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HAPPY SUMMER
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Hello friends of HOHM! We hope you are staying cool in the midst of these hot summer months! It has been a full summer over at Heart of Mary House. We want to begin first in gratitude, thank you so much to everyone that responded to the need that we sent out in June for financial support. Your support changes everything for the lives currently in our care and our ability to take in more residents. We are excited to share our summer newsletter with you! This month we are introducing our house manager, giving thanks to a local artist and sharing with you all a new opportunity and need of the HOHM. As always, please share this with anyone you think would be interested in being a part of our community!
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Meet Jessica
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When you first step foot through the door at the Heart of Mary House nine times out of ten you will be greeted by the smiling face of Jessica Novoa - our recently promoted house manager. When our Executive Director, Kim, was asked about Jessica her response was simple "HOMH would not be what it is today without Jessica. To say she is a gift, is an understatement. She is the heartbeat of the house and a mirror image of Mary’s Heart." And all that have worked alongside Jessica would agree.
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Jessica came to HOMH 3 years ago, not as a volunteer, but first, as a family member to a resident. Her brother-in-law Abel came to HOMH as just our fourth resident. He unfortunately had a brain tumor and like all of our residents needed loving care. Jessica went daily to care for him. As Abel slowly inched closer to eternity, Kim offered Jessica a caregiver job knowing the house simply would not be the same without her. Abel passed into eternity after being so lovingly cared for by Jessica, his family, and HOMH. Jessica took four days off when he passed and then came back because it was her day to volunteer. That same day, she accepted the job, she stated "my heart is full when I am here, Mother Mary, and the Holy Spirit, they call me to the work I do here." Her daughter, Dani, gave a beautiful testimony detailing their families journey with Abel and finding the Heart of Mary House.
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To this day, Jessica has cared for around 50 residents, starting with her own brother-in-law. She has been with over half of those people as they pass away. "It is very important in the moment that they pass that they don’t pass alone. Everyone deserves to pass with some company. I can see their faces and I know sometimes they are very scared. And it's simple, if I hold their hand, it helps them feel better. It is an honor for me to take care of them." When asked how this does not weigh heavy on her to watch death so closely and to have personally been with so many as they have died Jessica responded "My alarm goes off at 4am and I wake up happy. I feel very happy here. I think everyone is praying for me. When people ask what they can do for me, I just ask for prayers, that God can give me the strength to do this job. It is mentally harder than physically. Everyone tells me I always look happy, and I feel like this is my place. I know everyone is praying for me. When people ask me how can you do this job I just say, it is the Holy Spirit and mother Mary."
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When people enter into their hardest moments here you can find Jessica beside them praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet or asking another to do so. She truly pours her whole heart into each of these residents and offers them loving care until the end when she offers them back to God. "It's like a magical place here. People pass here with prayers, love, good food. I see the happy faces. People come in grumpy, and they change."
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Jessica, thank you for all you do for the Kingdom of Heaven, for the weak and the vulnerable. You are beloved at the Heart of Mary House, and we thank God every day for the gift of yourself that you offer so freely to the residents, volunteers, family members, and everyone that walks through the front door.
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Painting Donations
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If you have been to HOMH this summer, you've likely noticed our beautiful new watercolor paintings! Local artist, Vinci Kolodziejski, a member of St. Philip Catholic Church not only donated several paintings, but also brought them framed and helped us choose where to hang them! Read more about Vinci and visit her gallery below.
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Thank you to Vinci and all of our gifted artisans who grace us with their God-given gifts!
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Caregiver Assistants
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We are actively seeking volunteer caregiver assistants! This is an absolutely vital role at the Heart of Mary house and has recently become even more vital as we have added a fourth resident. Caregiver assistants are the difference between being able to house 3 residents versus 4 and will be a deciding factor on taking the house to its capacity with 6 residents. If you are interested in committing to a reoccurring weekly time slot, please email us and know that this would be a truly invaluable service! You can sign up to be a volunteer on our website using the link below:
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Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and may perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithfully departed, rest in peace. Amen.
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In your kindness, please pray for the recently departed residents of Heart of Mary House - Rosetta, Bobby, David and Sheila.
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“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev 21:4
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COMING SOON
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- Jesus...literally! Follow along as we begin our much-anticipated chapel renovations and bringing our Lord into the Heart of Mary House in an even more tangible way.
- Information regarding our 2025 Fundraiser Event! Save the date for November 1. Details coming soon!
- Service Days for those requiring service hours will be coming soon to our website, so if you need these for the fall, be on the look-out.
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Thank you for your friendship to HOMH! Please reach out to hayley@heartofmaryhouse.net if you have any questions. We would like to invite you to come and tour our home and see our work anytime, please reach out to schedule a date and time. May God Bless you all.
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"One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed."
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