SPRING 2017 NEWSLETTER

945 W. HuisacheSan Antonio, TX 78201

Ph 210- 735-6910Fx 210-738-8794

www.visitationhouseministries.org

Visitation House isa sponsored ministry of the

Dear Friends,

Since our last newsletter Visitation House lost a very special and dear friend. Sister Neomi Hayes, co-founder of Visitation House, passed away on April 30, 2017. She and I opened Visitation House in 1985, with a desire to offer safe, secure, and dignified shelter to homeless women and their young children. The gospel narrative of Mary going out to Elizabeth to offer help was the perfect image for the outreach to women that we wanted to offer. When we found a house for our ministry S. Neomi wrote in her journal, “Lord, today the house becomes ours…we present it before you and ask your blessing on this project. We name it Visitation, so that as women helping each other and walking life’s journey together, we may experience your stirring within, urging us on, compelling us to be indeed the Handmaids of the Lord’”

Sister Neomi ministered at Visitation House for fourteen years. During this time we expanded the services offered from temporary shelter to a two-year transitional housing and education program. We purchased a small apartment complex next door for the families in the program to live in and named it La Posada. S. Neomi became an important voice in the city advocating for affordable housing. She served on the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, chaired the Partnership for Affordable Housing, and represented homeless interests on the Community Service Action Board. Her gentle and deliberate persistence brought a new depth of understanding about the needs faced by homeless women.

The thread that ran through S. Noemi’s life was advocating for, and empowering women. We will miss her but know that we have a new advocate in heaven.

Sister Yolanda Tarango CCVIStaff and families of Visitation House Ministries

In May we were happy to welcome a new family to Visitation House, Rayleena and her two sons, 18 months and 3 months. Rayleena will work on her GED at La Casita del Saber, while her children are in a childcare program.

SAVE THE DATE

Annual Summer Sojourn Fundraiser

Thursday, June 22, 20175:30-8:30 pm

Skyroom on the campus ofIncarnate Word University

An evening of fine food, entertainment, silent &

live auctions, prizes and more!

For more information contact:Cynthia Bossard 210-735-6910

cynthia.bossard@amormeus.org

CELEBRATE & GIVE THANKS

THEN & NOW

For the fourth year running, we participated in Big Give. We extend a BIG Thank You to the 31,439 donors who gave $4,676,494 to 648 nonprofits.A Special Thank You to the 48 offline and online donors who selected to give to Visitation House and helped us raise $2,620. We couldn’t have done it without You!

For the first time, Visitation House participated in another community wide fundraising event, the Valero Texas Open Birdies for Charity.We also had a Visitation House team who ran/walked the Dash to the VTO 5k run on April 15 at TPC San Antonio where the PGA TOUR competed in the Valero Texas Open.

Visitation House was one of five organizations invited to participate in the Charity Ball Association (CBA) Annual Advocacy Event hosted at Morgan’s Wonderland on Saturday May 6. The purpose of the CBA Advocacy Event is to share hope and encouragement with families through a fun morning experience and to draw attention to the needs of children in the commu-nity. Executive Director S. Yolanda Tarango, CCVI, also joined the Visitation House group for the fun family day at the park followed by a carnival and lunch. Thank you to Nel Belt, Public Relations Chairman for the CBA, her team of volunteers and Morgan’s Wonderland!

Thanks to all the bargain hunters who stopped by the Visitation House Garage Sale on April 21.Thank you also, to Visitation House community member, S. Leticia De Jesus Rodriguez, CCVI, who coordinated the sale; to the Office of the Generalate for the use of their space at the rear of the building; to volunteers, Sister Marceline O’Connell, CCVI, Sister Francesca Eiken, CCVI, Office Manager, Cynthia’s daughter, Sabrina, and UIW student Intern, Clarissa Cantu; and to the maintenance staff who assisted with tables etc.Thank you all for your assistance with set up, selling and cleanup.

Samantha and her 4-year-old daughter Liliana, entered the Visitation House program in January 2015. Samantha’s goal was to return to college to complete her bachelor’s degree. Before entering the program, she had attended college on and off for several years, encountering many obstacles along the way - “my education journey hit a ton of bumps and detours.” While at Visitation House, she changed her major to Business, established a degree plan and successfully completed her education goals for the 2014-2015 academic year at UTSA. She exited the program to live with a family member, totally committed to continuing on her degree plan.Her commitment to her education goal was realized on May 20, 2017. Samantha graduated from UTSA, with a Bachelor of Business Administra-tion in Business Management. Sisters and staff are excited, delighted and so proud of her and her success. Way to go, Samantha!

January 2015 May 2017

Visitation House is now on Amazon Smile. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. Every time you shop at

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/74-2447137. Amazon gives!

LA CASITA DEL SABERSUMMER SOJOURN

New Volunteer, Ms. Sallyanne Holtz, is a retired teacher from UTSA where she worked for ten years in the Communications Department, teaching Writing and Speech. We appreciate her generosity of time helping the ESL students improve their English language skills. She will also be tutoring GED students and preparing women for citizenship. She is a great gift to our students!

We welcome new staff member, Tricia Triana, to La Casita Del Saber. Tricia’s prime role as team member will be administrative.

Happiness is… Licha, Susy, Monica, Teresa G., and Teresa S. celebrating GED tests they have passed so far.

In her own words….My name is Clarissa Rose Cantu and I am a senior at The University of the Incarnate Word and will be graduating in May with a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology. I was an intern at the Visitation House Learning Center, La Casita del Saber, for the whole spring semester. Some of my duties as an intern were tutoring women and assisting the GED teachers with preparing class materials.

My time interning at La Casita was extremely enjoyable because I was able to offer my assistance to the women in whatever subject they needed help. I am so thankful to Sr. Yolanda and all of the staff of Visitation House and La Casita Del Saber, for allowing me to work with them and contributing to their mission. It is definitely an experience I will never forget.

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

CHRISTUS HealthAloys & Carol Litteken

The Atkins Group • CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Medical Ctr. Auxiliary Curtis Loos Advance Sales Solutions • Tony & Anne Eguia

Garza, Preis & Co., L.L.C. • Guarantee Plumbing & A/C, Inc. Kathleen Light • Monigle Associates, Inc. • Barbara Pantuso

San Martin Eye Clinic • South Texas Energy & Economic Roundtable (STEER) Snyder & Associates • Mr. & Mrs. Mazzanti & World Wide Technology

Gjerset & Lorenz, LLPJeff & Mary Whiting Puckett

Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word

GDC Marketing & IdeationHoly Trinity Catholic Church

Lawrence GroupPS Promotions

University of the Incarnate WordThe Village at Incarnate Word

Friends ofVisitation House

Summer Sojourn - 2017SPONSORS

Visitation House is a sponsored ministry of the

Congratulations...Monica who has passed all of the tests and received her GED Certificate!

Summer Sojourn 2017 is scheduled for Thursday, June 22. We are blessed with an awesome planning committee who have been working with great energy and enthusiasm to secure sponsorships, auction items and raffle donations for the event. We are grateful to our sponsors and donors for their continued support which ensures the success of our annual fundraiser, the proceeds of which constitute a substan-tial component of our operating budget. For additional information contact Cynthia Bossard at (210) 735-6910 or email cynthia.bossard@amormeus.org. We look forward to seeing you at the McCombs Rosenberg Sky Room on Thursday, June 22, beginning at 5:30pm.

ESL student, Maria Julia is studying to pass her citizenship test in January. She is an advanced English student, who has recently mastered several difficult pronunciation rules, and a higher level vocabulary. She is always ready to help the newer students learn.

Visitation House Ministries welcomes and appreciates your support! Donations of gently used items, i.e., household goods, detergent, toilet paper, women’s and children’s clothing, apartment-size furniture, etc. are accepted Mon.-Fri. 8:30 - 5:00.

Please call (210)735-6910 if you need to make arrangements for drop-off at another time.

Financial Contributions can now be accepted through the Visitation House Ministries secure website. Please visit www.visitationhouseministries.org

If you would prefer to receive the newsletter via email please contact:Cynthia Bossard, 210-735-6910, or cynthia.bossard@amormeus.org

In Celebration

of hope and

new beginnings

Please join us for theVisitation House Summer Sojourn

Thursday, June 22, 20175:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

McCombs Center Rosenberg Sky RoomUniversity of the Incarnate Word International Conference Center

847 E. Hildebrand

In Celebration

of hope and

new beginnings

Please join us for theVisitation House Summer Sojourn

Thursday, June 22, 20175:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

McCombs Center Rosenberg Sky RoomUniversity of the Incarnate Word International Conference Center

847 E. Hildebrand