2023–2025 LWML Mission Grant #31 Breaking Generational Poverty in Detroit — Camp Restore Detroit, MI — $58,988.62 (partial)
Stories from Camp Restore Detroit
By Amy Fanta with Mission Editor Brianne Stahlecker
I often wonder whether the women of the LWML understand the magnitude and impact of their mite offerings. It's in part because of those mite offerings that we at Camp Restore Detroit (CRD) have been able to impact our community, as can be seen in the following stories.
Last Christmas, a good friend from our community passed away. Her three young children and husband were left heartbroken. A week later, their grandma, who was helping with childcare, suddenly passed away as well. While nothing could take away the heartache, these kids were met with the love of Christ in the Little Blue House at Camp Restore. Miss Clare, who also lost her mom at a young age, was waiting with open arms to love on these kids and help them as they struggled with their questions for God. Because of Camp Restore’s literacy program, run by Miss Clare, their dad received respite while the kids were fed, taught, heard about God’s love, and felt the love of retired educators in our community. God’s love and your mite offerings enabled the Little Blue House to be finished and educational materials purchased.
In March 2023, a young man in foster care became involved in a situation that led to his early exit from foster care. The police, who know and love this young adult from a community youth program, attempted to find him a home, to no avail. They approached Camp Restore Detroit, asking for housing for a short time. While short term housing was not an intended use, this young man moved into the Little Blue House.
Now, more than a year later, he is still living with us through the help of a ministry partner. Through mentoring and training, he has learned to cook, drive, and save enough money to buy a used car and even to go on a cruise! The unimaginable has become reality. Soon, we hope to launch him to college, changing the trajectory of his life. Most importantly, he daily reads the Bible with the team, learning of God’s love — something entirely new to him.
These two stories illustrate what happens at CRD each day and the ways we get to experience the mite offerings at work. Most recently, we have been blessed by the 2023 mission grant, enabling us to look forward to the day when we have a computer lab, cafe, and a play area for the children. In this space, community members will be able to have coffee, enjoy time with friends and neighbors, use technology, and even learn skills to open a small business. These things allow families to break the generational cycle of poverty. Most importantly, as we work with families and individuals to gain skills, jobs, and income, we can interact with each person, sharing God’s love. We can only imagine the new stories we will be telling about the ways God has blessed our community because of these new mite offerings.
Amy Fanta is the Executive Director of Camp Restore Detroit. She and her family of five have a passion and love for working alongside community leaders and supporters to share God’s love and restore hope, home, and community. She is a graduate of both Concordia, Seward and Ann Arbor.
This story was originally featured in the Winter 2024 Lutheran Woman's Quarterly. Order your subscription here.
For more information about this mission grant, view the individual mission grant page here.
