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Guest Blog Post - Avery Morgan

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Imagine being asked to describe your family and childhood, and the two words that encompassed that stage of your life are “dysfunctional” and “unstable.” For H., these words describe her toddler, kid, and teenage years.

Between living with divorced parents, both of whom abused drugs and alcohol, growing up was nothing less than rough for H. She constantly felt caught in the middle of their rocky relationship, so much so that she doesn’t remember having dreams, goals, or aspirations. All she can remember is the emotional and mental trauma that has stuck with her over the last decade. It wasn’t long before her home life had an effect on other areas of her life, too. When she described the state of her home life to her teacher in 4th grade, she was quickly admitted to CPS.

From there, H. was placed into the foster care system, where she experienced over 20 different placements over five years, which meant attending over 20 different schools in that time. Knowing that she would be in a different placement sooner rather than later, her education never seemed of importance. Falling asleep in class, googling answers to questions, and cheating off of her classmates' work was how she endured moving from school to school. Overall, most of the foster families she lived with were welcoming…but the feeling of instability and insecurity never went away.

Then, H.’s story took a turn once she was placed at Hope Haven. It was there that she first felt valued, seen, and loved.

Life at Hope Haven introduced H. to consistency, dependability, and community. The ladies on staff supported and encouraged H. as she found a new routine and sought to establish healthy habits. She formed friendships with the other girls in the home, and experienced the joy of celebrating birthdays and holidays with them. She learned new skills, like cooking, cleaning, and organizing, and was given the independence to practice those skills on her own.

Most importantly, Hope Haven made the Gospel tangible for H. Through the staff’s kindness and love for her, they illustrated the love of Jesus. Not only that, but H. and all the other girls at Hope Haven were taught the importance of studying the Bible on their own, and were given the means to claim their faith as their own. Praise God, H. chose to claim her faith in Christ in 2023!

Now that H. has moved on from Hope Haven, she is learning what it means to do life independently, which comes with its own set of challenges. Even still, H. still keeps in contact with several of the loving staff at Hope Haven, as well as several girls she met through her time at Hope Haven. H. is just one of hundreds of girls who was impacted by Hope Haven, and her story is a testament to the incredible work God is doing through Hope Haven and their staff!

Avery Morgan is an East Texas native and a homeschooled high school senior. She recently spent some time with a former resident of Hope Haven, learning her story.

Throughout her high school career, she has attended Venture Enrichment homeschool co-op where she’s held various leadership roles. She will graduate this spring and will continue her education at Dallas Baptist University where she plans to pursue a degree in psychology. She has loved getting to work alongside and learn more about Hope Haven for her senior Capstone project, and is so thankful for the knowledge and experience she has gained as a result. She cherishes time spent with friends and family, enjoys serving at church and on mission trips, and is an avid baker and coffee drinker!

Call to Prayer, Praise, and Purpose

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done.” - 1 Chronicles 16:8-12

Five years ago, the first teenage girl walked through the doors of Hope Haven, and we began to see the fruit of years of prayer and laboring toward a dream that God placed in the hearts of individuals who loved him and were called according to his purpose. Since that day, we have been privileged to see Him work in the lives of over a hundred girls in big ways and small. We have seen hope restored, hurts healed, and hearts made new through the saving grace of Christ. We have seen girls graduate from high school, earn driver’s licenses, learn priceless relationship skills, reunite with family members, and find forever homes with adoptive families. We may never know the full impact in the lives of staff, families, the community, and generations to come.

We have so many reasons to thank Him! Each of us can look back and remember ways in which we have seen God work: lives changed that seemed to be the furthest from change, doors of opportunity opened unexpectedly, and provision for all of our needs time after time. Our God is good and always faithful! So, join us in remembering what we have seen Him do, in praising and thanking Him, and in telling others the story.

Look back with gratefulness, but do not think that the story has ended. God is still at work in this ministry and what He has called us to do during this season is part of a bigger picture that only He can see. We have seen Gateway of Hope continue to develop into a home that is highly respected in the child welfare community, we have seen Oak Haven open as a pioneer Supervised Independent Living program, and we have seen the dream of Danielle’s Home of Hope become a reality and provide much needed emergency care for girls in East Texas. We are on the verge of seeing Rekindle, a network of families to provide therapeutic care for teenagers and children from any background, come to life. God has been faithful, and He has called us to do the same.

Remember what God has done – give Him thanks and praise, and rejoice! As the Scripture above says, continue to seek the LORD and his strength and to tell others about what you have seen him do. Each of you has an important role to play. We need your prayers. We need your encouragement and support. We need your vision and insight. We need your influence in spreading the word about our mission in your circles. This is not a work that any of us can do on our own.

We look forward, in the years to come, to looking back with you and recognizing and celebrating what God has continued to do. “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

A testimony

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Our group residential home and our emergency shelter welcome many girls throughout the year. Our prayer is that each girl will feel as much "at home" as she can. We strive to create a nurturing environment that offers a safe place for the kids to come when they face removal from everything that is familiar to them.

Recently, we received a report from a child's caseworker:

‘Maggie’ was adopted by a family member as a small child. In her early teens she learned her bio mom was married and had other children. Like many teens do, she fantasized about living with her mom and life being perfect. She began communicating with mom and her behaviors (intentionally) escalated. Eventually, she was surrendered to the state and was placed with her mother.

Unfortunately, ‘Maggie’ learned that her mom was unable and unwilling to deal with the emotional needs of a teen with abandonment, trauma, and other issues. She learned that fantasies and promises can be empty, even if they sound pretty. The placement didn’t last long.

Shortly after coming to Hope Haven, ‘Maggie’ called her caseworker and said another family member wanted her to come live with them. When asked her thoughts, she said, “I realize when I was with my [family member] I had a great life. She cared for me and was there like no one else. I messed that up and ended up with mom and it was terrible. Now I’m in another REALLY GREAT place, with lots of opportunities to go to college and learn important things and if I go with them I’m going to mess up my life again…”

The caseworker told us she was astounded that ‘Maggie’ now had this kind of insight and maturity.

"Because your facility, which I’ve felt is TOP NOTCH, in a mere few weeks [has given] this youth the stability and positivity that is needed to learn the most valuable lesson in life; that family isn’t always just who you were born to, but who supports you and brings out the best in you. And we can have connections and love people, sometimes while still preserving ourselves and doing what’s best for our future. I’ve never heard her as happy as she is when she calls to tell me all the activities she gets to be a part of and how wonderful the place is. She’s a hard cookie to motivate..., but your structure and rewards absolutely do that. [Six] months ago she didn’t have the mindset to go to college or make good choices to have a good life…but being there she is seeing all the opportunities she has and if she stays, having those opportunities to go to college and make a good life for herself. THANK YOU. Thank you for loving hard kids. Thank you for sacrificing time and energy into what feels like an uphill battle sometimes. Thank you for creating an atmosphere of stability, love, and acceptance that is shaping young girls to know what normalcy can look like. If I could give ya'll a hug tonight I would."

We Are Hiring!

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Hope Haven of East Texas is in a season of tremendous growth. We need people to join us in being the hands and feet of Jesus in several roles!

Please view our current employment listings for details.

We are seeking the following positions:

Direct Care Staff - full or part time. providing daily supervision, mentoring, structure, and redirection.
Therapist - full time. providing Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to abused and neglected adolescents.
Licensed Child Care Administrator - full time. providing oversight and supervision as required by Texas DFPS standards.
Treatment Director - full time. providing a structured therapeutic program model for staff to practice and implement for daily care of adolescents.
Director of Community Partnerships - full time. providing development of our donors and community support partnerships.
Case Managers - full time. providing a liason between our organization and the state, school system, medical providers, and legal system for adolescents in our care.
Home Developers - full time. providing recruitment and training of foster families who will be trained as therapeutic foster homes for adolescents.

Swing for Hope charity golf tournament

Tue, 30 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Hope Haven of East Texas hosts our Fall Fundraiser in October of each year. "Swing for Hope" is in its third year at Hollytree Country Club and features a luncheon, bingo tournament, guest speaker, and many sponsor opportunities for your business. Will you join us to provide HOPE to girls who have experienced trauma from abuse and neglect - for their future?

First Annual Swing for Hope, Charity Golf Tournament

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

This year, we are hosting our FIRST ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT at HOLLYTREE COUNTRY CLUB on October 11, 2021. The Shotgun Start tournament begins at 8:00AM with a Team Scramble, Best Ball Format. Registration is $800 per team (4 players) and includes cart, green tees, continental breakfast, lunch, prizes, and raffles. All the proceeds go to support the mission of Hope Haven. We are super excited for all of the opportunities for which the Lord has blessed us. We are looking forward to seeing you at "Swing for Hope," Golf Tournament.
But wait there's more... If you are not a golfer we would still love for you to come and PLAY BINGO. We are hosting a BINGO Tournament, starting at 9:00AM – 12:30PM. There will be 7 lucky games with a three-hour play time then we will join the golfers for lunch, raffles, and prizes.
It will be a great day of fun for a great cause. If you would be interested in promoting your business please contact us, we still have some great opportunities to Sponsor this event, promote your business, and demonstrate your support for a great community cause.
You can visit www.hhofet.org to register and pay for sponsorships under the "GIVE" tab. (Please specify in comments as to what you're purchasing or signing up for.)

Our First Supervised Independent Living Home

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 05:00:00 +0000

For most foster teens the day they turn 18, they’re suddenly on their own, responsible to find a place to live, manage their money, their shopping, their clothing, their food, and finding the strength to continue their education. Unlike these teens, most of their peers still receive help from family in these transition seasons.

Majority of these teens in foster care have a difficult time with all of these abrupt changes. They’re less likely to find a job, attend college, or even find a place to lay their head down every night.

Hope Haven of East Texas is expanding into a Supervised Independent Living Program to stand in the gap for these teens after they age out of the foster care system.

Our first home that was provided by Southern Oaks Baptist Church is called Oak Haven.

"Someone somewhere is sitting in shade because someone planted an oak tree a long time ago..."

Lisa Ferguson speaks at the Lindale Rotary Club

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 05:00:00 +0000

The week, Lisa Ferguson, center, presented the program at the weekly meeting of the Lindale Rotary Club explaining our history and future plans for Hope Heaven of East Texas. An important event and fund raiser, our Dream Gala, will be held September, 8, 6:30 - 9:30 pm at Pickers Pavilion in Lindale. Todd Froebe, President of the Lindale Rotary Club, left, and Brad Cain Lindale Rotary Club Host welcomed and introduced Lisa.

Doors open May 15 to begin receiving residents

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 05:00:00 +0000

We have some GREAT news to share!!! We received our Contract and Hope Haven will be eligible to begin receiving teenage girls out of the Texas foster system starting May 15 of this year! Praise God!!

Thank you to everyone who has joined us in this journey up to this point; board members past and present, partner churches, prayer warriors, supporters, volunteers, employees and friends! We are excited for what the future brings and the lives of many that will be forever changed!

Our New Van

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 05:00:00 +0000

We are blessed and honored to receive the keys to our new van. A huge THANK YOU from everyone at Hope Haven goes out to Bill and Norma Niederhofer for donating this 8 passenger, full-sized van to Hope Haven.

Showcase of Hope Haven 2017

Fri, 01 Dec 2017 06:00:00 +0000

This year’s Showcase of Hope Haven was a great success! On a beautiful September evening, we celebrated with Pee-Paws BBQ dinner, Tuxedo Cats in concert, games and an auction at Picker’s Pavilion in Lindale. Around 350 people joined us as we said, “Thank you!” to so many who have supported and continue to support this ministry to teenage girls in the foster system.

Press coverage of the Ground Breaking Ceremony

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Links to news coverage of our Ground Breaking Ceremony and photos from the event:

The Tyler Morning Telegraph

KLTV 7 ABC

CBS 19

Official Ground Breaking Ceremony

Fri, 29 Jan 2016 06:00:00 +0000

Media Release for Official Groundbreaking Ceremony

***IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT***

Due to the weather and rain we received this morning, we will be unable to get to the groundbreaking site safely tomorrow. We are officially postponing the Ground-Breaking ceremony until next Friday, January 29th at the same time, 11:00 AM. We apologize if this causes any inconvenience for anyone.

Groundbreaking-Release-3.pdf

Showcase of the Stars Sponsorship Opportunity

Wed, 14 Oct 2015 05:00:00 +0000

On November 14, 2015, Hope Haven of East Texas is hosting Showcase of the Stars at the Liberty Theater in beautiful downtown Tyler, TX. This event will showcase local talent, variety show, inspirational speakers and more.

Our organization’s mission is to partner with churches and the community, to provide a safe and loving home environment, minister the love of Christ, and equip neglected, abused, and broken adolescent girls for a successful future! This is a chance to give back to the community and give these girls life-changing opportunities. Events, like our fundraiser, raise funds for programs and help to further and sustain our building efforts of providing long term care. Supporting us helps to show these girls another way of life.

Hope Haven of East Texas is a Christian based non-profit organization devoted to providing residential care services to girls who have been abused, neglected or abandoned. Hope Haven of East Texas will operate and support multiple facilities in Smith County, Texas including the following:

Support of the local Emergency Shelter Care
Long-Term Foster Care
Young Women’s Transition Home

We would be grateful if you could support our Showcase of the Stars event. We anticipate over 300 people attending this event If you support us, we will include you in all marketing materials, our website and plan on recognizing your organization at our event.

The amount you give is completely up to you. Please see the attached sponsorship forms

If you are interested in sponsoring, please give us a call, email or simply mail your contribution to the address listed below. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions. Thank you for your time and continued prayers for Hope Haven of East Texas.

Sincerely,

Hope Haven of East Texas
713 W. Southwest Loop 323 – Suite H-142
Tyler, Texas 75701
Showcaseofthestars@hhofet.org

Tyler Area Builders Association awards Hope Haven $6,000

Thu, 20 Aug 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Today Hope Haven of East Texas was one of two organization awarded $6,000.00 by the Tyler Area Builders Association. The Association make the annual gift from the proceeds of their Annual Parade of Homes event. The photo shows Hope Haven Board Members, Lisa Ferguson, Martha Meador, and Paul Christman accepting the award from representative of Tyler Builders Association.