12 Ways 2022
Give a gift that gives all year long! Consider giving this Christmas to one of CCM's annual expenses, and make your gift count throughout the coming year.
The many ways you can make an impact!
Vehicle Fund - $6,500 Goal
Our trusted Nissan Patrol is the means by which everything comes to and goes from the CCM home. It is used to get the kids to school, to church and to medical appointments.
This vehicle is used to transport drinking water, groceries and fuel. It takes Joyce and the kids on family outings, and to socialize with friends and other families. It also transports Joyce to meetings to help the mission effectively keep up with all that the government requires. Roads are rough in Haiti and they take their toll on all vehicles no matter how durable.
Vehicles need regular preventative maintenance, annual brake, tire, and clutch replacements, registration, and of course fuel. When we can find fuel to purchase, it is can be more than $25 a gallon. Estimated costs to run the CCM vehicle for one year are $6,500.
Extra Hand Fund - $6,000 Goal
Joyce is constantly dealing with busted pipes and other minor maintenance issues. Thankfully, her neighbor Antilise, affectionately known as “Boss”, is well acquainted with repairs, and just down the road. If Boss can’t fix it, he knows who to call that can, and what a fair price is. Anitlise has a real heart for the CCM family and checks in daily to see what needs to be done, or which tasks are at hand. Marie Lande is a beautiful soul and a loving mother who was looking for a few hours of work to pick up each week to help provide for her family. She comes in 5 mornings a week when the kids are at school and takes a huge load off of Joyce’s shoulders, by coming alongside and helping her with the monumental task of keeping a busy household clean.
This employment that we are able to provide for both Antilese and Marie Lande gives them the opportunity to send their children to school and provide for their respective families. The annual costs of this need is $6,000.
Grocery Fund - $32,o00 Goal
Groceries! With 6 boys and 4 girls, all of which seem to be in a constant state of teenage growth spurts, keeping up with groceries in our home could be a full-time job!
Meal time is one of big table fellowship and bonding, especially for kids who experienced food deprivation for the first several years of their early lives. CCM buys all of its produce locally supporting the community of Fort Jacques and Kenscoff farmers. We buy other staples in bulk from locally owned “depots” along the Kenscoff road and in Petionville.
At CCM, we are honoured to be able to feed not only our family, but our security staff, employees, from time to time neighbour boys who play soccer in our yard and any visitors who might happen to be at our house over mealtime.
On average, feeding 15-20 people daily, the grocery bill is estimated at $2667 monthly, or $32,000. annually.
Security Fund - $I4,400 Goal
Being a single mom with a houseful of kids adds to that vulnerability. To give the kids and Joyce peace of mind to sleep at night, CCM contracts a 24 hour security guard for their property. The 3 rotating guards have become part of the family, and on top of offering armed protection and peace of mind, they lend a helping hand and help maintain the functional operations of the house.
Responsible, well trained security, who are willing to put their life at risk to protect the kids at CCM is not cheap, but we feel it is essential to their safety and well-being. The annual cost of security is $1200 a month or $14,400 annually.
Water - $3,500 Goal
All of the CCM’s roof slopes are tied into this water collection system, ensuring that as much water as possible is collected naturally for use. However, during non-rainy seasons it is never enough. During the dry spells, CCM must purchase well water from lower altitudes and pay for it to be delivered by truck and pumped into their cistern. Due to their location in a small rural community, one truck full of water costs $100.
This water is used for bathing, cleaning, cooking, and laundry, but is not palatable for drinking. Purified water must be purchased separately at $0.45 a gallon. CCM’s estimated water costs are $3,500 annually.
Family Night - $7,500 Goal
They might gather a few special grocery items and make a special meal together using a new recipe, or take a hike in the mountains and stop for a snack. The activities vary but the people do not.
This is a highly anticipated and celebrated time each week, one which can be granted at $13 per person, approximately $145 each week, and a total of $7,500 annually.
Propane Fund - $2,I00 Goal
Propane also runs the clothes dryer on the days when Fort Jacques just doesn’t get a break from the damp wet clouds or rain. Propane also allows Joyce to fire up the BBQ every once in awhile for the crowd pleasing grilled pork chops or chicken.
Propane costs are $175 a month or approximately $2,100 a year.
Community Outreach - $4,850 Goal
In the first few years of coming together as the CCM family, we needed to really focus on what family looks like to us. Many of the kids had never had a life outside of an institutional setting, and some had lived in multiple orphanages.
They did not have a “reference point” for what a family is, how they interact, or what role they play in each other’s lives. This took a lot of time, a lot of intentionality in our home environment, routines, structure, etc. We have been though a lot and I am so proud of how far they have come. Even during that those times of growing we made sure to be active in our community and build relationships. But, over the last two years as the kids have matured individually and collectively, we have started to incorporate not just participation in our community but reaching out and being family to those who need us.
One of the ways we do that is through providing a safe space in a Christ centered environment. Two days a week we open our doors to a group of boys from the area who come from disengaged or struggling families, where parents may be absent or abusive, and sadly the safest place to be is away.
On these afternoons the boys can come to place sports, engage in conversation, read books from our library, learn conversational English, help with a project around the house, and just be kids. At the end of the day we provide a filling hot meal, likely their only meal from two days prior and they won’t eat again the next day.
We believe that this is one way that God is asking us to minister relationally to the next generation. Will you help us to continue to provide this safe space, healing environment, and hot meal?
Community Relief - $4,I50 Goal
In addition to our Community Outreach efforts, mentioned above, we also move outside our walls to reach out to those in the neighborhood and beyond. Gang violence, a lack of government, inflation, cholera, covid, and a complete breakdown of the market economy have led to severe suffering for the people of Haiti.
We cannot fix the underlying problems, but we can provide some small relief to families in need in our area. This may look like a gift of dried goods or fresh protein. It may look like medication for a severe infection. Or it may look like money for transportation to see a dying loved on when otherwise it would be an impossible transit. Sometimes this outreach can look like a prayer and a comforting embrace.
Other times it is helping repair a vandalized shop. We never know what needs may come up, but we pray continuously for God to bring those to us whom He desires for us to reach. Please consider helping us to reach others with the love of Jesus in both relationships and relief when possible.
Energy Fund - $9,550 Goal
CCM also incorporates a battery storage system into its power supply. Whenever the generator or EDH is running, those batteries are charging to help cut fuel costs and provide lasting power for essentials such as frozen perishables and lights. With the installation of a solar panel system this year, we are able to utilize power from the sun as well, which has helped tremendously to save on diesel. However, our mountain location also brings with it many days without much sun, at which time, we rely on the generator.
The generator requires a gallon of fuel per hour, and both generator and batteries require preventative maintenance. The annual estimated of cost for the entire power supply system is $9,550.
Mom Fund - $I,560 Goal
This mom fund is to give Joyce the budget to encourage her to care for her physical and mental health needs. This might look like meeting up with a friend for a guilt free lunch or coffee, getting a gym membership, watching a pay per view hockey game, springing for that imported container of blueberries, purchasing new gardening supplies or getting a massage.
We’ve set this fund at $30 a week or $1,560 for the year.
Communication Fund - $2,700 Goal
Joyce uses the internet to keep supporters up to date, stay connected to friends and family, and to keep herself up to date on developing research and resources that her kids with various challenges can benefit from.
In Haiti, the only thing that is predictable is that nothing will go as planned, making cell phones an integral part of smoothing out the day’s “bumps” in scheduling, and rolling with the changes. Estimated annual cell phone and internet plans are $2,700.
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Chosen and Cherished Ministries
17 Potter Hill Road Port Crane,
NY 13833 USA
