The Diocese of the West supports many different charitable organizations each and every year. The four posted below are varied in what they do and whom they help, but all do wonderful work in helping those in need, which is why the diocese gives of its first fruits to them each and every year. Please explore their websites and consider giving to them yourself!
Charities
Gobezie-Goshu Home
The Gobezie-Goshu Home in Ethiopia is a ministry to help the abandoned and destitute elderly, the disabled, and the children of Adwa, Ethiopia. GGHE is a faith-based 501(c)3 nonprofit founded by Tsige-Roman Gobezie and based in Santa Maria, California.
What began as one woman’s dream to be able to feed and provide shelter for a few destitute elderly in 2003, has now grown into a ministry that provides for nearly 60 formerly destitute and homeless residents. In 2005 the main residence was completed and was able to house up to 60 adults. A school started with about 20 children from the town of Adwa and has now grown to over 1,500 children in an attempt to provide a private pre-K to 1st grade education for them to help prepare for their traditional, government-provided schooling. The ministry continues to grow each year. The vision is to create a self-sustaining community that provides food, shelter and basic necessities, however, at the present time your generous gifts are what support this humanitarian effort. Unlike many charitable organizations, the Home has no administrative costs deducted from contributions; this means that 100% of all donations go to helping the people GGHE serves.
Raphael House of Portland
Founded in 1977, Raphael House of Portland is a multi-faceted domestic violence agency dedicated to fighting the causes and effects of intimate partner violence in a variety of ways. We offer emergency shelter in a confidential location, a 24-hour in-house crisis line, transitional housing and advocacy programs, non-residential advocacy in partnership with the Portland Police Bureau, and also work to bring an end to violence through community outreach and education.
We believe that everyone deserves to live a life free from violence. The mission of Raphael House is to engage our entire community in non-violent living through advocacy, education, and community outreach, and by providing a safe haven from domestic violence.
Values
Raphael House of Portland believes that domestic violence is a pattern of coercive tactics that can include physical, psychological, sexual, economic, and emotional abuse, perpetrated by one person against an intimate partner, with the goal of establishing and maintaining power and control.
As we work to change these patterns of control and oppression, we embrace the following values:
- Survivor-centered advocacy and decision making
- Recognizing and adapting to an ever-changing spectrum of strengths and needs in ourselves and our program participants
- Constantly striving to ensure safety and confidentiality for the survivors we serve and for our staff, volunteers, and supporters
- Collaborating with survivors and our community to address a wide range of oppressive behaviors through social change
Project Mexico
Building homes since 1988, Project Mexico’s impact is now visible in the modest stucco homes embedded into the dusty hillside of our neighboring communities. Project Mexico has built more than 200 homes in Baja California, the majority of which are located in a single community. For an impoverished family, a new home means that after a rainstorm they will no longer step out of bed into knee deep mud. Instead, during the three month-long rainy season, families have the ability to keep their young children warm and dry with a cement floor and a weather-tight house. Project Mexico aims to be a catalyst for families, providing a physical foundation so that their modest earnings can be spent on education, groceries, and perhaps electricity. The families we build for know that they will forever be part of our Project Mexico family and in that we hope they know the Lord is ever-present with them.
The volunteer experience at Project Mexico is one that has been profoundly affecting people of all ages for 25 years. Coming from wealthy countries where potable water, electricity, and paved roads are commonplace, our volunteers are often humbled by the third-world conditions they experience in Mexico. Our one-week long mission trips have led many of our volunteers to dedicate their lives to serving those in need, both in the States and abroad. We continue to encourage new volunteers to serve the Lord through our ministry.
Children's Hospice
Over several years, the Diocese of Olympia (Episcopal Church) has developed a close relationship with Children’s Hospice in St. Petersburg, Russia. The hospice recently opened a facility for rehabilitation and palliative medicine, treating 17 patients per day in a round-the-clock care center and serving more than 300 children throughout the region (click here for its brochure). See Children’s Hospice at work in their new video, and consider supporting this vital ministry during the coming year.