The Emporia Gazette

May 27, 2012

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Shiloh Home of Hope opened last week when two young families joined house parents Carol and Lee Alderman at the home.

One mother with a toddler moved in on Tuesday and a second, with two pre-schoolers, moved in Friday. It marked a milestone for Cindy Rhudy and the Family Life Services organization that has offices at 605 Congress St., and operates Shiloh at the same location.

The complex is the former home of Galen and Beth Miller. Dr. Galen Miller, an orthodontist, lived with his family in the brick-and-stone building and operated his dental practice out of the basement. The Millers moved out of state, and in early 2007 FLS began active fundraising and organizational work to buy the building from the Millers at a substantial discount and transform it into FLS offices and a home for young pregnant women and young women with children.

Shiloh goes beyond simple assistance and shelter, Rhudy said.

“It’s a whole program,” she said. “It’s an approach to the way they’re doing life. We don’t take in people who just need a place to live. It’s a whole program and hopefully meant to break old patterns that aren’t working.”

The two women who moved in last week had completed an application process that included providing about 30 pages of information, taking a physical, and providing medical information.

“They also had to read a book and do an essay and a summary of the book,” Rhudy said. “So it’s kind of intense, but part of the purpose in that is to see if they’re ready with their commitment level.”

Clients will learn budgeting, basic life skills, and will work on identity and self-esteem issues. As they grow in their knowledge of themselves, they are expected to be able to use the skills they’ve learned at Shiloh to become independent and productive.

“There’s usually a root to the problem of not being able to be successful in life,” Rhudy said.

Shiloh supporters have scheduled an open house and fundraiser beginning at 9 a.m. on April 19. The theme is “Restoring the Family Tree” and family activities will be emphasized at the event.

The Praise Band from First Baptist Church will provide music early in the morning, and a brief presentation about Shiloh and its goals will follow.

Docents will bring animals from the David Traylor Zoo, games and activities for children and families are planned, and hot dogs, chips, popcorn and beverages will be provided, in addition to prize drawings that are planned.

“We are getting local merchants to give us coupons and we’re putting together some door prizes, family fun packages for door prizes,” she said.

FLS continues to do presentations for local churches, service organizations and other groups to secure donations or ongoing commitments for sponsorships.

“You go out there, you scatter the seeds, you give information to people,” she said. “You never know what’s going to grow from it.”

Several churches already donate on a regular basis, and other groups and individuals are needed to pledge monthly contributions.

“Ten who commit to a $20 gift per month, that adds up,” Rhudy said.

The FLS currently spends about $200 a month on diapers for its walk-in clients, and Rhudy said that she expects that need to rise sharply because of the families that now are moving into Shiloh.

“We would really love to have monthly commitments. That way we would have a pretty good idea of what we could count on for our budget,” she said.

The goal for the event on April 19 is $12,000.