A Message from Dr. David Anderson, Executive Director
‘Tis the season to be jolly, overeat and sift through year-end appeals from charitable organizations. As December 31 draws near, you’ll be making a lot of decisions about giving, and we hope you’ll put LYDIA at the top of your list.

If you attended our Annual Benefit Gala earlier this month, you heard Dr. Joe Stowell suggest that perhaps Jesus’ family used the wise men’s gifts to provide for their needs during their flight to Egypt. He likened this to the concept that all of us are to give of our riches in order to “rescue” others.

When you give to LYDIA, your gift is really part of a greater rescue operation that we carry out every day of the week, every week of the year. So many opportunities lie ahead for LYDIA to help children and families! Next year we will be working to expand Safe Families in Chicago and introduce it in other states, such as Georgia and possibly Indiana and New Jersey. Safe Families is such a wonderful program, because it allows parents to address their challenges (such as drug abuse and poverty) while their children are in the care of loving volunteers. These are families who might otherwise by separated for months or years because of the child welfare system’s red tape.

We are also hoping to increase enrollment at our alternative high school, LYDIA Urban Academy, on all three campuses (Chicago, Rockford, Quad Cities). LUA gives teens the tools they need to graduate from high school, helping them work toward academic and vocational success. Taking in more students means we’ll need more supplies and additional teachers; your support can help make that happen. We’re also looking forward to implementing a more comprehensive abstinence education program at Chicago middle schools and high schools in 2007, which will help students make a commitment to purity, an important part of reaching their goals.

I hope you will give generously to LYDIA today so that we can end the year strong and start 2007 on solid financial footing. Gifts are tax deductible and can be made online through our secure web site at www.lydiahome.org/donate or by mail at 4300 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60641.

To donate a gift of appreciated assets, please contact Kristin Etter, Development Associate, at or (773) 736-1447, ext. 223. If you would like to learn about leaving a legacy to LYDIA by including the ministry in your estate plan, please contact Nancy Good, Development Director, at or (773) 736-1447, ext. 252.

I hope you know how much we appreciate your partnership with LYDIA. May you and your family enjoy a blessed Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Savior.


Can You Spare a Ride?
LYDIA is in need of a reliable, used vehicle to transport children who live in our Residential Services Unit. If interested, contact Kristin Etter, Development Associate, at or (773) 736-1447, ext. 223.

Annual Benefit Gala a Success
Our thanks to the nearly 900 guests who attended LYDIA’s 90th Anniversary Benefit Gala on December 4 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. The event was a real celebration of God’s faithfulness, as we heard compelling stories from clients, were challenged by Dr. Joe Stowell’s message and received an opportunity to partner with LYDIA financially.

From all accounts, this Gala was our most successful ever in terms of gifts received and number of guests. As the staff continues to process gifts and pledges, it’s becoming clear that donors gave enthusiastically — the running total brings us beyond our $100,000 matching grant amount, although somewhat short of our $300,000 goal.

If you would like to make a gift toward our Banquet total, please do so by visiting our secure web site at www.lydiahome.org/donate or by sending a check to 4300 West Irving Park Road, Chicago, IL 60641. Questions? Contact Erica Postma, Associate Director of Development, at or (773) 736-1447, ext. 249. Thank you!

Why We Volunteer With Safe Families
by Chad Kimball (picture below: LYDIA staff member helping a child into her car seat)
My wife and I heard about LYDIA through our church, and the Safe Families ministry gripped my heart. Holly and I knew right away that we should volunteer. We feel called to minister to families, so this seemed like a perfect fit.

Our first placement was with a baby named Africa, whose mother, Samantha, was in a really bad situation. She was a teenager and felt like she couldn’t take the baby back to her mom’s apartment, since her mom and brother were crackheads and drug dealers. Samantha figured she’d have to put the baby up for adoption, but an adoption counselor referred her to Safe Families, and Safe Families called us.

We picked up Africa at the hospital and took care of her while Samantha looked for housing and employment. She came by a few times to see the baby and talk, and was really blown away by what we were doing for her. Within a week, she was able to find a place to live and had enrolled in a work/study program at a local trade school. It was hard for us, and especially for Holly, to say goodbye to Africa, but we were really glad to be part of God’s plan for this little family.

The experience cemented our desire to help children and families through LYDIA. A few months earlier, we had taken in a woman and her family from our church while she was going through a tough time. That was a lot more challenging, because she counted on us for everything — help finding a job and an apartment, babysitting, and a lot more. But with Safe Families, we don’t have to do everything— we can just give what we have: love, a home, stability, encouragement and prayer. Safe Families does the rest.

Being a Safe Families volunteer isn’t hard. LYDIA makes it very safe, and the staff is really supportive. We are completely hooked.

To volunteer with Safe Families or learn more, please call (773) 736-1447 or e-mail (note: picture above is of LYDIA staff and a Safe Families child).

Tremaine: Rising Above Circumstances at the Urban Academy
So many LYDIA Urban Academy students seem to have the cards stacked against them. Their success at LUA is a testimony to the power of God and a tribute to our dedicated teachers.

Tremaine is a good example. The middle child of seven, he is being raised in Chicago by a single mother, Tasha, who receives no assistance from the children’s father. Also, Tasha battles health issues that affect her ability to work consistently; as a result, she has difficulty even making our minimum tuition payment of $75 a month. Despite these challenges, Tasha is determined that her children will succeed academically and grow up to become honorable Christians.

When Tremaine came to the Academy three years ago, he was almost unable to sit still or pay attention in class. Thanks to the Academy’s low teacher-to-student ratio, he is receiving the help he needs to respect rules and meet classroom expectations, as well as complete his academic work. As a result, Tremaine’s strengths – enthusiasm and natural curiosity, among others — are beginning to shine. It’s hard to tell who is more proud: Tremaine, his mom, or us!

To learn more about LYDIA Urban Academy, contact Mandy Ross, Director, at or (773) 736-1447.