The Good Samaritan Network
Pastors and churches throughout Maryland and Delaware partner with GSN to help troubled families learn to function effectively in the community. We build on strengths, create ongoing support for the family within the church and community, and educate both the family in crisis and those who work with them.
Families and individuals in crisis naturally turn to churches for help. When a person requires more specialized help than a church is able to give, GSN's services become a lifeline for the pastors and church staff. GSN services include Wraparound case management services, transitional housing, material assistance, information and referral, and a 24-hour crisis hotline for pastors and church leaders.
Wraparound Case Management
Wraparound is exactly what it sounds like: we "wrap" resources and support around a family in crisis. GSN clinical staff partners with the church to form a team of supportive people to brainstorm strategies to meet the family's or individual's needs. GSN then helps implement these strategies through in-home case management. To make a referral for these services, pastors and church leaders may contact GSN at 410.872.1050.
Transitional Housing
The transitional apartment of GSN is a multi-phase program that offers temporary subsidized housing and supportive services to families in crisis. GSN works with the family towards independence and self-sufficiency by accessing necessary resources and skills such as childcare, parenting, education, employment, budgeting, life skills, and more. Families are expected to meet certain requirements of each of the four phases in order to continue in the program. Families who are considered for the transitional apartment must also participate in our Wraparound services. To be considered, a family must be referred by their pastor or church leader.
Material Assistance
In 2007, GSN coordinated a successful Christmas gift and school supplies drive benefiting over 2,500 children across Maryland and Delaware. This year GSN is partnering with churches to establish gift shops at different church locations in Baltimore City. These stores allow members of the community to shop for their children for school supplies and Christmas gifts at very low cost.
Information and Referral
The Information and Referral line is a service available to families and individuals referred to us by churches. Pastors and families can tap into our ability to access a wide variety of resources in their communities. Requested resources have been housing, food pantries, agencies that provide financial assistance, counseling, and much more. Call 410.872.1050 or 1.800.621.8834 to talk with our professional staff.
VBS
Each summer, GSN asks Vacation Bible Schools to make the program a focus of VBS fundraising. To introduce GSN to your VBS students, we offer a packet of stories describing GSN's work, written for age groups from pre-K to teenagers. Please download the mission stories in the attachment below.
SUCCESSES!
Note: These stories are taken from our monthly "PrayerGram." If you would like to receive the Prayergram by email, please click here and leave us your address. All names have been changed to protect the identities of our kids and families.
Melissa approved two new families for our Safe Families for Children program. One family is from Faith Baptist Church in Glen Burnie and the other is from North Harford Baptist Church. We also welcomed two new CHOSEN families earlier this month --one from Howard County and the other from Baltimore County. We are happy that they are willing to open their homes to children in need.
There is great news to pass along about Ching Lan, for whom you have been praying over the past several months. She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in January and started a full time job with benefits this week. Ching Lan is now looking at a more stable future.
Darron took his GED test this week. After he receives the GED, he has a job lined up and ready to go.
Kudos to foster parent Tamara Harris for her willingness to stay up all night during a recent hospitalization with her CHOSEN child.
Prayer Requests
...for a foster child who is having difficulty with the transition back to his biological family and is acting out.
...for a foster teen who has not had contact with his biological family for years and is hesitant to respond after they reached out to him through social media.
...for a woman who lost her husband on Monday; she is feeling overwhelmed by the logistics of his burial as well as the grief of losing him.
...for a foster child who is struggling to stay on task at school.
...for a young man who is seeking a diagnosis for chronic abdominal pain.
...for a foster child who has been experiencing suicidal ideations.
...for a man who will undergo cataract surgery next week.
...for a young mother who is recovering from a severe infection in the brain and going through physical therapy.