Heroes From Afar: The Atkinsons
Even though they now live two states away in Louisiana, Melissa Atkinson and her husband, Josh, continue to donate monthly to Alabama Baptist Children's Homes (ABCH) as Hero Partners.
Melissa says that she and Josh found out about ABCH through an online search after living in Mobile for a season. Being new to the Mobile area community, they were trying to find ways to make a positive impact and give back. They were familiar with Florida Baptist Children’s Homes, when they lived in the Sunshine state, which made it easier for them to decide to give to ABCH.
“IT MADE SENSE”
The Atkinsons became first time donors in the Spring of 2016 and became Hero Partners the next year, however, they had been giving monthly from the beginning. Melissa says, “We had already made the decision to make our donations a monthly occurrence, so it made sense to be in the program."
When asked why they still choose to support our children and families through Hero Partners, even though they now live in Louisiana, Melissa gives two reasons: the necessity of the work and their appreciation for how we take care of children and families. “Even though we spent only a short amount of time living in Alabama, we can appreciate the organization’s commitment, and we recognize the need that’s being filled by ABCH . . . we know our support is appreciated,” Melissa says.
RAISING A GENERATION OF HEROES
Melissa has even used donating as a fun teaching tool for her kids. During the Back-to-School season in 2016, she and her then 9-year-old son, worked together gathering school supplies. “He and I went to the store with our budget and a list of supplies from the ABCH website. During that afternoon, we had a chance to talk about the importance of giving, what the Bible says about giving, and why it matters to people in need,” she explains.
SHOULD YOU BE A HERO PARTNER?
If you’re thinking of taking your next step and becoming a Hero Partner, Melissa would like to encourage you by saying it’s important to remember we are called to be good stewards of the blessings God has bestowed upon us, but to also pray about the best way to do that.
She says, “We try to think of our time and money as God-given provision, and as such, it’s an obvious choice to give a portion of it to those in need . . . and the Hero program makes it easy!”
What a blessing it is to still be on the hearts, minds, and prayers, of the Atkinson family, even from afar! They are forever heroes to us and to our kids from hard places.
If you’re ready to take your next step and become a Hero Partner, visit our webpage to learn how!
This story is one of four quarterly features shared through our Hero Partners e-news. To learn more about supporting our children and families through a recurring monthly gift and receive these stories directly to your inbox, visit our Hero Partners page today!