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MESSAGE FROM MONIKA
A Note of Gratitude:
I would like to thank the amazing volunteers who came out on Saturday, February 4th. Your hard work and time were so greatly appreciated by the El Nido families and me!
Thank you for transforming and organizing our inventory space into a bright, happy, and beautiful space. When I was upstairs with one of our mothers, she confided in me how touched she was by your dedication. She and her little baby girl especially loved all the decals, and she said, “You guys always go above and beyond for us. There is always something new, new details for us to enjoy.”
To the volunteers who put together the bookcases and the rocking chair- Mil Gracias! Our mothers are now able to sit in the chair to feed their babies. By providing the rocking chair, you help the mothers bond a little more with their little ones during feedings. AND, thanks to you, the Baby Nook has come together!
Truly, I do not have the words to express my gratitude to you all! You continue to help El Nido become a place of hope and love! Through your volunteer work, you make El Nido a sacred place for many of our families who may find their current living spaces small and dire at times. Besides our mothers, we have welcomed a father who enjoys coming to El Nido with his partner and his little one on Thursdays and Saturdays. His partner told us, “El Nido is a place for him to find peace after long hours of working as a delivery man. It is an open and safe place where he feels anew and replenished.” Thanks to your efforts, El Nido has become a second home for our families. It is a place where we continue to create a community - a place of hope, love, support, and refuge for our babies and families.
Thank you for being living and breathing examples of God’s love!
Mil Gracias y de todo corazón,
(Thank you, from the bottom of my heart)
Mónika
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PRAY FOR US!
Nothing would be possible at El Nido were it not for God's enduring love and care, and for support and prayers of our Christ Church family. We ask you to join us in prayer for the following, knowing that God hears and listens:
- For R and Baby Girl M’s health and wellbeing - Baby Girl M faces many medical conditions including a heart condition and undeveloped stomach. She has been in and out of ICU, and now they are now facing eviction. Please, keep them in your prayers.
- For M who was hospitalized due to pancreatic pain on 3/28
- For our D and her family to find an apartment
- For all of our families in Washington Heights - may they find love and peace in this time of fear
- For all of our pregnant moms - may they have safe deliveries
- For Baby X - that his heart condition heals and that his family feels supported
- For our community partners to have our clients' interest first
- For El Nido- that we find a special person for our Family Coordinator position
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MIL GRACIAS!
Over the last two months, we have been blessed with an outpouring of support from our congregation, our friends, and our families. A few special shout outs of great thanks:
- To the 65 members of both Christ Church congregations that joined us on our workday to assemble furniture, sort donation and support our families. Your love continues to fill the space.
- To the Christ Church Bell Choir for an amazing performance and sharing their musical talents with our families!
- For the donation of a PALLET(!) of baby food from Happy Baby.
- For the ongoing generosity of Christ Church congregations. From the hand-knitted blankets and hats to keep little ones warm to the much-needed Pack n' Plays, your sharing continues to bless us.
- To HRPMamas for their help in connecting their moms to El Nido to donate items.
- For our new partnership with Freshly who is sending prepared meals weekly for our pregnant mothers so they can have a few balanced meals.
- To Her Justice for sharing its time and talent in helping our families understand the current immigration issues.
- To Foundry UMC youth for all of your help when you visited El Nido.
- For our weekly volunteers... you keep the wheels on!
- And to our families - who bring us both tears and smiles.
In summary: You rock! You are bringing so many talents and gifts to our families. Thank you for your creativity and passion.
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO HELP US!
We need your help, and there are so many volunteer opportunities, we're confident there is one right for you!
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Saturdays between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. - Join the fun at the Reading Corner! We have so many Saturdays (Most Saturdays in January through April) coming up when we need help! Sign up to volunteer for the Reading Corner at this Doodle Calendar link: http://doodle.com/poll/q8cwrbyeqauwft93
Every Monday! Help us organize donations, change bulletin boards, etc.
English as a Second Language (ESL). We want to pilot an ESL program this summer. We would love to have thought partners/volunteers with energy around it. Contact Holly at fogleh@gmail.com if you are interested.
Got other skills? If you've got a skill or talent, we've got a way for you to serve! We are always looking for help - from picking up donations to helping us stock our Baby Boutique, to writing grants for free books. Give a few hours! Contact Holly Fogle at fogleh@gmail.com.
Donate from our Spring wishlist! Spring is springing and our mothers have new seasonal needs. Visit our wish list here and donate!
Now seeking! We are looking for a part-time Family Coordinator person - 20 hours per week. It is critical that this person speaks both Spanish and English. Responsibilities will include general administration, reception, and database management. If you know of someone who might be interested, please have them forward their resume to Monika Guzman-Estrada at monika@christchurchnyc.org.
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UPDATES!
We are grateful and encouraged to report:
- We received a huge shipment of baby food from the Happy Family!
- We welcomed eight new mothers to El Nido.
- Our mothers are completing a CPR/First Aid course providing them valuable, lifesaving skills.
- At the beginning of April, we will be welcoming our second intern from Sanctuary for Families.
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