Grace's House of Hope: A New Home in Mobile
We are excited to share news that our Family Care home in Mobile is ready to begin welcoming families! A ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony was held on Sunday, October 1, for this beautiful new home, “Grace’s House of Hope.” This transitional home for single mothers and their dependent children will serve Mobile area families and will begin to see families move in later this month.
Family Care exists to help mothers get back on their feet after facing difficult life circumstances, which in many cases, finds them without a home. Longtime supporters and advocates of the ministry of ABCH, Grace Pilot and the Pilot family, have been instrumental in seeing this dream come to fruition, along with many other individuals, churches, and businesses in the Mobile community.
Pictured from left to right, ABCH President/CEO Rod Marshall, Dr. E. Grace Pilot, Chief Operations Officer for South Alabama Dana Watson, and daughter of Dr. Pilot, Daphne Fonde, at the ribbon cutting ceremony
Family Care operated in Mobile for many years, but due to limited space and location, the home closed in 2015, allowing ABCH to break ground on a state-of-the-art facility near their West Mobile campus the following year. This large, apartment-style home will serve up to seven families at one time and features two-bedroom apartments for families, a common kitchen and dining room, a playroom for kids, an onsite playground, and a business center for moms.
Mothers who come into Family Care are given the tools to rebuild their lives in a safe and healthy space during a transitional time. Dana Watson, Chief Operations Officer for South Alabama has served with ABCH for over 10 years, and in that time, has seen many lives impacted through this program, which can last for up to 12 months.
Watson says, “Family Care is a unique ministry that allows the family to stay intact while direct care staff addresses the spiritual, financial, and physical needs of the mother and her child(ren). Through this valuable program, we’ve seen mothers leave better equipped to live independently, provide for themselves and their children, maintain steady housing, meet their educational goals, and gain employment. This positively impacts the family, but also strengthens the community in which they live.”
Presently, Family Care homes are assisting mothers and children through two homes in the Birmingham area. Last year, through the support of faithful donors, we were able to serve 49 mothers and children through Family Care. We are eager for the doors to open on our new home in Mobile this fall, so even more families will be forever changed through those serving as the hands and feet of Christ in Mobile.
Valencia Pritchett, a Mobile native and graduate of Family Care says, “I took a step of faith in hopes of a new and better life for me and my daughter. When you think about your children, and how this is going to benefit them in the long run, you do what you need to do. Family Care is a new start for you and your family if that’s what you want it to be. It’s a program that works for you, if you work for the program.” Valencia is now giving back to this program in a very big way, serving as Family Care Manager in north Birmingham.
Many Alabama business partners have significantly contributed to the funding and building of this new home in Mobile to serve families: Wellborn Cabinets, Bedzzz Express, Roy Lewis Construction, Jackie of All Trades, Interior designer Diane Berry, Chavis Furniture, Barnett Millworks, Professional Stone, STC Communications, L&Z Logging Company, Taylor Services, Inc., MMR Construction, and Infirmary Health.
Josh Farmer, ABCH Development Officer in Mobile says, “We have been tremendously blessed with support from churches and those in our community to make this home a reality. God has worked in the hearts of His people and led them to give so that we can serve families together.”