A 38-year-old mom is diagnosed with cervical cancer after giving birth to her third child; her fiancé, the child’s father, abandons her and the landlord threatens eviction....

A 35-year-old woman miscarries her 5-month old fetus, loses five weeks of wages while getting well enough to return to work, and so falls behind in her payment plan; eviction is pending....

A 65-year-old widower, living on a fixed Social Security income and already behind in rent, loses his rent check to a friend he trusts; eviction is inevitable.

All three bring their tears and burdens to MOM—and to you.

Three cries for help.  But who cares?…  You do, with us.  MOM cares—always has, always will

MOM cares for these three—and hundreds more—through an ecumenical witness to Christ’s compassion, evident in ripples of kindness shown to all our neighbors in need.  We creatively and compassionately provide food, clothing, help with medical bills, transportation, shelter, and related Good Samaritan funds.  Why?  Because we want to relieve an emergency situation or stabilize and sustain low-income families in affordable housing. 

I see such care-giving all around me, in every circle that MOM volunteers move in—churches, businesses, United Way, and neighborhoods.  For 25 years, MOM’s ever-expanding circles of caring have embraced those in need, with ripples of kindness extending far into the community.

The first 25 years

From a prayer circle that first installed and commissioned Rev. Gary Simpson, the first MOM Director 25 years ago, to the incorporation of four churches as “Middleton Outreach Mission” in 1984, to the “Circles of Caring” just instituted at the 25th Anniversary Banquet, MOM has evolved into an ever-widening, all-inclusive caring community.  For 25 years, MOM has expanded from the Center out—by adding staff, volunteers, programs, and funding—as the stories in this Annual Report and the enclosed Anniversary insert attest.

Back in 1980-84, $106,000 was enough to fund one staff person in an office cubicle for a full four years of ministry, touching 250 clients a year.  Now, in 2005, that legacy would barely cover three months of Middleton Outreach Ministry’s work.  Our eight staff members and 400+ volunteers run a variety of programs out of two service centers, supported by 12 core churches, touching 2000 or more client families a year.

Yet we appreciate the day of small beginnings.  We see how God has blessed the faithfulness of its founders and the vision of current leaders.  By God’s grace, we have enlarged the circle from a “mom and pop” operation in the 1980’s and 90’s to a “one-stop-shop” for anyone in need in Middleton and the west Madison.

MOM’s next 25 years

I envision ripples of kindness flowing out from the core values of Middleton Outreach Ministry in ever-widening circles.  More churches will join the 12 sponsoring congregations.  Near-term a church from Cross Plains, one from Waunakee, and more churches in Madison will partner with us.  Stoughton is adopting the MOM model, and more suburbs will do so, with mentoring from MOM and support from United Way.

As more volunteers join MOM, we can go deeper and be more intentional in offering Good Samaritan assistance and problem-solving.  I see more volunteers adopting families through MOM—not just at Christmastime but year-round.

To extend the care given by MOM programs and staff, and to embrace more people who need to be touched by this kindness, we will need your help. 

MOM’s care will be evident as we help needy families secure extensions of time and funds to stay in affordable housing.  Six months after receiving assistance, at least 80% of our clients are still living in apartments where we successfully prevented an eviction.

MOM’s client families can better care for themselves when we help them find jobs with benefits, so that a medical emergency does not result in lost wages, much less a lost home.

MOM’s breadth of emergency services will grow, so that ALL neighbors in need are helped, at least minimally.  Sufficient follow-up resources, financial mentors, and case management will grow, so that ongoing care and support from MOM is available.

In MOM’s future, I also envision more POP volunteers, friendly visitors and Stephen Ministers to do the ministry of “after-care”—after the funeral, after the hospital stay, after the bread-winner is deported or taken to jail on a parole violation, after the pink slip, after the spouse dies, after the partner leaves—after hope runs out.

As MOM cares, we will break down the social, cultural, and spiritual barriers that alienate poor families from God and the church, where they often feel judged and out of place.

And so, I ask you to join the MOM volunteers and donors who make all this possible. Together we can make it happen for low-income families by doing whatever it takes to bridge the gap, helping them climb out of poverty, enter the marketplace, and enjoy independent living.

Editor’s note: This statement of mission and vision is taken from the 2004 Annual Report and 25th Anniversary Edition, just published this week.  For your copy, contact MOM at 836-7338, drop by 7432 Hubbard Avenue, or check out the MOM website at www@mompop.org.

© 2005 Middleton Outreach Ministry

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