2023 Year-End Letter
Dear Friends,
As we sit down to write this letter, a familiar tune is playing on the speakers overhead. “I’ll be home for Christmas, You can count on me…” Do you know the next line? Did you find yourself humming the tune as you read the words? This Bing Crosby classic is a fan favorite with a simple message that resonates with so many. There’s no place like home. But for many, the idea of a safe, stable, and loving home, feels like a dream. At The No More Foundation (NM) our hearts are burdened for those who are struggling. For the family who is homeless and living in their car because Dad lost his job and can’t find work. For the single Mom who must decide between groceries and the light bill and can’t even think about Christmas. For the foster child separated from their siblings who can’t silence the fear of never seeing them again. For the human trafficking victim who can’t remember a time when the holidays were happy.
We carry them with us, and not just at Christmas, but all year long.
365 days a year we see what happens when struggling families don’t find help. When basic needs can’t be met, and the family unit is broken. When orphans and at-risk children don’t have safe and loving homes and fall prey to those who would exploit them for selfish gain. It doesn’t have to be this way!
We see the needs of the lost, broken, helpless, and hurting, and we declare, “No More!” We won’t allow another generation to pass us by as we wait for someone else to rise up! We believe the church is the HOPE of the world! That Christ is the HOPE of the world. We are seeing His light pierce through the darkness, transforming hearts and lives right before our very eyes. Here are some amazing updates from 2023!
Women and Children Recovered from Human Trafficking : This year the extraordinary efforts of our Anti-Trafficking Initiative have had a huge impact in multiple areas. With the support of our partners, we were able to identify, intervene, and support law enforcement efforts to recover children who were victims of human trafficking. Though the details are confidential, we can share that they are safe and receiving the support needed to heal and move forward. Through our partnership with Hillsborough County Schools and many businesses and organizations we trained over 50,000 to spot the signs of human trafficking. And through our partnership with Created Women, we have tripled the number of beds for survivors in the Greater Tampa Bay area providing over 6,000 safe bed nights for women to find freedom, healing, restoration, and hope. Human trafficking is an atrocity that must end, and we will not stop fighting for freedom for all those trapped in modern-day slavery.
Make Your Best Gift Today! → https://declarenomore.com/donate
A Church Empowered : After hosting The No More Orphans Experience, Community Bible Church saw a move of God awaken hearts as the congregation responded to the call to care through foster care, adoption, advocating and serving those in need. Over 28 have opened their homes and hearts to become Safe Families for children. In making it possible for families to find the support they need when faced with significant challenges, they have prevented countless children from entering the system of care. The ripple effect of this 1 church’s response to God’s heart is an answer to prayer. With 7 events scheduled to take place across the country in 2024, we are filled with anticipation for what God will do!
Feeding Families & Filling Hearts : For the past 5 years we have had the privilege to serve and support Collaboratory Prep, a school that serves a community where 100% of students and families are impacted by poverty and food insecurity. With our partners at RNR Tire Express, we held a Serve Day to build and fill a food pantry that will allow for church and community partnerships to feed families all year long. Full bellies lead to strong minds, thus transforming generations. In addition to providing food, we were also able to provide Christmas gifts for children at the school through Gathering Joy, an outreach we have hosted for 9 years to help make Christmas possible for struggling families, foster and kinship families, single moms, survivors of trafficking, and more. This year, on December 16th, over 200 volunteers made it personal – making over 300 deliveries to 738 children and their families across 3 counties – praying with them and being present with them in their time of need. That’s an economic impact of $53,845 and an eternal impact that is priceless.
Each life changed represents an impact of exponential proportions that go beyond the number on the page. And people like YOU are making it happen! Through the work of NM, transformation is happening ALL YEAR LONG.
Transparency is a core value at NM. It includes sharing our wins and our challenges. It means being open-handed with what we’ve been given whether it’s resources or methods. It is publicly disclosing our financials and voluntarily joining associations that assess our performance and help us do the best we can with what we have. Throughout 2023, inflation has been a significant challenge, and with donations fluctuating, we have pressed into the Lord for wisdom and guidance, understanding more completely what it means to walk by faith.
Without funding, volunteers, and resources, this work would not be possible.
Would you consider giving your best gift today of $100, $500, $1000 or more? Or sign up to be a Monthly Partner? For as little as $12 a month YOU could change the trajectory of someone’s life and generations to come! Give now → https://declarenomore.com/donate
YOU can make safe and loving homes a reality for many more in 2024 and become the backbone of a community dedicated to making a difference. In making a gift, you become part of a collective force that is seeing families and futures changed. Together, we amplify our impact and create a network of individuals, businesses, and churches committed to transforming the declarations into tangible actions. Together, we declare, “No More!”
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
CO-FOUNDERS OF THE NO MORE FOUNDATION