechauns
• Ballads played by a Traditional Irish Trio and dance music by The Nomads
• Spirited bidding on nine live auction opportunities
• Generous Bonus Gifts to meet the $20,000 Challenge presented by Mary and Pat Dirk
A total of $103,000 was raised through the hard work of Gala Chairpersons Lynn Hearn and Georgia Mottl and their committee
members, and the support shown by: the 190 guests who enjoyed the festivities, the donors who generously made donations at January’s
Underwriters Party, the many friends who sent gifts even though they could not attend, the generous Bonus Gifts made that night, plus
the silent and live auction purchases – all to support the vital services Mary’s Shelter provides to pregnant girls in need who have chosen
life for their babies.
HONOREE: Paul R. Peek
Paul Peek became involved in Mary’s Shelter in 1994 – the year we first opened our doors
to pregnant teenagers in Orange County. Over the last fourteen years he provided exceptional
leadership to this nonprofit agency, fueled by his passion for protecting the lives of unborn babies.
He was also committed to supporting the teen mothers at Mary’s Shelter so they too would have a
brighter future. Paul’s genuine concern for the welfare of these troubled girls and their babies was
a mirror of his deep love and concern for his own five children, and now eight grandchildren.
After serving admirably for 12 years as President followed by terms as CFO and Chairman of
the Board, and in recognition of his many years of devoted hands-on service at the shelter and
extremely generous financial support to assure the growth and development of this ministry (in
fact, he personally carried Mary’s Shelter through its darkest hours), the Board of Directors
proclaimed Paul Peek “Chairman Emeritus” in January of 2007.
It was our pleasure to honor Paul at this year’s Gala with his entire family and many friends present, and to place a plaque with
his name on the “wall of honor” at Mary’s Shelter. With characteristic humility Paul responded to the honor with a poignant tale
about how God lead him to this ministry even though “the last thing on my mind was pregnant teenagers.” (Also see article on front
page)
FORMER RESIDENT: Diane Lopez
Diane was 16 years old when she discovered she was pregnant. In her own words, she was
“uncontrollable” and a “troublemaker”. Her family was in turmoil and there was so much
tension between Diane and her father that they were not talking, so her mother brought
her to Mary’s Shelter in April of 2005. Diane says that the three months she lived at Mary's
Shelter “made a 180 degree change in my life.”
She learned about the development of a baby and how to be a good parent. She learned
the value of setting goals for herself, and still follows that practice. She felt that her Mary’s
Shelter social worker really cared about her, and through counseling learned that she needed to take responsibility for her actions.
Diane’s parents participated with her in family counseling sessions and she eventually apologized for her behavior and reconciled
with her parents.
Diane returned home to her family and in September of 2005 delivered a healthy baby boy, Nathan. She loves being a mother to her
active two-year-old and as importantly, Diane has matured and has a much better relationship with her family.
After Diane spoke, her father Marco told his side of their story. There was not a dry eye when he described that chaotic time with his
family and then thanked Mary’s Shelter for “giving him back his daughter”. Marco is very close to his grandson – the son this father
of three girls never had!
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Gala Underwriters
In addition to all who attended Emerald Enchantment, the financial
success of the event was made possible by the generosity of the
following who gave at the Underwriters Party, sent gifts in lieu of
attendance and made large bonus gifts at the Gala.
Mary and Pat Dirk
Kathy and John Fritz
Frome Family Foundation
Jane and Nicholas Kleha
Adrienne and Richard Matros
Berni and Rob Neal
Paul Peek
Lisa Aljure
Edna and Julio Aljure
Suzanne and Jeff Anderson
Patty and Jim Baer
Richard Bash
Joan and Dick Basile
Joan Bear
Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church
Sherri and Marion Butterfield
Barbara and Len Caraccio
Heather Chaix
Tracy and Tim Chaix
Linda and Roger Chaix
Helen and Bill Close
Karen and Philip Dardaine
Janet and George Fague
Vicki Gardener
Lynn and Bob Hearn
Dana and Yossie Hollander
Regina and Dick Hunsaker
Laura and Tom Jones
Law Offices of Joseph C. Nedza
Bob Miller
Cheryl and Mike Missildine
Liz and Dave Mojica
Georgia Mottl
Barbara Nelson
Leslie and Gus Ordonez
Francie and Bob Osias
Linda Pastore
Tracy and Pat Powers
Sandra and Jon Sanchez
Erica and Jerry Sheehy
Naz Sherdil
Diane Siegel
Tracie and Brian Sullivan
Tactical Training Solutions, Inc.
Hedy The
Beverly and Dan Truzzolino
West-Tech Materials, Inc.
Peggy and Jim Whitehead
Arzo Yusuf
Gala Auction Gift Donors
Avila's El Ranchito - Santa Ana
Bacchus' Secret Cellar
Patty and Jim Baer
Joan Bear
Robyn and Dave Belz
Bowers Museum
Boyd & Associates
Pat Bray
David Brewer
Sherri and Marion Butterfield
LuAnn and Rick Campo
Captain Dave's Dolphin Safari
Chris Castillo
Charriol - Fashion Island
Linda and Roger Chaix
Pat and Dick Cherri
City of Santa Ana Police Department
Coast Rehabilitation
Coyote Hills Golf Course
The Curtain Call Dinner Theatre
Dave & Buster's - Irvine
David L. Baker Memorial Golf Course
Discovery Science Center
Disneyland Resort
Fairmont Newport Beach
Festival of Arts, Pageant of the Masters
Fitness Together - Dana Point &
Laguna Niguel
Drs. Julie and Scott Ford
Fortune Studios
Friends of Mary's Shelter
Vicki Gardener
Donna Gerrick
Green River Golf Club
Peggy and Harry Holmes
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach
John Robert Powers - Orange County
Karen's Specialty Skin Care
Kathy Ireland Worldwide
John Kelly
Joanne and Pete Kirk
Knights of Columbus Council #5385
Laguna Playhouse
Sandy and Peter Lara
Life Way Christian Stores
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Zoo
Lucky Strike Lanes - Orange
Marconi Automotive Museum
Adrienne and Richard Matros
Mi Casa Restaurant & Bar - Costa Mesa
Christine and Chris Mino
Most Rev. Normand McFarland
Sally McNeely
Mimi's Café - Tustin
Mission San Juan Capistrano
Georgia Mottl
Heidi and Lynn Muth
The Neal Family
Joseph Nedza
Barbara Nelson
Orange County International Association
of Home Staging Professionals
Orange County: California's Golf Coast
Ortega Equestrian Center
Panera Bread
Dolores Patrick
Paulist Press Book Center
The Pham Family
Picnics Deli
Planet Beauty
Plums Café & Catering
Ristorante Ferrantelli
River View Golf Course
Sanrio, Inc.
Santa Ana Zoo
Tina and Ron Santos
Erica and Jerry Sheehy
Mary Ann and Dennis Shields
South Coast Repertory Theater
Springdale Country Boutique
St. Cecilia Women's Prayer Group
St. Michael's Abbey
S Vietnamese Fine Dining Restaurant
Alice Sweet
Target - Huntington Beach
Third World Gifts & Handart
Traditional Jewelers
Uniglobe Limousine Service
Vans Shoes
Wild Rivers Waterpark
Debra Wilson
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More Gala Photos
6
Thank you
all for a
successful
event!
Mother’s Day Blessings
T
hank you to all the friends of Mary’s Shelter who honored their own mothers by sending financial Mother’s Day gifts to help care for our teen
mothers. Your Mom’s would be proud!
Many thanks also to the Assistance League of Tustin who created personalized gifts (ceramic footprints with names and dates) for each teen mom
from her child as a Mother’s Day gift. Thank you for your loving donation of time and talents.
Funding Partners
M
ary’s Shelter is most grateful to the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation, which again provided a $40,000
grant to support the Early Childhood Development Program at Mary’s Shelter for the children of
homeless teen mothers. This very generous support, for the fifth year in a row, enables us to provide the
level of care that has resulted in healthier birth statistics for Mary’s Shelter residents than for other teen
mothers, and even better than for births to mothers of all ages.
Many thanks to Ronald McDonald House Charities for their $25,000 grant to purchase a fourth
van for Mary’s Shelter. With the assistance of Bruce Hamlin, General Manager of Guarantee Chevrolet,
we were able to purchase a low-mileage 2008 Chevy Uplander with extended warranty and service
contracts for the grant amount. Having four vehicles available to transport our 18 girls to medical and
court appointments, workshops or shopping plus weekend social outings enables Mary’s Shelter to
better serve our teen moms and their babies.
Mary's Shelter is also greatful for other foundation grants received recently including $20,000 from the
George Hoag Foundation and $15,000 from the Ahmanson Foundation for operational support.
A special thanks to Jennifer and Tom Miller who donated their 2004 Honda Pilot for our use. Their
very generous gift enabled us to retire our 1995 Ford van, replacing it with this dependable and low
maintenance vehicle – and our girls love riding in the Pilot! With the addition of a late model Ford
Expedition from an anonymous donor, Mary Shelter now has a fleet of dependable and serviceable
vehicles.
We also appreciate the anonymous donor who designated his or her $2,400 United Way payroll
deductions to Mary’s Shelter. Thank you for the commitment to support teen moms.
Changing lives two at a time
7
Many Ways to Give
∑ Monthly or Quarterly Gifts – of any size really add up over time. For simplicity, call Christine at Mary’s Shelter or write a note to authorize a gift automatically billed
to your credit card or sent directly from your bank account.
∑ United Way – You can designate Mary’s Shelter as the recipient for your charitable payroll deductions using our United Way number: MAR705.
∑ Matching Gift – Leverage your gift by applying for a matching charitable gift from your employer.
∑ Planned Gift – Most of us can make a significant gift from our estate to continue support for our favorite charities. Please consider naming Mary’s Shelter in your
will, designating a specific dollar amount or percentage of your estate to “Mary’s Shelter, a nonprofit California Corporation.”
∑ Alternative Gift – Having a special birthday or anniversary? You already have more “stuff” than you need so ask people to make a donation to Mary’s Shelter in your
name instead.
FUNdraising Fiesta
The Mary’s Shelter Board of Directors is hosting a summer party on Sunday, August 10 to celebrate the life-saving outcomes
of this ministry with our donors, and to generate underwriting gifts towards summer expenses for our teen mothers and their
babies. For an invitation, please contact Barbara at Mary’s Shelter, 714/730-0930 ext. 19.
14th Annual Golf Tournament
You are invited to join other Mary’s Shelter supporters at our Golf Tournament on Wednesday,
September 17th. Due to popular demand we are returning to the challenging Coyote Hills Golf
Course in Fullerton. Individual golfers may register for the $200 early bird rate by September
5th. Enjoy an afternoon of golf with cart and box lunch, followed by the awards dinner and
auction. Or pay $1,000 for a foursome, and also get the business or organization name on a
Tee Sign and in the event Program.
Businesses and groups can sponsor the Golf Tournament at the $5,000, $2,500 and $1,000
levels, receiving a foursome for golf, name recognition, the opportunity to thank key clients
and staff, and most of all the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of young girls and
their babies in our community. Hole sponsor opportunities are available for just $250.
Contact Christine at 714/730-0930 ext. 15 or Christine@teenshelter.org for sponsorship
information or to make reservations.
Current Wish List
In addition to cash (which is always in short supply) the girls and babies of Mary’s Shelter need:
∑ House, Condo or Apartment - to provide transitional housing for two or more teen mothers and their children when they leave from Mary’s Shelter at age 18
∑ Window Washing – Would your club or group or volunteers like to spend a day washing the windows and screens of the two houses at Mary’s Shelter?
∑ Locking File Cabinets – are needed in our office: one four-drawer and one two-drawer.
∑ New Vertical Blinds – are needed for kitchen and living room windows in our home.
∑ Household Supplies – paper towels, tissue, toilet paper, D batteries, energy efficient light bulbs or Gift Cards for Albertson’s, Smart and Final or Home Depot.
∑ Baby Care Products – diapers, especially in sizes 3-5, baby wipes, formula and baby food.
∑ Gift Cards – for Target, Mervyn’s or Sav-On which make great gifts for our girls’ birthdays.
Non-Profit
Organization
US Postage
Paid
Santa Ana, CA
permit #1878
P.O. Box 10433
Santa Ana, CA
92711-0433
Changing
Changing liveslives
at a time
two at two
a time
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8 Mary's Shelter Golf Tournament
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
Coyote Hills Golf Course
Fullerton, California
RESERVE EARLY!
Only 144 golfers can partipate!