A Family You Never Lose: How Good Counsel’s Exodus Program Walks With Moms for Life

At Good Counsel, our mission doesn’t end when a mother moves out of one of our homes. In many ways, it’s only the beginning. The Exodus Program was created for one simple reason: motherhood is lifelong—and no mom should ever walk it alone.

For mothers who’ve lived in our homes, Exodus is more than a follow-up program. It’s a safety net, a community, and a place to come home to—whether they’ve moved across town, across the country, or into a brand-new chapter of their lives. Many of our moms describe Exodus as the first time they’ve ever felt part of a real extended family. And that’s exactly the point.

Take the story of Latisha, one of our Exodus moms. After moving out of Good Counsel, she relocated to Georgia to support her brother, who lives with a disability. During that same season, she experienced the heartbreak of losing her mother. Yet even hundreds of miles away, she knew she still had a family in New York. She calls regularly—not out of obligation, but because Good Counsel is where she looks for support, wisdom, and reassurance. When she faces a difficult decision, she picks up the phone. When she wonders if she’s making the right choice for her daughter, she checks in. And every time, she hears the same message: You’re not alone. We are with you.

Exodus makes that promise real in everyday, practical ways. When Latisha secured her new apartment, she needed furniture but didn’t know where to turn. Within days, Good Counsel found a donor who provided a full set—everything she needed to make her new home feel warm and dignified. When Christmas came, she was added to our wish list, just like any other family. She drove back to New York to pick up gifts and, as always, stopped by the house—not as a client, but as family.

She sends pictures of her daughter’s milestones, including her first birthday. She shares her joys, her struggles, her victories. And when we ask if she needs anything, her response is always the same: “I’m so blessed—I cannot complain.”That kind of gratitude doesn’t come from having an easy life; it comes from knowing someone has your back, no matter where you go.

This is the heart of Exodus. Moms who graduate from Good Counsel homes can always return—for holiday meals, warm coats for their children, job-search help, spiritual support, emergency assistance, or simply a hug and a hot, home-cooked dinner. Exodus moms call us for advice, drop in when they’re in town, and rely on us as a stable presence through every new stage of motherhood.

For nearly 40 years, we’ve witnessed something beautiful: when a mother knows she has a family standing with her, she finds the courage to build a better life—not just for herself, but for her children, her future, and generations to come.

Good Counsel isn’t just a place to stay. It’s a place to belong. Through Exodus, every mom who walks through our doors has a home to return to—today, tomorrow, and always.

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If you feel called to support the moms and babies of Good Counsel, please consider a recurring donation so that we can better plan for each mom's future and for the future of our mission. Find out more here. May God bless you in your generosity!

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