We have yet to do any fundraising, officially. On 3/20/02 we received a grant from Good Shepherd Foundation in Georgia that became the rationale for how God would raise these funds – incrementally and from unusual sources. As you can see below, God sent it, in His time, from sundry sources.

Sources of Funding for the Place of Refuge, Inc.
1. Good Shepherd Foundation $10,000.00
2. Presbyterian Endowment $10,000.00
3. Walk for Life Overage 2002 $10,000.00
4. CPC /Run for Money 03 $17,758.00
5. CPC Baby Bottle Blessings Overage 03 $20,000.00
6. Community Foundation $12,242.00
7. Wilson Foundation $ 1,000.00
8. Carstarphen Family Foundation $ 300.00
9. Walk for life Overage 2003 $20,000.00
10. CPC /Run for Money 04 $22,474.00
11. Charlene Vaughn (individual) $ 9,026.00
12. CPC Baby Bottle Blessings Overage 04 $16,045.00
13. Hall Foundation $ 2,000.00
Total Received to date $150,845.00
 

Along the way, the Board of Directors wrestled mightily with the issue of how we would buy land and build. At one of our meetings the strong consensus was to allow God to be our banker rather than become servant to the lender. This would require His timing and more faith than anyone was aware. It also affected the location of the land we purchased rather than the land next door. Buying this particular site will allow for a maternity home, yet to be named, and yet to be envisioned.

The maternity home would house up to 12 girls, with additional space for live in house parents and a place for relief parents on the weekend. It would be built on the property that fronts Little Mountain Road in a more obscure setting for safety of the clients. It would be the only functioning maternity home in Gaston County and most referrals would come
from the clients we see at Crisis Pregnancy Center of Gaston County, Inc. here at 3303 Union Road and other area Crisis Pregnancy Centers in the Piedmont region.
 

The future…
3/3/05 We addressed our supporters at the 11the Annual Banquet to express what God was doing. (At this point we thought we would be building next door, no other land in sight.)
 

3/15/05 Wrote 92 grants for $437,500.00 all across southeast United States. Hoping for 10% return.
 

4/21/05 Made an offer to purchase 18.7 acres (see above) for $150,000.00 cash and pay closing. Offer accepted.
(Seller, Brookleigh Baptist will use $100,000 to build church in Romania)
 

5/5/05 Invited area pastors/community leaders for Breakfast to share what God was doing.
 

5/5/05 Received check for $24,586.00 this evening from Run for the Money.
 

5/8/05 Will begin our Baby bottle campaign in area churches/organizations. Last year raise $30,245.00.
 

5/16/05 Will send a letter to our 8300 constituents asking for a one-time gift of $100.00. Hoping for a 25% return.
 

6/20/05 Baby Bottles return after Father’s Day, with 4,200 distributed.
 

6/30/05 Eight additional grants to local grantors totaling $400,000.00 will be written. 10% return hoped for.

Please understand that we have earnestly dealt with this in pray ise and know that God is in control. We are earnestly following the leading of the Holy Spirit, not the ‘winds of success’. There has been no pattern to follow, save God’s Word.