Shining a Light on
DONORS
CHURCHES A Called Community Benji and Haley Johnson are not only foster parents with ABCH, but they also lead at Chalkhead Baptist Church in Ozark, Alabama, where Benji serves as the senior pastor. God began to speak to them about the great need for foster care, and Benji shares that the support of Chalkhead Baptist through their fostering journey has been undoubtedly vital to their family. Benji said, “[The children] have a faith family in Chalkhead. The congregation loves them as if they were born and raised among them, [having] gone over and above to make our children feel accepted and loved.” Chalkhead’s love, Benji says, helps teach their children the importance of a faith family in life. The staff at Chalkhead first heard about ABCH at an annual association meeting. They were able to see the work we do and the need that exists for support. The church generously decided to partner with us, helping to meet our financial and volunteer needs. Others in their church also began to foster, and Benji is grateful for the effects he’s seen. “Having so many foster children in our church family has allowed the church body to grow in the realization of the desperate need in our world for Christ. Understanding that hardships and devastation exist right in our community has led to an awakening in the hearts and minds of believers in our church.”
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
TOP 25 CHURCHES GIVING TOTAL 1. Trussville First Baptist Church (Birmingham) 2. Spring Hill Baptist Church (Mobile) 3. Hunter Street Baptist Church (Birmingham) 4. Church of the Highlands 5. Henagar Baptist Church (Sand Mountain) 6. Brookwood Baptist Church (Birmingham) 7. Antioch Baptist Church (Lamar) 8. Eastern Shore Baptist Church (Baldwin) 9. Pell City First Baptist Church (St. Clair) 10. Shades Crest Baptist Church (Birmingham) 11. Mt. Sterling Baptist Church (Choctaw) 12. The Church at Brook Hills (Birmingham) 13. Maytown Baptist Church (Bessemer) 14. Samson First Baptist Church (Geneva) 15. Fairview First Baptist Church (East Cullman) 16. Shades Mountain Baptist Church (Birmingham) 17. Winfield First Baptist Church (Marion)
INDIVIDUALS Gifting from Grief We have amazing donors all across the state, and Lloyd and Catherine Gaddy are no exception. They’ve known about the Children’s Homes for years, and Catherine says, “We’ve always cared about it but weren’t always as faithful to give as we are now, and even now, we don’t do as much as we’d really like to.” The reason they started to give is one we don’t often hear. Catherine shared that what made giving really special to them was the fact that their only child, Mike, was killed in September 1988 (family photo above, taken shortly before his passing). She says, “After that, it just seemed like the right thing to do, to take care of a child. We didn’t have anybody anymore.” The Gaddys have given faithfully for decades now, wonderfully impacting the children in our care.
18. Dauphin Way Baptist Church (Mobile) 19. Huntsville First Baptist Church (Madison) 20. Courtland Baptist Church (Muscle Shoals) 21. Mt. Olive Baptist Church (Tuscaloosa) 22. Odena Baptist Church (Coosa River) 23. Bower Memorial Baptist Church (Conecuh) 24. Silver Run Baptist Church (Russell) 25. Living Faith Baptist Church (West Cullman)
When asked about encouraging others to support ABCH, Catherine encourages “grace gifts,” giving in memory of a loved one who has passed on. She says, “They (the Children’s Homes) notify the family, and I think it’s good to remember them with this gift, knowing that a child will benefit.” Despite their deep grief and even walking through cancer herself for the past two years, Catherine says that God is still good and kind. “God takes care of us in so many ways, we can’t even recognize it when it’s happening. But with each passing birthday, it’s been a long, good life.” ABCH 2016 ANNUAL REPORT
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