'Covered with Love' Serves Kids from Meth-contaminated Homes
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The purpose of the ministry is to provide hygiene essentials to the children and teens once they are taken from the homes.
Ted Mahnenship, Syracuse, a member of North Webster Church of God, has organized a ministry called “Covered With Love” with his wife, Jerri, and their 10-member small group.
“It is important to help these innocent victims and provide comfort to them,” Mahnenship said.
He said after a meth lab is discovered, children’s toys and blankets are often left behind after the home’s interior is found to be contaminated with meth.
The “Covered With Love” ministry’s goal is to provide children and teens who have been in homes where meth has been present with hygiene items and blankets.
The church has partnered with the Department of Child Services and local law enforcement agencies to oversee the program.
The group came up with the program idea from DeKalb County.
The Mahenships are part of a five-couple small group ministry at North Webster Church of God and one of the couples has a daughter who lives in DeKalb County who heard about Covered With Love.
Her parents, who are members of the small group at North Webster Church of God, went to DeKalb County to put together kits for the children in DeKalb County whose lives were effected by meth.
The DeKalb County small group members informed the North Webster Church of God small group members of the work being done in DeKalb, and suggested bringing the idea to Kosciusko.
Brad Harris, who oversees the Covered With Love program in DeKalb, came to the small group in North Webster to discuss the success of their program last fall.
“We decided we wanted to pursue the program and met with our church pastor, Jeff Boyer, and church board and they agreed this could be done,” Ted said.
The program serves ages infants to 17.
Plans are to have Department of Child Services to begin distributing donated items next week.
When a parent is arrested for “meth” use, children may face sudden separation from parents and lose all their belongings.
Fumes in the home make clothing and toys unusable.
Items needed for infants through teenagers include blankets, soap and shampoo, pajamas, comb or brush, deodorant, socks, flip flops, underwear, small toys, toothbrush and toothpaste, stuffed animals and dental floss.
People also can provide financial donations through the North Webster Church of God. Monetary donations are tax-deductible.
People also are encouraged to keep the children in their prayers and pray that God will keep them safe during these days of uncertainty.
The community can drop off donated items Tuesdays through Fridays at North Webster Church of God, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A meth awareness workshop is March 13 at Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. when items also will be collected.
People who want to donate funds for the “Covered With Love” kits can email checks to North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main St., North Webster, IN 46555, with “Covered With Love” in the memo line. The financial donations are tax deductible.
Churches who are interested in collecting items for the program can call Ted at 574-457-2660.[[In-content Ad]]
Latest News
E-Editions
The purpose of the ministry is to provide hygiene essentials to the children and teens once they are taken from the homes.
Ted Mahnenship, Syracuse, a member of North Webster Church of God, has organized a ministry called “Covered With Love” with his wife, Jerri, and their 10-member small group.
“It is important to help these innocent victims and provide comfort to them,” Mahnenship said.
He said after a meth lab is discovered, children’s toys and blankets are often left behind after the home’s interior is found to be contaminated with meth.
The “Covered With Love” ministry’s goal is to provide children and teens who have been in homes where meth has been present with hygiene items and blankets.
The church has partnered with the Department of Child Services and local law enforcement agencies to oversee the program.
The group came up with the program idea from DeKalb County.
The Mahenships are part of a five-couple small group ministry at North Webster Church of God and one of the couples has a daughter who lives in DeKalb County who heard about Covered With Love.
Her parents, who are members of the small group at North Webster Church of God, went to DeKalb County to put together kits for the children in DeKalb County whose lives were effected by meth.
The DeKalb County small group members informed the North Webster Church of God small group members of the work being done in DeKalb, and suggested bringing the idea to Kosciusko.
Brad Harris, who oversees the Covered With Love program in DeKalb, came to the small group in North Webster to discuss the success of their program last fall.
“We decided we wanted to pursue the program and met with our church pastor, Jeff Boyer, and church board and they agreed this could be done,” Ted said.
The program serves ages infants to 17.
Plans are to have Department of Child Services to begin distributing donated items next week.
When a parent is arrested for “meth” use, children may face sudden separation from parents and lose all their belongings.
Fumes in the home make clothing and toys unusable.
Items needed for infants through teenagers include blankets, soap and shampoo, pajamas, comb or brush, deodorant, socks, flip flops, underwear, small toys, toothbrush and toothpaste, stuffed animals and dental floss.
People also can provide financial donations through the North Webster Church of God. Monetary donations are tax-deductible.
People also are encouraged to keep the children in their prayers and pray that God will keep them safe during these days of uncertainty.
The community can drop off donated items Tuesdays through Fridays at North Webster Church of God, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A meth awareness workshop is March 13 at Syracuse Community Center, 1013 N. Long Drive, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. when items also will be collected.
People who want to donate funds for the “Covered With Love” kits can email checks to North Webster Church of God, 302 N. Main St., North Webster, IN 46555, with “Covered With Love” in the memo line. The financial donations are tax deductible.
Churches who are interested in collecting items for the program can call Ted at 574-457-2660.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092