Warwick AUGUST 4, 2021
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXII • NO 25
R073966
townlively.com
HOHC: New Location, Same Life-Affirming Mission BY ANN MEAD ASH
n the last five years, the ministry originally known as House of His Creation (HOHC) and briefly called Family of Restoration Ministries (FORM), has been through a number of changes. After becoming FORM in 2016, the ministry moved from Lititz Pike to the Brickerville area, but as
to provide those services through maternity housing for women age 18 and up - especially women leaving abusive situations - who are in the first two trimesters of pregnancy and have been sober for several months. The women must also be willing to consider adoption and parenting plans and to take advantage of growth opportunities, and be educated toward reaching goals.
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of late 2019, the name had reverted to HOHC, and in February 2021, the ministry moved to the site of a former bed-and-breakfast at 301 N. Broad St., Lititz. Through all the changes, the mission of the ministry has been to affirm life by providing women with a place to heal and grow through maternity and after. In its new location, HOHC will continue
House of His Creation staff (from left) Michelle Gibbs, Matthew Neff, and Callie Neff are ready to welcome clients at their new location in Lititz.
Client housing for four women is provided on the second floor of the house, where each room has a private bathroom. The family living model includes individualized case management and education about basic life skills, finances, and parenting options, along with recreational activities. Michelle Gibbs, program director for HOHC, noted that a change from former programming models is the aftercare services that are available for one year after the mother is discharged from the program. “That means that I would come and do a home visit and assess how they’re doing,” said Gibbs. “We follow through with things they may have started and provide support so they don’t feel out there and alone.” Mothers who choose to actively parent often need to learn how to do that while working, but according to executive director Matthew Neff, women who make an adoption plan may be especially in need of aftercare. “ When a woman makes an adoption plan, it is very emotionally hard,” said HOHC house mom and Matthew’s wife, Callie. “She may need help to navigate the roles and the relationships around that.” Callie noted that when the pregnancy was not the woman’s first, other issues may be involved. “(When a woman has) multiple children (who are) part of their story, then it becomes reunification or rebuilding relationship with children they haven’t actively been parenting,” said Callie. “Those children wouldn’t necessarily live here, but we would help (the woman) negotiate toward a goal
Police Plan Ice Cream Event The Lititz Borough Police Department (LBPD) is partnering with Isabella’s Ice Cream Parlor for its first-ever “I Scream, You Scream, the Police Come, It’s Awkward” LBPD Ice Cream Social. The event will be held at Isabella’s, 110 E. Main St., Lititz, on Thursday, Aug. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m. Attendees may chat with LBPD officers and staff and receive free small ice cream cones or small dishes of ice cream.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Story Of HOPE . . . . . . .2 Woodcrest Perpares For 12th 3D Archery Shoot . . .3 WEF Schedules Golf Tournament . . . . . . . .3 House Of Worship . . . . . . .9 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .9
See HOHC pg 4
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