This year, like years past, Fishhook is making a financial contribution to each of our team member's charity of choice.

We love Christmas around Fishhook! This year, like years past, Fishhook is making a financial contribution to each of our team member's charity of choice. This contribution is in honor of you, our fantastic clients and friends! Thanks to you, these gifts will make a world-wide impact!

 

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Meredith’s Gift: The Benjie Fund

Christmas is my favorite holiday! I love the decorations, the lights, listening to Christmas music and shopping for presents. It’s easy for me to fly around in a flurry of merry-making and fun, pushing down thoughts about anything difficult. But I know that the holidays can be hard for many people, especially those who have lost a loved one. Some of my most vivid memories from childhood include a short, white casket and the sweet baby boy that lay inside. It’s not a happy memory, but it’s a very important one for me.

In honor of my family, and in memory of my brother, I am making a donation to the Benjie Fund in Anderson, Indiana (where I live). The Benjie Fund, under the umbrella of the Community Hospital Anderson Foundation, assists with funeral or cemetery expenses for families who have unexpectedly lost a baby. Since being established in 2010, they have helped over thirty families with a gift of $250-500 per child, depending on their need.

 

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Shawn’s Gift: Jeremiah 29:11 Project

For my charity I am choosing the Jeremiah 29:11 Project. Personally, I have seen how adoption has affected many of our friends lives, as well my own family. This organization's goal is to help families bring home children to their "forever" families by providing adoption grants to help offset costs.  

 

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Evan’s Gift: Camp Challenge

I chose Camp Challenge - a Christian camp in Southern Indiana. For a couple years, I have served on the board and my kids love the camp. The camp is in a season of revitalization, under the leadership of a new Executive Director. My heart comes alive when fueling efforts that have turned a corner, and are heading up - that's where lots of Fishhook clients are when they begin their relationship with our team - and that's right where Camp Challenge is. (Maybe it's the Maximizer in me.) Deeper than all of this, Camp Challenge is a place that makes space for people to retreat, recharge and connect with God. 

 

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Megan’s Gift: Mocha Club

"I need Africa because it is Africa that has taught me that possessions in my hands will never be as valuable as peace in my heart." I learned about Mocha Club through FashionAble, and what first intrigued me was how little they were asking for. Mocha Club suggests we find something we can go without – maybe it's a mocha coffee – and each month give that money to Africa. For $9 a month you can make a difference – you can bring 9 people clean water for a year, you can provide health care to someone with HIV/AIDS, and you can bring justice to children, mothers and women at risk. What used to feel like an insurmountable burden – how do I help people in Africa? – was suddenly so accessible. After further investigating Mocha Club, I found that they tell a story of joy and faith, and the beauty of the African people despite their circumstances. It's one of the most motivating stories I've ever heard.

 

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Lindsay’s Gift: charity:water

This spring, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit the NYC headquarters of charity: water, a non-profit organization on a mission to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet. Each person we know at charity: water is passionate, committed and enthusiastic about this calling. For us, supporting charity: water became a tangible way for us to love others. 

 

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Leah's gift: Muscular Dystrophy Association

I have a great friend who is so full of strength, courage and wisdom. Lisa and I can talk and laugh for hours about the joys and challenges of raising daughters, loving our husbands well, growing in our faith, and ... making sure we have ramps ready at our house - or wherever we want to go - so she can make a visit. 

Lisa is in a wheelchair because of muscular dystrophy. And while she and I have so many things in common, I know that the physical challenges Lisa faces each day are very different from me. (I do my best to both forget about these differences while also remembering them too.) Lisa - and her great husband and girls - are an incredible inspiration to me (and Brian and our girls). They are so fun, positive and giving. I'm thankful for these sweet friends, and I give this gift to the Muscular Dystrophy Association in their honor!  

 

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Ben’s Gift: The Salvation Army

As the temperatures outside begin to fall, it's a sure sign that you'll soon begin to see those faithful volunteers standing by their iconic red buckets, ringing their Salvation Army bells. This year, I've noticed the same man standing outside my local grocery store each time I'm there - in the cold, rain and snow - and I was compelled to stop and chat with him for a minute. From that 2 minute conversation, I've become more interested in who these bell-ringers are and what they represent. 

The Salvation Army does so much for communities around the country, and very often their services are brought to the forefront only during the last few weeks of the year. From addiction treatment and rehabilitation, to feeding the hungry, to providing a warm place to stay, there is so much more to this organization than the jangly bells and collection kettles: http://salvationarmyindiana.org/need-help/ This year, I'm happy to join the ranks of the bell-ringers (although my personal sacrifice is very small - I don't even have to stand outside!) in supporting a nationwide organization that is making a very big local difference. Join me at http://www.onlineredkettle.org/BenGoshow

 

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Aimee’s Gift: Girl Up

There are more than 600 million adolescent girls living in developing countries today that, due to circumstances outside their control, may never reach their full potential. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been passionate about developing confidence, leadership and opportunity in young girls. Girl Up envisions a world where all girls, no matter where they live, have the opportunity to become educated, healthy, safe, counted and positioned to be the next generation of leaders. Developed by the United Nations Foundation, Girl Up gives young American girls the opportunity to become global leaders by raising awareness and funds to help the mission.  I think its so important to not only help girls across the world succeed, but instill leadership and responsibility into American girls. I am thankful that this charity does both!

 

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Shayla’s Gift: The Wayne Township Education Foundation

For the past six years before coming to Fishhook, I was the Special Events and Communications Director at the Wayne Township Education Foundation. I'm very passionate about education and have a deep respect for this particular organization. The Wayne Township Education Foundation exists as a community catalyst to enrich, engage and stimulate student learning. They do this by supporting school programs and recognizing excellence in the school district. I have young kids and I see how much impact their teachers have on their lives and I'm grateful for them. Supporting the Wayne Township Education Foundation is a way for me to say "thank you" to the many teachers that are in the classrooms day in and day out.