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Suzanna - Volunteer Highlight
Finding your calling and living it out is one of the most rewarding experiences. While many find their calling through work, family, or hobbies, we believe that volunteering is one of the best ways to find one. Suzanne knew she had found a calling at The Foundry. “The first night I walked into The Foundry
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David Ozment
Earlier this year, one of our most fervent supporters, David Ozment, passed away. He was instrumental to The Foundry Farm’s success, one of his premiere projects being our egg-laying henhouse. He meant a great deal to our participants and took an active interest in their lives. He also meant a great deal to our staff.
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Headline: Real People
Headline: Real People “Overdose epidemic.” “Opioid Crisis.” “Rising Homelessness.” These are all headlines that repeatedly hit our news feeds. Are they true? Sure. Do they tell the whole story? Not at all. Addiction recovery is messy and complicated. When a complex issue is generalized, it can create stereotypes that are simply untrue. These misconceptions become
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Close My Eyes
CLOSE MY EYES This moment in time is always so odd. My third child will be born sometime in the next two weeks. I am apprehensive and incredibly excited. Soon we will be rushing to the hospital, dealing with doctors, calling parents, and meeting a new family member. Absolute chaos. But for now, we wait.
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Keep Moving Forward
Keep Moving Forward The earth is always moving. It never stops. It makes a full rotation around the sun in a 24-hour period. The sun makes its appearance every 12 hours – give or take. Some days are beautiful and sunny, without a cloud in the bright blue sky. and then some days bring dreary,
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Golden Scars
Golden Scars She sat with her head down, looking only at the table. C shared very little of herself, speaking only when spoken to. She never made eye contact with anyone. She was very quiet and meek; you could tell life had knocked her down one too many times. Our group met every Monday morning…a
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A New Beginning Away From Addiction
A New Beginning Away From Addiction The ending of Shawshank Redemption has an incredible moment. The film deals with many of the same issues and themes we face here at The Foundry. Redemption, freedom, friendship, time, patience, loyalty, and hope. After living a life of drug abuse, how do I live after addiction? There is
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What is a Heart for Hope?
What is a Heart for Hope? What does a Heart for Hope look like? The first thing that comes to mind is my mother and father. As I reflect on their lives and choices, three aspects of a Heart for Hope come to mind. 1. A Compulsion to GO When my parents decided to follow
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Year-End Giving Win/Win
The end of the year is quickly approaching and now is the perfect time to create a charitable win/win. Make sure you do not miss this window of opportunity to make the most impact and benefit from the 2021 tax deductions offered to you. How to create a win/win? Donate financially to The Foundry before
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Two minutes today could give THOUSANDS to The Foundry
Two minutes today could give THOUSANDS to The Foundry Online shopping has made buying a gift for your loved ones during the holidays incredibly easy. If you shop with Amazon, there is a quick and easy way to make sure some of your purchase is donated to The Foundry! It’s called AmazonSmile. It’s free and
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We wish you knew
We wish you knew Addiction is the most devastating disease in our society. It is pervasive and indiscriminate. We wish more people knew how broadly it affects every community. Darrell Garrett, Chief Operating Officer at The Foundry, says it best. “Addiction does not discriminate—it can affect anyone, no matter your race, national origin, ethnic background,
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50th Anniversary Celebration
30% of nonprofits will close their doors after ten years. (Nation Center on Charitable Statistics) It takes an incredible amount of vision, dedication, hard work, passion, and blessings to make it to fifty years. and we think that is a great reason to celebrate, look back, and be thankful. Our 50th Anniversary Celebration Event was
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David: Fifty for Fifty
David: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years I had lived more than half my life lost in addiction. I first got high when I was 13 years old, then spent the next 17 years of my life chasing that escape from life, trying to fill a void. I’ve seen both sides of addiction. The best way
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Counseling at The Foundry
Counseling at The Foundry The Foundry Way Program Components are: Counseling Case Management Education Employment Readiness Aftercare Counseling: The pastoral counseling department lies at the heart of The Foundry’s discipleship model. Program participants are assigned to one of our counselors upon entry into our program and will remain with that counselor during their residential stay.
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Making MELONade
Making MELONade Sweet Encouragement in a Sour World My seventy-six-year-old Aunt Dockie has endured significant setbacks in her health. She’s had a massive stroke, fights with Emphysema, and suffered severe injuries after multiple falls. She had to learn to rely on her left hand after a stroke caused paralysis to her right. She had to
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Kenan: 50 for 50
Kenan: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years I was 27 years old when I entered The Foundry, having battled opiates for over eight years. After my last arrest, my parents refused to bail me out until I had somewhere to go for help. That “help” was The Foundry Farm in Cullman. I had been raised
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Amber: Fifty for Fifty
Amber: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years Life in recovery is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. It requires determination, diligence, and patience. You have to follow through with it every day once you commit to changing your life. The Foundry helped me realize that all the suffering, stress, and addiction comes from not knowing you
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Farrah: Fifty for Fifty
Farrah: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years I can’t speak for other rehabs, but The Foundry didn’t feel like rehab at all. The love I experienced there was beyond my expectations, and I needed that! It truly is “where lives are reshaped by the hands of God.” I met God in a fresh new way because
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Ashley Cox: Fifty for Fifty
Ashley Cox: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years Almost 6 years ago, I was at my rock bottom. Drugs had replaced all the important things in my life, and my relationships with my friends and family were broken. When I came to the Foundry, the staff worked patiently with me. Over the next 12 months, they
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A Year With The Virus
A Year With The Virus It happened suddenly. I was talking to my friend Linsday. Her husband was taking a new job in New York, and we were discussing the move. She was excited about the prospect of moving to the big city and the challenges that would come with it. Then we got the
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Hunter: Fifty for Fifty
Hunter: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years I was an opiate addict for thirteen years and an IV heroin user for four of those years. I was caught up in the cycle of addiction and thought I’d never get out of it. For twelve of those years, I was a functioning addict. The year before I
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Mary: Fifty for Fifty
Mary: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years Mary is a mother of three and a grandmother of four. She graduated from The Foundry in 2003. What led her to The Foundry? “I was sick and tired of being on crack cocaine. I was tired of the way my life was spiraling downhill, and I wanted help.
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Michael: Fifty for Fifty
Michael Gilbert: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years I spent a total of 32 years in prison, 17 of those in federal prison. I was convicted of bank robbery, escape, and assault. I received a life sentence from the State of Alabama in 1998. I made parole in 2009, however, I was placed back into federal
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At Home With Coach
At Home With Coach Due to COVID-19, we’ve had to adapt in all of our programs. Everything from cooking to preaching has been reviewed, altered, and occasionally improved. Our most recent change was to our Leadership Breakfast, a huge event that raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for our programs. This year we went virtual.
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The Foundry Way
The Foundry Way The Foundry Way is a philosophy and a process. First, why The Foundry Way? In an effort to avoid the pitfall that so many organizations have fallen into, our leadership recognized that we needed to create a framework to build program services upon. A framework that was not staff-dependent or personality-driven would
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Ralph: Fifty for Fifty
Ralph: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years Close your eyes and imagine what someone struggling with an addiction looks like. There’s a good chance that what you imagined looks nothing like Ralph. The phrase, “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” normally means, the inside is better than the outside. For Ralph, it was just
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2020: A Year in Review
2020: A Year in Review Despite the many difficulties of 2020, The Foundry achieved some impactful accomplishments. We celebrated 117 graduates that navigated their recovery journeys, a journey that is hard enough without the stresses of a pandemic. Our logistic and distribution team implemented a new dispatch system, which streamlines our donation pickups and provides
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Judy: Fifty for Fifty
Judy: Fifty Stories for Fifty Years My name is Judy, and I live in Fultondale. I have two children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. I knew I needed help when I lost another job and was bout to lose my house again. My children said they no longer wanted to see me and prevented me
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CARES Act, Year End Giving
The end of the year is quickly approaching and now is the perfect time to create a charitable win/win. Make sure you do not miss this window of opportunity to make the most impact and benefit from the 2020 tax deductions offered to you. How to create a win/win? Donate financially to The Foundry before
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The Genesis Process
Core to The Foundry’s recovery process is the curriculum we use. Faith guides every aspect of our programs, and The Genesis Process is a big piece of that puzzle. Developed by Michael Dye, this curriculum combines “both Biblical and neuro-chemical understanding of what is broken that causes us to be self-destructive.” Understanding your addiction is
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Brian - Stories of Reshaped Lives
“The Foundry gave me direction. It gave me a starting point to where I could become a new believer, a Christian who is on fire for worship. It gave me a direction I could have in my music, becoming a worship leader at Daystar.” Graduates are part of what makes The Foundry so great! Their
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Jeannie, Volunteer Focus
Jeannie frequents The Foundry for a number of ministry purposes. She nourishes bodies by providing monthly meals to participants. During this time, she often brings family members along to serve, which fosters a Christian home and marriage model to many who have never witnessed such. She spends many hours nourishing souls by mentoring on a
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Wallace, Stories of Reshaped Lives
My name is Wallace, I’m 40 years old and I worked and used drugs for Satan. My life was a mess for 20+ years. I’d been to numerous rehabs but they all lacked one thing in helping in my recovery, God. The Foundry has helped me grow spiritually, and become more conscious of living a
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Cyndi, Stories of Reshaped Lives
I’ve had 10 years of addiction in pain pills, meth, and marijuana. What the Foundry has done for me is restore my relationship with Jesus. It is something I lost along the way due to sin. It has brought hope, structure, and discipline back into my life. The curriculum courses have been truly amazing. It
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I am Chosen: Monthly Prayer
I am Chosen John 15:16 (NIV) 16: You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. What’s even more astounding to me is the reason He chose me.
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Volunteer: How to stay involved
https://foundryministries.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/04/VolunteerThanks_Micah.mp4 Hello Friends, During the social distancing period, we have some ways you can support the men and women in our programs. One way to do this is to share a video message of encouragement through Facebook and tag The Foundry. Another way to show your support is by creating care packages from the security
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I am Redeemed: Monthly Prayer
When I hear the word ‘redeemed’ in my head, I immediately start singing “I am redeemed, You set me free. So I’ll shake off these heavy chains, and wipe away every stain. Now I’m not who I used to be, I am redeemed”. God has set each of us free by His redemption and love.
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I am loved: Monthly Prayer
I am loved Jesus loves me this I know For the Bible tells me so Little ones to Him belong They are weak but He is strong Yes Jesus loves me For the Bible tells me so Jeremiah 31:1 As children we learned and sang this song, believing the lyrics to be true with all
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Year Theme: Elevate
But he brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land he promised on oath to our ancestors. Deuteronomy 6:23 The story of Moses is one of ins and outs. He fled out of his home after killing a slavemaster and returned to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. He led the
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I am His, Monthly Prayer Devotional
We know that God has a plan for us and that He accepts and loves us. Monthly Prayer devotional: I am His
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Thank You for a GREAT 2019!
Thank You for a GREAT 2019! As 2019 draws to a close and we reflect on the blessings we have received this year, we cannot help but to think of you. Your support has been a treasured asset to this ministry that we cannot operate without. We are grateful for every prayer you have prayed
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Macy, Stories of Reshaped Lives
Macy, Stories of Reshaped Lives No one intentionally wants to be battered, abused, and living on the streets. Macy sure didn’t. Having grown up in the church, she knew of God, but never really “knew” Him. Macy told us “Had I known of His great love for me, I never would’ve gone searching for love.”
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Peace
Join us for our Monthly Prayer: My God is Peace. Don't let the world keep you from feeling the peace God provides.
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Thanksgiving Meal 2020
When men and women enter our program, they become part of what we affectionately call “The Foundry Family.” Thanksgiving is something you do with family.
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Donate Your Car - Change a Life
You may see grandma’s old 1965 Thunderbird or the “Lemon” sitting in your front yard as junk, but to the men and women in our program struggling with addiction it’s so much more!
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Giving Christmas to those in need
It's the holiday season. Send a gift to those that need it most. Giving Christmas meets the needs of those in our programs.
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My God is Present
Join us for our monthly prayer, My God is Present. God is always there for us even when we do not see him.
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The Shift in Security Amidst Support
There are a lot of transitions that participants need to make both physically and mentally. What are some of these shifts and what do they look like practically.
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Case Managers at The Foundry Ministries
Case Management is key to successful recovery. Learn what our Case Managers here at The Foundry do to help participant get their life back on track.
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Boxes of Hope: A Thanksgiving Dinner for those in Need
This Thanksgiving, the neighbors of this community will be receiving a special holiday blessing generously provided by supporters of The Foundry.
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Musings: What do you want me to do for you?
I love that God’s Word is sacred, holy, and timeless! The following are a few observations and questions for pondering and reflection:
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Trustworthy
Join us in our monthly prayer: My God is Trustworthy. Let's thank God for his unfailing Word.
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The Acumen of Acceptance in Accountability
Accountability is typically not an attractive word. Much of the negative emotional reactivity to recovery comes from misinformation about what words mean.
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Judd Drake, Stories of Reshaped Lives
Judd Drake, a graduate from The Foundry has returned to the same organization as a full-time staff member in order to show the love of God.
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Gradine: Stories of Reshaped Lives
Gradine, a reshaped life Gradine grew up in a dysfunctional home, often witnessing her father abuse her mother. She began using alcohol at age 16 to numb her feelings of fear and despair. “There was no one to discuss the pain with,” she says. Her drinking escalated when she graduated from high school and moved
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Next Level Conference
The Next Level Conference is a radical worship experience created for participants of The Foundry Ministries, and other area recovery programs, to encounter God in a new way. This year, the conference was hosted at The Foundry Worship Center on August 19th and 20th. Both nights were filled with powerful worship and transformational messages. Each
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Alana: Stories of Reshaped Lives
Alana, a reshaped life Alana dealt with addiction to pain medication and heroin for almost 10 years. She tried many times to win the battle against it on her own, but was unsuccessful in her attempts. After spending time in jail and learning her husband was filing for divorce, she realized she could not overcome
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Patient
Join us for our September Prayer: My God is Patient. 2 Peter 3:9 says that while God is quick to keep his promises, he is still patient with us.
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Henhouse: An Employment Readiness Solution
One of the core components of addiction recovery at The Foundry Ministry is employment readiness. The henhouse is our most recent addition.
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What's Next? - Preparing for a Purpose
Many participants find themselves asking themselves "What's Next?" Here are our 3 of the principles we use to answer that question.
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Jennifer Thompson: Women's Mentor
One of the most valuable resources you can give to those in addiction is your time. Find out what it means to be a mentor.
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Back to School Sale and Block Party
As summer is winding down to a close, we wanted to celebrate in the best way possible; with a mega thrift store back to school sale and party!
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Monthly Prayer: My God is El Roi
Monthly Prayer: My God is El Roi She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13 At the heart of every human being is the desire to be seen, known, and heard.
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The Waste Epidemic
The Waste Epidemic: How The Foundry Ministries is Going Green According to recycling website, roadrunnerwm.com, the United States generates more waste than any other country in the world. We are living in a self-centered society of excess and immediacy. The Foundry Ministries works to intentionally combat the waste epidemic. As a ministry, we have focused on
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FIRST: Families In Recovery Seeking Truth
FIRST: Families In Recovery Seeking Truth Living in addiction leaves a trail of heartache, disappointment, and smoldering bridges. Ironically, the pain created by addiction becomes a driving force behind the continuation of addiction. For those in addiction, their deepest pain and greatest regrets revolve around the damage they have done to those who love them
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Reaching the Community: The Foundry Rescue Program
Reaching the Community At The Foundry, we believe the world is changed one reshaped life at a time. We carry that belief throughout the variety of services we provide to our recovery program participants, but we also carry this belief through our efforts in reaching the community we serve within. The Foundry’s Rescue Program serves
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My God is Light
My God is Light This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 NIV My God, how I love you! From the beginning of this world, you brought light to a dark and formless creation. Light illuminates
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Addiction Aftercare: life-long recovery
Addiction Aftercare Life-long recovery Addiction has been declared an epidemic in the United States. It affects individuals, families, education, politics, socioeconomics, healthcare, employment, crime, transportation, and housing. These are only a few lenses from the larger perspective. Faced with such a tremendous health concern, people often have many questions about addiction and recovery. One such
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Give Where You Live: making an impact in your backyard
Give Where You Live: Making an impact in your backyard Summer—the season greatly anticipated by students, teachers, and families. It means sunshine, cool treats, and hopefully, some much needed time off. While we are enjoying our beach vacations or simply hanging out at the neighborhood pool– men, women, and children around the Birmingham area are lacking
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Adopt A Classroom: care for students
Adopt A Classroom Support teachers, care for students, promote education Sprinklers are on. Popsicles are being consumed by the box. Homework is nowhere to be found. Signs are all around that indicate summertime is in full swing! Most kids, and parents, yearn for summer all year long. The concerns of the school year have subsided
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Powerful
My God is Powerful Our God is Powerful and the solution to all of our problems, big and small. Join us in our monthly devotion and prayer. “Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17 NIV Father,
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Bo Jackson, Business Leaders, & Bacon
Bo Jackson, Business Leaders, & Bacon Each year, The Foundry Ministries hosts a breakfast fundraiser to benefit our partner, Changed Lives Christian Center (CLCC), as well as The Foundry. All funds raised go directly to support The Foundry Ministries and CLCC’s collaboration to provide long-term residential and transitional programs for the homeless, the addict, and the ex-inmate reentering society.
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5 Ways We Focus on Recycling
Recycling is a priority at The Foundry Thrift Stores. Check out the five areas of recycling we focus on and the impact it makes in our community.
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May Match: Let Your Giving Spark Change
Every donation is double during the month of May thanks to a few of our generous partners. Spark change during May by participating in our May Match.
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Faithful
Join The Foundry for our Monthly Prayer, My God is Faithful. This months prayer is based off of 2 Timothy 2:13. God's faithfulness is constant and important.
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Monthly Prayer: My God is Omniscient
Join The Foundry's in a themed monthly prayer. The Month of April comes out of Isaiah 46:9-10. God's omniscience gives us strength.
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A Brand New Person
I was losing everything a little bit at a time. . . Since the age of 12, Holly had been “in control.” When her mother died, she took responsibility for her younger sister. She believed she was in control too when she started using drugs in her late 20’s. I can stop when I want
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Blanket of Hope
by Dana Chavers Director of Social Services I arrived at work at 6:30am, as I usually do, when I noticed a green hump the size of a human in the corridor against the wall beneath the entry keypad. Doing a double take, I realized the hump was a person huddled under a jacket. I nervously
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Sacrificial Living
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into
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The Long Term Investment of Encouragement
by Graham Bufford “Encourage one another and build each other up.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 HCSB Ever heard of a book named Leaves of Grass or its author Walt Whitman? Yeah, most people weren’t familiar with either when that book was first published in 1855. Major publishers wouldn’t touch it, leaving Whitman to invest his