Ho! Ho! Ho!
We’ve got so much going on at The Matthews House these days and we wanted to share a few things with you.
Young Mom’s Group:
It has been so much FUN this fall hanging out with our young mom’s. These young women are a great example of patience, endurance, and love. Though their children might not have been planned they truly are making lemonade from lemons – strawberry lemonade at that! As our moms continue to foster relationships with each other, there is more accountability, relevance, and hope with each passing group.
This month we were able to provide a traditional holiday favorite – we met Santa Claus (or Nana Claus as little bitty likes to say!) in Old Town Square. Our fantastic volunteer, Jessica, took beautiful pictures to help capture the memory – thank you!
After our expedition to the north pole we walked over to Everyday Joe’s Coffee Shop on Mason Ave. to participate in Help Portraits Annual Photo Session. This group of fabulous photographers set up studio in Joe’s and wow, what an experience. From hair and make-up before their personal photo shoots, to crafts for the kids, and hot cocoa to boot – it was a fantastic way to wrap up the day!
Each of our young moms received a personal photo shoot for them and their child, a free portrait, and a CD of all the photos taken.
Starting to look a lot like Christmas.
House Decorating:
We welcomed in the Christmas season this year with a House Decorating Party, full of music, laughter, and memories.
Our goal for this activity was to help our youth remember happy family traditions (most of whom didn’t have many to share) and to create new ones with each other as we continue to build our own Matthews House Family.
Our Christmas Trees are now lit with beautiful lights, ornaments, and homemade garland strings of popcorn and cranberries! We feasted on homemade egg nog, cherry crisp, and the BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies made by one of our youth. It was a heartfelt evening, one which our youth are sure to remember.
This year we are creating Matthews House Christmas Traditions that we hope to relive in the years to come. Some of these activities include our Annual Christmas Party, a Carriage Ride through Old Town, and taking our Young Moms and their little ones to visit Santa Claus. Hmmmm…what should we add for next year? Who’s up for a Gingerbread House competition?!
Handmade Aprons for Christmas:
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you to Carol, Joanne, Liz, Jessica, and Brenda for helping our young ladies craft the most beautiful aprons!
These volunteers worked one-on-one with our youth and staff teaching them how to cut a pattern, use a sewing machine, and develop patience for the fine art of sewing. Our youth used their artistic flare to match up fun and funky patterns for the apron of their own crafting. At the end of the evening we had 7 aprons to be proud of.
No substitute for experience.
It’s a great feeling when you know you have imparted a skill to another person and in a way that involves them – this is the very core of our Experiential Education Program. These young ladies have gained an important skill because of the time a few individuals took to educate in a fun and tangible way!
Lastly, we like to give a special thanks to Peak Community Church for their generosity of space – we definitely could not have fit 7 sewing machines in The Matthews House.
Although generational poverty, homeless and unaccompanied youth, and families with abuse and/or drug histories are a very real part of our town and world, it is such a blessing to live and work in a community that not only acknowledges these situations, but come along side youth to support them in every facet of their life.
Thank you Larimer County!
