What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17 NKJV
There are a number of ways you can help:
Current Needs
Currently, we have a need for gently used, summer baby clothing up to size 3T and of course, we are always in need of diapers (sizes 3,4,5 and 6), jars of baby food, and formula.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act regulates the distribution of consumer products. To be in compliance with this law and because we do not want to distribute products to our clients that have the potential to cause harm to themselves or their children, the following items cannot be accepted:
- Toys including stuffed toys and toy chests
- Books including bath books
- Broken or rickety nursery furniture
- Bibs containing plastic
- Child placemats
- Booster seats
- Pacifiers other than those in original packages
- Pool toys
- Anything plastic that a baby can put in their mouth that is not in the original packaging
- Nursery equipment, infant furniture and equipment such as playpens, strollers, baby bouncers and exercisers that have small parts that are not fastened securely.
- Infant carriers that were part of a car seat
- Mattresses unless proof that they were manufactured on or after July 1, 2007
If you have a passion for this ministry and would like to help in some way, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at 419-668-9500. Review the training needs for specific positions.
Volunteer Training Requirements
To become a volunteer at Abigail, there are a few things that need to happen. All volunteers must read and agree to Abigail Ministries Statement of Faith and Statement of Principle before proceeding. Next you will need to complete the following forms that can be printed and mailed to our Center (PO Box #68). They are:
POSITIONS REQUIRING COMPLETION OF THE 21 HR VOLUNTEER CARE NET TRAINING:
Receptionist: Answer the phone, help clients feel welcome and assist the other staff members in a variety of ways. The time commitment is one 8-hour shift weekly on M-W-F.
Peer-Counselor: Meet with clients individually in counseling room; assess needs, and provide information. The time commitment is one 8-hour shift weekly.
Baby Boutique Attendant: Help keep clothing room organized; assists clients in selecting clothing, scans, checks out and bags clothing for clients, etc. The time commitment is one 4-hour shift weekly
Board Member: Oversees the leadership of Abigail Ministries. This is an advisory board with specific responsibilities in support of this ministry. Board meeting are once per month on the second Monday. Involvement in fund-raising events is required
School/Church Abstinence Workshop Leader: Coordinate scheduling with the Executive Director all abstinence programs presented to school or youth groups.
Post Abortion Stress Facilitator: Facilitates post-abortive healing and Bible study programs to post-abortive clients
Parenting Program Assistant: Helps facilitate current parenting classes and/or conducts evening classes.
Public Relations: Distribute literature at fair booths, malls, etc.
Fundraiser Developer: Develops successful fundraising events and coordinates the activity under the supervision of the Executive Director. Must be organized, experienced, personable, and willing to help with the work involved. Must be passionate about this ministry.
OTHER POSITIONS NOT REQUIRING VOLUNTEER TRAINING
Building Maintenance: Light "handyman" activities as needed
Church Liaison: Responsible for getting permission and announcing Abigail Ministries' information to their church congregation. He/she works with their church office to get information into church bulletins, display Abigail posters, keeping their church supplied with Abigail brochures and making special announcements when Abigail volunteer training and fundraising events are going to occur. This person is encouraged to recruit participants for the Abigail annual walk for life and to host a table at our annual fundraising banquet.
Janitorial Service: Dusting and vacuuming office areas, mopping and cleaning bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry areas. All areas do not have to be covered by just one volunteer. Most areas need attention on M-W-F; mopping of areas can be done once a week.
Laundry Help: Pick up garments that need laundering; launder and return them to center. OR laundry can be done at the center during regular working hours.
Yard Maintenance: Spring and fall cleanup; weeding as needed; shrub trimming. Great job for a youth project.
Newsletter Assistant: Meet one to two days every other month to prepare hardcopy of newsletter for mailing (approx. 600). This includes delivering the newsletter to the post office on the day it is completed.
Prayer Support Team: These people pray for the needs of the Center. Always needed.
Snow Removal: Remove snow/ice from all sidewalks and apply ice guard before the center opens. As needed. Center opens at 8:30AM
Mailing Address:
PO Box #68
Norwalk, Ohio 44857
Thank you for taking the time to consider joining the Abigail family.
Financial Help
Every business has overhead and a non-profit is no exception. God blesses us daily but we need help from others. It costs this ministry approximately $200 for each client that we serve. If every person in each city that we serve would donate just $5.00 a month, our budget would be adequately covered.
Unfortunately, that isn't happening. There are men and women who have lost jobs or are facing major healthcare issues. Our hearts break for those individuals and we include them in our daily prayers. However, there are those who can help. No gift is too small to make a difference.
Abigail Ministries stands on integrity and its commitment to good stewardship. Financial help not only covers building maintenance, utilities, and salaries but is also used to purchase new pack-n-plays for the graduates of our parenting classes, BPA free baby bottles, new diaper bags/layettes for our first time moms, baby food and formula when supplies dwindle and lots and lots of diapers. When we provide information to our clients so they can make informed choices and they make the choice of life for their unborn, we commit to helping this mom and child after the birth as well. It is about more than giving life to the child, it is about getting the mom and her family off to a good start; helping them succeed.
You can make a difference in protecting life by supporting the work of your local pregnancy center. Help extend life-affirming, compassionate support by getting involved and helping to grow the 51% of Americans who are pro-life.
We can't do this alone. We rely upon the help of our Heavenly Father and we rely upon the generosity of people like you. Won't you share in the blessing by supporting the work that we do?
Prayer
Although every day we are on the front lines fighting the abortion issue, our primary concern right now is about taxpayer-funded abortion in the healthcare reform bill and what it means for our nation’s pregnancy centers. Not only does the bill make the work of pregnancy centers more difficult, it also makes our work more critical than ever before.
Specifically, the Executive Order issued by our President does not adequately address the following pro-life concerns of pregnancy centers. In addition, federal courts can enforce what the law says, not the executive order, and it can be overturned at any moment without a vote.
1. Research has shown that if abortions are covered in a public healthcare plan, they will increase! According to Planned Parenthood’s Guttmacher Institute, abortion will significantly increase among Medicaid recipients if covered by public funding. Marketing of “free services” at pregnancy centers is a draw to abortion-vulnerable women. So if abortion is covered in healthcare plans, how can we continue to attract this at-risk population with our free services?
2. This bill provides no adequate provision for the rights of conscience of pro-life healthcare professionals. When these rights are trumped, pro-life individuals will leave or simply not enter the field of medicine. For pregnancy centers that are medical facilities, where will they find like-minded doctors and nurses to provide free ultrasounds, prenatal care, or STD testing? They simply won’t exist.
3. We also anticipate that if abortions increase because they’re free and federally subsidized in healthcare plans, there will be a huge increase in the demand for post-abortion recovery programs, which are offered in pregnancy centers. Our movement will have to greatly expand our services in this area.
Since the days of the Greek physician Hippocrates some 2,400 years ago, those who practice the science of medicine have taken an oath to protect and preserve human life. Now if forced to participate in abortive practices, what is next? Euthanasia?
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live. (Deuteronomy 30:19)
Any society that loses its belief that life is sacred and that only God can decide when to give or take a life has taken a dangerous step. Over time, life in such a culture becomes meaningless and death incredibly cheap. History has shown us the steps that lead up to the annihilation of those who at the time are considered to be "undesirables".
If you cannot support us in any other way, please, please allow the Lord to hear your concerns through prayer. Abortion not only impacts the life of the unborn, it touches the mother for a lifetime as well as the other family members involved.