BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES ANNOUNCES ONE FAMILY CAMPAIGN EVENT SCHEDULE

BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES ANNOUNCES ONE FAMILY CAMPAIGN EVENT SCHEDULE

Local Events to Support Efforts in Massive Campaign to Aid Children and Families in Guatemala

Grand Rapids, MI, Oct. 9, 2012 – Committed to family preservation in the United States and abroad, Grand Rapids-based Bethany Christian Services  is working with local residents and organizations throughout the community to help children and families in crisis in Chichicastenango (Chichi), Guatemala as part of the agency’s One Family campaign. Efforts for the One Family campaign will culminate the week of October 21-27 with a series of local fundraising events, including:

Sunday, October 21 - Sponsorship Sunday events (during morning services) at Grand Rapids area churches

Monday, October 22, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. - Adoptive Family Fall Fest at Bethany’s headquarters (RSVP required)

Tuesday, October 23, 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. - Pastor Prayer Breakfast at Arnie's on Leonard (RSVP required)

Wednesday, October 24 - Pizza Party with Maranda for winning $2 Dollar a Day Challenge classroom (sponsored by Craig's Cruisers)

Thursday, October 25, 7:00 p.m. - Community event at LaGrave Avenue Christian Reformed Church

During these events, Bethany will seek 1,000 “sponsors” for children and families in Guatemala.  Sponsorships are $30 a month and will help meet the individualized needs of a child and family, from food and shelter to school fees and supplies.

With more than 150 million orphans around the world, the One Family campaign is a new program seeking to partner U.S. cities with cities abroad to promote family preservation and the need to create sustainable solutions for families that are working to keep their children.  Bethany selected Grand Rapids for its One Family campaign as a result of the city’s rich history of compassion and commitment to human welfare.

Since the introduction of the One Family program in Grand Rapids in August, Bethany has worked closely with local organizations, such as churches and schools, as well as businesses, to develop partnerships to assist in funding vital care efforts in Guatemala. As a key part of the One Family initiative, Grand Rapids-area residents joined media representatives – Stephanie Webb of WZZM’s Take Five and Maranda of WOOD TV – in traveling to Chichi to participate in a once in-a-lifetime trip to view firsthand the challenges the city and its residents face.

“Traveling to Guatemala with Bethany was an eye-opening experience that I will never forget,” said Pastor Julian Guzman, a member of the team that visited Chichi this past summer. “It’s heart wrenching to see so many poverty-stricken children and families struggling to survive. I’m grateful to Bethany for allowing me to participate in such an important program like the One Family campaign, and look forward to the upcoming events as a way to maximize the Grand Rapids community’s involvement.”

For more information on the One Family campaign or to find out how you can support the program, please visit www.bethanyonefamily.org, email [email protected], or call 1.855.290.3323.