Wanted: Surrogate Moms and Dads!

From Maggie Porter in Development at Covenant House Michigan.

I first met Patricia at this year’s Walk Against Homelessness in October. We spent the next three hours battling drizzle, rain, and traffic. We got goody bags, and cheers from passerbys, and she was especially excited to meet Mojo from Channel 95.5. The day ended with hugs and high-fives as we finally made it back to the New Center building. Every time I see her now she gives me a big hug. She can’t wait to see pictures I’ve taken of her and suggestively hopes I’ll print her a copy. Everything she does lights up a room, and makes you want to love her.

But like most of our kids, things haven’t always seemed so bright. When she was eight years old, she was taken from her birth-mother. “I’ve had to live with that memory for 14 years now,” and those years have been hard. She has been passed through the system, often neglected. It’s kids like Patricia who make my heart hurt.

I don’t understand why people throw away these wonderful kids. It leaves them with deep scars…afraid that no one will ever love them and afraid to trust those around them. You see that when they first come here –they aren’t so sure about Covenant House, bracing themselves to be rejected. But then you talk to them in six months and they’ve completely changed. They are relaxed and trusting, working hard in school and at jobs and growing confident in their futures.

What causes this change? It’s the first time in most of these kids’ lives that they’ve had a consistent schedule with people who love them and care deeply about them. We help them plot out their five year goals and what they need to be working on to get there. The transformation that comes from having people who care is incredible to watch.

Today I’d like to invite you to become a member of the Covenant House family by joining our Parent’s Club. This amazing group of donors contribute to this stability by pledging to send our kids a donation every month. This commitment helps us plan for the future and provide for the influx of kids we’ve seen in this economy. Help kids like Patricia receive the love they deserve.
You can join by sending in your first check with a note on the memo line designating it to the Parent Club, or by signing up for an online monthly donation with a notation in the “Special Instructions” tab.

I’d love to talk to you more about the work we do and the other Covenant House kids I love. You can always get a hold of me by phone (313.463.2005) or email (mporter@covenanthouse.org).

On behalf of the wonderful Covenant House kids, thank you!!