President's Column

Dear Friend,

This is a very difficult time for me here in New Jersey tonight and I wouldn't be staying up this late but I'm really worried. I've been worried for several months now and it's getting worse.

You see, 21 years ago, with the help of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, a Franciscan priest and psychologist, I began a small home for single mothers and their babies. We wanted to help mothers not only have a safe delivery, but to have a new life after birth. We knew early intervention to help a young mother return to school or find a job would also help the long-term moral and educational life of her child.

We wanted to make a difference for women and children who many, many people seemed to have forgotten.  That's how Good Counsel began.
A lot has happened in those 21 years and thousands of mothers and thousands of babies have been saved a life of despair, been given real hope and gotten a step up.  Mothers like Ann who turned her life around from abusing drugs to earning a living and caring for herself and her daughter.
Good Counsel now has five homes, helping more than 80 mothers and babies a night in our residences, additionally helping dozens more on our national helpline and through our outreach and follow up Exodus programs each and every week.

What's got me real worried tonight and for the past several months is that our income isn't keeping pace with our expenses.  I've tried very, very hard to budget what we expect to receive in our monthly mailings, numerous speaking engagements at churches and to business and charitable groups. We have some private foundations who usually give some sizable grants.

But right now it's not adding up. I can't say exactly why, but the bottom line is, we are falling way, way behind in our expenses.  Not only that, there's so much more to do to help more and more mothers who keep calling every day.  I can't do everything, but when a young, single mother calls and says, "I'm pregnant and my boyfriend wants me out of the house," I want to be able to respond quickly and say, "We can help you. Come right over."  We do say that and right now, I'm not able to pay for that.

I need help. I need your financial assistance today, right now. The summer is traditionally a difficult time to raise funds but for us this entire year has been especially rough!

Maybe you too are struggling financially, but if you gave a little now at Good Counsel Homes - Donate and passed our information on to someone else who also can help, I know we could make it through this period!

If you can afford $65, that would be enough to feed a mother or child for an entire month. We're able to spread out those dollars because of donated food we receive.  If you can send something less right now, please do because every little bit helps. If you can send more, that's a tremendous help!
Please, just do something now because without your help, I really don't know if I can make it. I don't know if I can keep feeding, counseling, helping more than 80 mothers and babies each night, plus all the others who call on our helpline (800-723-8331).

We can do more, but we'd need more of your help. Please make a sacrificial offering now.

Please know that you will be in my prayers and those of all of us at Good Counsel. 

Peace,
Christopher Bell +