Grow Hope Story #6 – From Homeless to Hopeful

“We were homeless for three months…wouldn’t wish that on anyone!”

Gabrielle, her husband and two toddlers had to move out of the home she shared with her sister’s family due to an unsettled dispute. Living in the car was their only option. 

We were impressed by their fierce loyalty and huge heart for her family as they navigated the homeless landscape with optimism and bravery.  

We met this family when they were on the path to putting their lives back together after being rehomed…and were able to provide winter clothing for the entire family and some practical household items.  

They would love to thank their employers who had great grace and understanding during this whole transition – you all are angels!  

Gabrielle has since started caring for her 9-month old niece, but is hopeful for the future of their family. Thank you to all those who have helped them along this path!! 

 If you want to assist families like this who are doing all they can to provide and protect their children, even through living in a car, we welcome you to do so by texting “growhope23” to 44-321 or simply clicking this link:  Help Us Grow Hope Today!!

Grow Hope Story #5 – Unexpected Blessings – Twins!!

Sometimes, families need a little extra help as they navigate the unexpected!

When the Lewis family found out they were having twins, they were over the moon!  Already a family of six, with 4 school-aged children, they knew it would be tough financially.  

The baby girls arrived early and needed extra care in the hospital as well as specialty formula and insurance didn’t cover everything.  

Serving families as they overcome a crisis is at the heart of what we do…and crisis doesn’t wait.  At Mercy Mall, we are in the business of serving families who have immediate needs caused by a transition or change in circumstances.  

With your donations, we are able to provide individuals and families, like the Lewis’s, baby items like clothing, diapers, formula, and baby equipment… so the focus can be on all the other responsibilities of raising a family!!

What we loved about this family is their undeniable love, joy, and delight in who their children were becoming.  They absolutely glowed as they shared stories of their accomplishments!  Thank you, Lewis family, for being such dedicated parents – what an inspiration you both are!

Your $200 donation helps us to serve newborns like the Lewis twins with much needed baby items and practical gear, like car seats and pack and plays!  Together we can Grow Hope!!

Grow Hope Story #4 – She Has a Story to Tell

“One day, I’m gonna write a book!” she says after sharing her story of redemption. 

From growing up in foster care, being sexually assaulted, and homeless at 14 to living in abandoned homes, vacant places, parks, and dealing with homes with water issues and fire…plus being attacked by a dog leaving scars, getting kicked out, and receiving drug charges due to having the wrong friends…Ms. Halston definitely has a story to tell!! 

Like so many we serve, it feels like “…one step forward and two steps back,” but she has never lost hope and continues the momentum forward.  Ms. Halston is stable now and aspires to write a book to hopefully help other women on this journey to stability.   

At Mercy Mall, we want to create a safe space where clients can receive quality items and share their stories without judgment. Our front lobby prayer warriors provide the utmost care and compassion, offer a beverage, provide resources, and are a listening ear to hundreds of clients each year who have a story to tell!  

Would you help us continue to give a voice to those in our community who are overcoming obstacles to stability?  A $70 donation allows us to serve a mother and her child with practical items when they need it most!  Together we can Grow Hope!!

Grow Hope Story #3 – Family First

For countless families around the world, the United States is a beacon of refuge and opportunity.  That bright dream has kept the Keskin family energized!  

We recently met this sweet family from Turkey in our lobby.  You may recognize Mr. Keskin and know him more affectionately as ‘Gogo’, the ice cream man!

Gogo has poured his heart into creating a safe home for his wife and young child, started his own business (Gogo Ice Cream), and was on the path to building financial security…until the recent recession that caused his costs to go up and sales down!

Finances may be tight, but his spirits haven’t been dampened!  GoGo lives for his family and is determined to put a smile on the face of each person he meets, including us here at Mercy Mall!!

Transitioning to life in a new country poses many challenges, many of which our brave clients overcome through hard work and creativity! We are so thankful to provide families like Gogo’s practical items which help ease the transition and financial burden. This way, they can continue the dream of making a better future for them and their loved ones. 

A $120 donation serves a family like the Keskins and allows them the opportunity to focus on their family!  Help Us Grow Hope Today!!

Grow Hope Story #2 – Stability Requires Safety

“I had to get out of the situation.  I just had to.  I just left.” 

Those were Lara’s thoughts she shared with me as she reminisced about that cold night, she “hit the highway” in hopes of a better life.   She was living in constant fear and uncertainty…but that all changed when she made the courageous decision to escape with her children and only a few belongings!  

She drove hundreds of miles to the only safe haven she knew, her parent’s home, where she could focus on healing, getting a job, and maybe getting a place of her own one day. 

One thing we noticed about this loving mother is her willingness to now share her story with others to help them gain the confidence needed to do the same!! (Just an example of how our clients inspire us so much 🙂 

This brave young woman represents hundreds more in our community who are ready to flee to safety.  When they do escape, we are ready to provide these ladies with the practical items they need most in a timely manner, and with the utmost compassion and care! 

With a donation of just $120, a victim of domestic violence and her children can embark on a journey to safety, then eventually stability. Click here to help more families like Lara – Grow Hope 2023

*Name and specific details of this story have been changed.

Grow Hope Story #1 – From Grief to Growth

Though tragedy struck over five years ago, for Mr. Walker it feels like only yesterday.

It was 2017 when he received the devastating news that his son had been tragically murdered.  Overcome with grief, his wife passed away shortly after.

The depression that followed was more than Mr. Walker could bear, quickly taking his job and leading to homelessness.  But through this dark time, he held on to this belief – Don’t give up!  Keep your faith in God!

Over the past year, this hopeful mindset has led Mr. Walker to secure housing and an appointment at Mercy Mall.  On the day we served him, we received so much more from him – the blessing of his gentle spirit and his love for God.

At one point during our vibrant conversation he chuckled, ‘You guys remind me of being in church!’

We learn things from our clients each day!  Mr. Walker taught us that grief may stay raw and present in our lives, but through a community of support, we can grow through leaving our burdens behind!

Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame

This past summer, we were able to nominate, recognize and honor Laurie Harro during The Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame ceremony, presented by the Chesterfield County Office of Aging and Disability Services https://www.chesterfield.gov/200/Senior-Volunteer-Hall-of-Fame . Mrs. Laurie Harro, a retired schoolteacher and wife to Dwight for 38 years, serves in our housewares department and is the namesake of our well-known “Laurie’s List” used to inform donors of what is needed most in the building. She has served faithfully for 6 years, averaging 20 hours a week, while leading a team of volunteers, and assisting with email communications.  She goes above and beyond to make the clients she packs for feel loved and encouraged, even though she may never meet them. For example, she Christmas gift-wrapped a Bible storybook for families with children.  We are so blessed to have many amazing volunteers who give their time, talent, and treasure to help us fulfill the mission of Mercy Mall.

We are “Ready to Roll”

We are excited about the next decade!!

We just celebrated 10 years of service to the community, and we are ready for what God has in store for us.  We know it involves ONE BOX TRUCK…and maybe more!

Eight years ago, we felt the nudge to be either mobile, have a location in Richmond city, or have some sort of delivery service.  We weren’t exactly sure what direction we were supposed to take or why it was so important.

Our clients were driving from Richmond city all the way down Hull Street into the heart of Midlothian to receive services.  We learned through their testimonies that transportation was a huge obstacle for these individuals and families.

We had challenge after challenge with the county as we didn’t fit into any mold for zoning…along with serving and building restrictions and issues, growing pains, process challenges, difficulty managing volunteers properly, non-profit compliance hurdles, and then the pandemic hit! This was not time to think about expansion or buying a box truck!

In 2018, we conducted our very first “white-board” meeting to help us define who we are, why we exist for the client, volunteer, and the community. In that same meeting, under opportunities, someone mentioned going mobile.  In addition, at our very first Strategic Planning Meeting in 2019, the word “box truck” must have emerged 25 times as a solution to many of the obstacles we were facing in serving our clients.

So, here we are, with our first 16-foot 2013 Ford E350 box truck and we are “ready to roll” with clear vision and purpose for this arm of the ministry. We are calling the program Mercy Mall On the Move.

This box truck will serve 2 purposes:

  1.  To transport pre-packed orders during distribution events in the Richmond area and other under-served areas.

  2.  To collect critical items during neighborhood or corporate collection drives

These new programs will also provide more volunteer and outreach opportunities for groups to serve.  It’s a win/win!  With this growth on the horizon, we are looking for more volunteers to do the following:  Host-a-Drive or Volunteer in the Boutique.

Join a team that is moving and shaking in this community! We promise you’ll meet some really great people, and also have fun while encouraging and helping others!!

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Mercy Mall of VA In the center of a Sanctuary City

Volunteers and donors alike were asking, “What is Mercy Mall going to do for all of the refugees that are arriving at Ft. Lee and Ft. Pickett?”

The news from Afghanistan was unfolding so quickly. We needed to put our heads together and do what we do best…offer material relief and assistance in crisis situations.

These were the messages we were hearing:

           “All they have are the clothes on their backs”

           “There are thousands of men, women, and children…and babies being born amid the chaos.”

           “My son and his wife are the only ones helping the relief effort at Ft. Pickett; people are dropping off things daily to them and they are distributing the items the best they can.”

           “You may or may not be able to get on base, but try anyway.”

At Mercy Mall, we put aside our opinions, political stances, fears, and perceived obstacles and serve those the Lord places in our path…and this past month it was the Afghan refugees brought here by our military.

Babies needed diapers. Women needed feminine hygiene. Everyone needed underwear and toiletries!! Through our contacts and collaboration efforts, we were able to buy, sort, collect, and deliver thousands of dollars of goods onto both military bases almost immediately with the help of donors, church partners, and Mercy Mall personnel.

Currently organized efforts are underway at both bases. Team Rubicon Disaster Response team, are in position to lead the Afghan resettlement efforts at Ft. Pickett.

What happens next? We have been told that after the refugees have been screened and registered, they will be sent to sanctuary cities across the US, including the Richmond, VA area. Based on our sources, we expect about 10% of these families to settle here. That’s a lot of individuals and families who will need immediate assistance. We are ready and willing to assist in any way possible with this effort!

Final Comments:
God has commanded us to love our neighbors as ourselves. There is deep theological truth that supports and commands us to treat immigrants to our land with respect and dignity no matter how they got here. We rely on the proper authorities of the land to maintain order, peace, and justice. Thank you for entrusting us to care for those seeking asylum in this country!

“The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

Leviticus 19:34

A “CASE OF HOPE” BLESSING

A simple expression of love and provision makes an impact on future generations. Read this story from Michelle S:

“I was on a hiatus from working as the Marketing Coordinator at Chick-fil-A at Westchester Commons in June 2018 and happened to be on Facebook where I saw a post about the empty food pantry at Mercy Mall.

I had been praying for the Lord to use me since I wasn’t working so I became the self-appointed neighborhood coordinator for my community of Summer Lake.

I started collecting food and other pantry staples – driving to the location and feeling very impressed with the volunteers who greeted me. I shortly thereafter began collecting baby items and other necessities from “Lori’s List!” I would post the list on our community Facebook page and our neighbors responded favorably.

Some weeks, my husband and I would make 2-3 trips per month, bringing various items from our generous neighbors. When there were specific requests such as a crib etc. – our neighbors came through with flying colors.

I even had one neighbor send me items directly through Amazon – which Hubby took straight to Mercy Mall! Our 2003 Honda Odyssey Van was a familiar sight as we both enjoyed these almost weekly trips to bring a van load of much needed items.

In January, 2020, we sold our beloved van. This made it nearly impossible to bring items to Mercy Mall – so another neighbor agreed to take over as the neighborhood coordinator (pre-Covid).

After prayer and consideration we began donating financially to Mercy Mall. It has proven to be an immense blessing to my husband and I as the needs in the community continued to grow due to the pandemic.

Toward the end of 2020, we decided to sell our home and move into a townhome community so we could financially continue to be a blessing to Mercy Mall – as well as free-up time to eventually volunteer once Covid subsided.

An email arrived explaining the “Cases of Hope” ministry and my eyes wept. My husband and I had made the decision to make a sizable donation from the proceeds of our home sale and prayed about how the money could be used to make an impact.

Our prayers were answered when our home sold quickly and allowed us to make a generous donation to “Cases of Hope,” in memory of my Mother.

The email I had read earlier hit home. My Mom had been incarcerated while pregnant with me. A friend wrote and pleaded with the judge to allow her to have her child (me), outside of the prison system.

The Salvation Army gave my Mom a suitcase filled with necessities and also provided basic necessities for me once I was born.

I do not know the entire reason why my Mom was in jail – she never dwelt on the unfortunate circumstance – but she always spoke highly of the Salvation Army and how much she appreciated having her “Case of Hope.”

It is an honor and privilege to be able to make this donation to this special ministry, in memory of my Mother – to honor her and the life she was able to give me. Through her sacrifice, I was given a wonderful childhood, rooted in the foundation of Christianity, which serves me to this day!

I know she’s smiling down from Heaven!  Thank you to everyone who continues to go above and beyond – donating time, items and money! May God continue to bless this ministry!

In Christ,

Michelle and Ingo S.”

With part of the financial gift from this family, we purchased jewelry with a note card (pictured) inserted “In Memory of Gloria S. Larson”.  Mercy Mall has packed over 600 Cases of Hope to individuals being released from 4 local prisons/programs.  Click here to be part of this amazing Mercy Mall program:  Volunteer Application.