Hope Haven marks 10 years of saving children
Published: October 11, 2004
One kid at a time.
That’s how you help them. Neglected, abused kids. The ones we read about in news stories. The ones with the stories we shake our heads about in disbelief, say something about how someone somewhere should do something.
10 years ago some people somewhere did something: they started Hope Haven Children’s Shelter in Waveland. Two years later, in 1996, businesswomen Mary Carpenter, Lois Griffin, Carol Ripley, and the late Bobbie Barr established its first nine-bed facility. In 2002 they grew into a twelve-bed shelter.
Nine beds? Twelve beds? What can you do against the flood of suffer stories we hear about so regularly?!
What you can do, and what they did since 1996, is help well over 2,500 children throughout South Mississippi!
Terry Latham, a retired US Navy man who had spend the previous 4 years helping Vietnam veterans with disabled children, was brought in later. At first to assist with finding the funding needed to operate, later as the director and shelter manager.
“I certainly saw it as a temporary thing. I can’t believe the time has passed so quickly. Without a doubt, it is the most important work I’ve ever done.
Society naturally considers things as ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Unfortunately, we need everyone’s help all of the time. Being a part of United Way has been very beneficial, but we are most dependent on the generosity of individuals and businesses in the community. The needs of hurting children, sadly, don’t just go away.
Every single one of us, whether we like it or not, has to take care of each other. It is incredibly important to break the cycle of abuse in these children’s lives. These are not just someone else’s kids. They are ours, and one day, for better or worse, they will be our neighbors.
We try to make their stay here as normal as possible. We return the children to school within three days, as best we can. We are not some program. We are here to serve these children who’ve known nothing but pain and heartache all of their lives.”
– Terry Latham, executive director Hope Haven Children’s Shelter
They now operate on a budget of $328,000. Seems a substantial amount of money until they show you that last year more than $290,000 was spent on food, supplies, clothing, personal items for the children, utilities, insurance, and staff payroll.
Inspired? For more information you can call Terry Latham at 467-7945 or visit www.hopehavenshelter.org
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