Kansas City Maternity Services Adoption Services

The following is yet another story of lives changed through an experience at the Light House. The best part is that there were THREE lives changed - a beautiful young woman, her loving mother… and this young woman’s baby, who was welcomed into a wonderful adoptive family.

Andrea’s Story
“My experience at the Light House has been life-changing.  I’ve learned to love myself but most importantly, I’ve learned to love God.  Being here helps you to respect yourself as well as others.  Also learning to get along with different people that have different personalities.  I have learned how to appreciate my home and my family.  I think God put me here for a reason and put these wonderful people in my life for a reason.

“I missed home a lot and thought I was alone until I finally realized that God was here with me all along.  It just took me some time to realize it.  I’m thankful for having a chance to be here and meet all the new people.  If I have learned anything valuable at all, it’s to love God and have faith in all things are possible through Christ.”

Andrea’s Mom’s Story
“To me, The Light House is exactly what the names reads: the light.

“When I found out that my sixteen-year-old daughter was pregnant by a boy that I had forbidden her to see, a shadow of darkness fell upon my life.  I prayed day in and day out for an answer on what to do about my situation.  Being a single, ill parent, I could not support two children and a grandchild.  So the thought of adoption (for my grandchild) and an all-Christian, girls’ home (for my daughter) came to mind; actually I know that God put it on my mind.  I went on the internet and searched for a place like this.  I did research on several homes before deciding on The Light House.

“I called and spoke with representatives of The Light House.  After talking to them, I knew this was the place.  The staff was and still is a group of very friendly, Christian people.  They let me take my time on deciding what to do.  They did not try to force anything upon me.  I hate to imagine what would have happened to me or my child if I had not found them.  This was to be a learning process for my daughter, but they helped me also.  They were always there for me.  I now believe that I have a transformed child.  I wish this on no family (single or two-parented), but should it happen to you, please try The Light House. Along with God, they put the light back into my house.  I owe them my life.”

Did you know that Missouri has a special Tax Credit for Maternity Homes?
If you have Missouri income, you may be able to get back 50% of your qualified donation to the Light House, AND still deduct the donation from both your state and federal taxes. Call us for more information at 816-361-2233 x208.

Just a reminder: To count as a qualified donation for your 2009 tax return, your donation must be postmarked by December 31, 2009. You may also donate right here on our website, or call us to make a credit card donation over the phone!

December 2009

Dear Friends,

“Hi! I’m the Delivery Boy.” How often have I responded this way to people when they ask what I do at the Light House. But, that is exactly what I have done for the last 25 years. Wow! TWENTY-FIVE years!

Because of donors like you, I have had the privilege of delivering the babies of mothers who were desperate and considering abortion as their only option. It is still a thrill after all these years to be involved in God’s plan. Since that first baby miraculously arrived on July 2nd, 1985, more than 1,200 young women have discovered the Light House despite the odds against this discovery. Like many other women in the same situation, the mother of the first Light House baby was referred to an abortionist by her own doctor before she found the Light House.

Because of you, young women find compassion and hope at the Light House at a critical juncture in their lives. They are provided for materially, emotionally, and more importantly they are offered spiritual nourishment. Your support has delivered young women from as far away as Brazil and as close as the apartment next door to the Light House. Some are already homeless or on the verge of homelessness. Their vulnerability is embaced by Godly house parents, counselors, nurses, administrative persons, and hundreds of volunteers and supporters like you.

Because of you, young women have chosen to place their babies in Godly, Christian homes through adoption. Others have chosen to take the lifelong journey with their babies and learned important life skills that emphasized parenting through the Light House program. Meeting some of those mothers and babies, some of whom are fully grown, has been a special privilege for me. It is more than gratifying to hear about the life-altering experiences of these young women, who experience the love of their neighbor and God, sometimes for the first time, because of you, our generous donor.

What does the future hold for the Light House? Another 25 years of the Holy Spirit working through this ministry to benefit desperate young women? I certainly hope this is the case. Because of you, I know that I can continue to work to relieve the societal wound. I can only do so much, though. I need your support as I continue to bring new life into the world. Without you, my hands can only do what two hands can do. Please consider a gift of $25, $50, $100, or even more if you are capable. The need is great. Please ask God to guide you in your decision to continue your support of young women and their babies. I am only a “delivery boy,” but I am honored to deliver this message to you and hope you will renew your support of the cause of LIFE!

Please send a gift today. Your help is needed!

In Christ’s Love for Young Women and Babies,

Donald E. Philgreen, MD
“The Delivery Boy”

Just a few reminders about year-end giving…

The New Year is just around the corner! As you begin to think about year-end giving, we pray you will remember the Light House.

We rely completely on support from people just like you!

Here are a few ways you can donate:

Online. Click on the pink icon up at the top right corner that says “Click here to make a secure online donation.” You can donate this way 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! You can even save your credit/debit card information and set up recurring (i.e. monthly, etc.) donations. Easy!

Mail in a check. Our mailing address is: PO Box 22553, KC MO 64113. Just make sure your donation is postmarked by December 31st, 2009, for it to count towards 2009 giving.

Call us. We can process credit card donations from our office, too. Call Stacey Stark at 816-361-2233 x208.

Did you know that if you have a Missouri tax liability, your donation may be eligible for a tax credit equal to 50% of your donation? Call us for more information, and learn how you can make your charitable dollars go even further!

Light House Wins Top Tier Award at SCCF Passion Awards!

The Servant Christian Community Foundation rolled out the red carpet for the 8th Annual Passion Awards on November 9th, 2009. The Light House was one of over 220 ministries in the KC area who applied, and one of only EIGHT organizations who were awareded the top tier grant of $10,000! This year’s theme was “Faith Unleashed,” and the Light House was able to share how our faith is being unleashed every day through the young women and babies we serve.

We are very thankful to the Servant Christian Community Foundation for awarding us this grant. This will help allow us to continue enabling women to choose life for themselves, and their babies!

Check it out:
www.servantchristian.com
www.faithunleashedkc.com

“Emily’s Story,” in her own words.

Hi my name is “Emily” and I have had two kids born within the past two years that I chose to be adopted. Through all my pain and heartache I never did get an abortion… I give them to the people who need them the most.

The Light House helps you find out what you can do for your family and yourself. It is a place that does not put on anything that you could not bear. They actually work with you to help you find that right family for your baby. The first time I was there I gave my son to this family who has many different racial cultures. I didn’t want my son to be the only child; I wanted him to have brothers and sisters so that he won’t grow up by himself. I was going through the toughest time possible but feel confident that he is in the perfect family.

Just recently I had a baby girl… her biological father wanted me to get an abortion. I never did and he kept asking me,  “ Did you get rid of that baby?” I never did reply. This time when I went to the hospital I wanted nothing but to give her to the Light House because I knew that she would be safe in their arms. My little girl was adopted to a family that couldn’t have any kids and wanted a baby more than ever. I wanted them (to have her). I just had the feeling that they were the right (parents).

When I was pregnant with my daughter I had gotten in to a car accident and damaged my car so I had to start all over. That was stressful. Now I have a new car, I recently started a new job. All that I prayed for has come true and I’m happy.

All-in-all, with prayer anything can happen. The more you stay close to God, the more God will continue to bless you unconditionally.  God never puts anything on you that you can’t bear and I can say…

THANK YOU JESUS FOR WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME.

Summer 2009

Our passion is to see that every human heart is cherished and protected within the womb and within strong families.  Each and every day our staff and volunteers work diligently to protect and cherish the most vulnerable among us.  The partnership of our donors provides much needed resources for us to connect with and provide support to more than two dozen young women recently – and help them choose life for their babies.

While the residential home is the heart of our ministry, it is by no means the totality of our ministry.  We have worked very hard recently to promote the message that adoption is an option.  By connecting with counselors, social workers, pastors, and community leaders we are getting the message out that the Light House is a safe, compassionate, competent, and trustworthy place providing assistance to those young women seeking advice concerning adoption.  The result has been a dramatic increase in the number of adoptions this year over last.  Recently a young mother, upon her arrival at the hospital (she was not at the time in our program), asked them to call the Light House. She wanted to talk to someone about adoption for her soon to be born baby.  Because of your support our compassionate and highly trained staff responded immediately to this young girl’s request.  We were there for her each and every step of the way.  She did end up choosing adoption and placed her baby with a wonderful family.  We continue to minister to this mom after the adoption, helping her with the adjustment she is experiencing in her life.

These are very, very challenging times.  Young moms are struggling financially to deal with pregnancy.  Pressure is on them from all sides to abort their babies.  Today more than ever your Light House must be here providing a clear and safe pathway to life for these unborn babies. 

Summer is our most difficult time financially.  With grateful hearts for many of you who support the Light House, we offer again the opportunity for you to make a real impact on the unborn and their mothers by giving to the Light House.  You can give online here through our website, or mail a gift to PO Box 22553, Kansas City, MO 64113. We are also able to receive material gifts of value including cars, boats, real estate, and stock. All gifts are tax deductible. You can also give to the Light House through your employer as a designated United Way gift.

For information on giving options please contact our Finance and Development Office at 816-361-2233 x208.

Thank you again for your wonderful support of this needed ministry.

John Mark Clifton
Executive Director

Client Testimony

“I was introduced to the Light House in 2007 by a friend with whom I attended church. For the past year, I have participated in the Outreach program on Tuesday evenings and the Light House has been a wonderful blessing to me and my daughter, who turned one year old on June 22, 2008.

“We have had a wonderful sessions learning about caring for and nurturing our children as we developed a close network of concerned parents. We learned from each other through conversations and activities. The Bible study sessions are really uplifting and give you something to think about for the upcoming week. The financial support I have received in the form of clothing, pampers, baby items, food and milk have been extremely helpful. I am so blessed to be a part of this program and would encourage anyone to join.

“Lastly, I must commend the staff of the Light House. The leaders involved with the organization are excellent. They are warm and friendly and I have truly enjoyed working with them each week.”

The Light House is a full service adoption agency in Missouri with experienced, licensed staff. We have over 25 years of experience with nearly 300 successful adoptions. We help connect birth mothers who delivered their babies in Missouri with potential Christian adoptive families who can live throughout the country.

For more information about our full service adoption agency, visit our adoptions page.

Missouri Maternity Home Tax Credit

Your gift to the Light House can reduce your taxes in two ways:

1. If you itemize your annual deductions, you may be able to subtract the entire amount from your total federal taxable income.

2. You also may be able to subtract half the amount of your donation, dollar for dollar, directly from your Missouri tax liability.

How this works: The Light House has 50% Missouri Maternity Home Tax Credits available to those individuals and businesses who donate $100 or more.

If you pay Missouri income tax, personal or business, you qualify to benefit from this program.

To make a Tax Credit gift or for more information, contact Stacey Stark at stacey@lighthouse-inc.org or 816-361-2233 x208.

Consider this Sample Tax Credit Gift

(For a $1,000 gift from someone in a 35% tax bracket)  

Only $90 came out of the Donor’s pocket!

A donor in the 10% tax bracket (who itemized deductions) can make a gift to the Light House and receive back 66% of that gift in tax benefits from the state and federal governments. Your $1,000.00 gift “cost” you $340.00

A donor in the 15% tax bracket (who itemized deductions) can make a gift to the Light House and receive back 81% of the gift in tax benefits from state and federal governments. Your $1,000.00 gift “cost” you $290.00.

A donor in the $25% tax bracket (who itemized deductions) can make a gift to the Light House and receive back 81% of the gift in tax benefits from state and federal governments. Your $1,000.00 gift “cost” you $190.00.

A donor in the 35% tax bracket (who itemized deductions) can make a gift to the Light House and receive back 91% of the gift in tax benefits. Your $1,000.00 gift “cost” you $90.00!

Imagine 1200 people age two weeks to 23 years. Imagine them all in a large auditorium. What a site that would be, 1200 happy, healthy young people 23 years of age and younger.

Think of all the potential in that group, of the doctors, missionaries, teachers, inventors, artist that would not doubt some of them would become.

The Light House has been blessed to see 1200 babies born in our ministry in the past 23 years.

1200 is a lot of babies.

It is a lot of lives full of hope, dreams and contributions to our world.

But 1200 is also the number of babies who were aborted in the USA between the time you ate breakfast and lunch today.

So much has been done….so much more remains. Pray for us and support us as we seek to provide a pathway to life for every unborn baby. For more information about how you can help, click here.