by Veronica Hotovy
St. Gianna Program Manager
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
“It saved my life being here.” These are words we heard from one of our current residents of St. Gianna Women’s Home during an interview on the CSS podcast, “Hope in the Good Life.” They are words that, in one form or another, we often hear at St. Gianna’s. Words from women who have found an opportunity to take a step back from the chaos that they’ve been living in and begin to rebuild their lives.
The women and children we encounter at St. Gianna’s have typically been in survival mode, amidst stress, abuse, and anxiety for so long, they don’t know what ‘calm’ is. They are so focused on getting through the day-to-day, they can’t think about the future, and they most certainly can’t feel relaxed or calm.
I remember one woman sharing an experience she had with her young daughter. They were simply laying in the grass outside together talking, when suddenly Mom realized that this was what peace felt like. It had taken months to reach that point. Months to slow down and begin to feel like she could take time to breathe. There’s a lot we do in the St. Gianna Program, but the foundation of just about every aspect of our program and the Home itself is to provide peace.
We aim to provide the peace they need to be able to realize that they are safe and loved. The peace they need to be able to stop running and take a deep breath. The peace that they find when they are no longer fighting just to survive. The peace that allows them to finally begin to build something beautiful for themselves.
There are a number of people who make that peace possible, including the Marian Sisters who are there every day with our women and children, guiding them and being bearers of Christ’s light throughout the home. There is our small yet incredible staff who go above and beyond giving of themselves to these families and offering support. There are the volunteers who share their time, accompanying our families and taking care of the needs of the house. There are also the donors who make it possible to offer them a place to call home – one that is filled with dignity and love. The beautiful thing about a mission like the St. Gianna Program is that there is room for everyone. Anyone can be a part of it.
We have a faithful donor who provides the money to purchase all the items needed for holiday meals. Others will quickly run to the store any time we are running short on hygiene supplies, or to provide gifts at Christmas time. Others give their money so that we can provide rent or help pay for hospital bills. Others put together gifts for special occasions and another bakes beautiful birthday cakes for each of the moms and children.
Still others give their time to clean apartments before a new family arrives, or take care of kiddos in the evening so that our moms can have a small break or attend a class. Whether it is through time, talent, or treasure, our mission has a place for anyone who desires to be a part of it.
And with participating in that mission in mind, I’d like to extend an invitation to all of you reading this to attend CaroleFest, our annual fundraising event for the St. Gianna Program. It will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. We will gather at St. John the Apostle Church in Lincoln to hear beautiful choirs glorifying the Lord in preparation for Christmas. The event doesn’t have a cost to attend, but is rather an opportunity to come together in support of the mission we are living daily at St. Gianna’s. For those who feel called to give, free will donations can be made at the event or ahead of time at csshope.org.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the development of the St. Gianna Program, in any way, and to all who will continue supporting our mission and providing Hope in the Good Life to the women and children we serve.
