Santa has his eye on the Hope Ministries and the Raymus House while garnering the support of Manteca churches and service clubs to add Christmas cheer to the non-profit’s mission launched by the late developer Antone Raymus and his wife Marie 21 years ago.
Hope Ministries actually has three properties that make up its total campus – The Raymus House in the 500 block of South Union Road, The Hope Family Shelter in the 500 block of West Yosemite Avenue and seven apartment units just east of Doctors Hospital on East North Street that serve as a transitional site for families trying to get their feet on the ground and reestablish their credit.
The Raymus House offers quarters for eight women and their children. Just two weeks ago it hit a peak with those eight moms bringing some 20 kids with them. The two-story Hope Family Shelter has room for seven families – all needing to be remembered for the Christmas holidays as they stay in the faith-based ministries’ lodgings.
The new interim director, Cecily Ballungay, said she has been contacting the churches in the community asking them to partner with their mission. She said many of them have already been knocking on her door wanting to help with yuletide events and are planning to bring clothes and gifts for the children at Raymus House.
Manteca Soroptimist members are scheduling a party for Dec. 18 for the women at the Union Road facility and their children – with gifts for the kids. Sequoia Heights Baptist Church members are arriving on Dec. 21 with their “White Christmas” benefit with gifts of everything white – white sheets, white towels and washcloths.
A Kaiser Hospital billing office worker has contacted Ballungay saying her staffers have been gathering toys that they will be bringing to the children in the ministries, a heart and soul effort to make a difference for families during the Christmas season.
“Every year they do something for a non-profit,” the director said. “This year they decided to reach out to us.”
And, 12-year-old Miss Young Manteca, Sydnee Novaro, has asked staffers at her mom’s work to take a tag from an office Christmas tree and provide a gift for someone in the shelter so that no one will be forgotten during the holidays.
Calvary Community Church is having a special Christmas event asking residents to make a concise gift list and they will have a party for them that will include arts and crafts for the kids and family portraits for them free of charge. The parents are going to receive large bags filled with gifts that they can take home and wrap themselves, signing mom or dad on the gift tags showing they are actually from them.
The Calvary event is being organized by Julie McGregor who runs the food pantry at the church.
In addition 10 members of the Hope Ministries’ board will be on hand Saturday, Dec. 13, cooking an omelet breakfast for the families. The cooking will have to be outside as the kitchen in under construction with a $5,000 gift from the Manteca Police Chief Foundation making it possible. A Girl Scout troop is coming on Dec. 15 to lead an arts and crafts activity for the children.
Thousands have been helped by Hope Ministries since its inception in 1993 with over 100 families per year walking through its doors finding caring support in their lives. Director Ballungay said many volunteers have responded to her call for help in recent weeks, adding that more are needed in their drive to make a difference in the community.
In January the Hope Ministries director is meeting with church representatives from throughout the Manteca community to plan for a greater community-wide partnership for the 2015 year.
