Harvest House
Help Us, Help Her
Harvest House, located in Dayton, Ohio, is a mentoring program for young women in challenging situations. Our goal is to come alongside them as they face various life challenges. The young ladies meet with a staff mentor where they receive the attention and care they need to set individual goals based on their unique situation and hopes for the future. Our team then works closely with them to help achieve those goals.
Harvest House consists of ongoing mentoring and support while YOU work to meet YOUR goals. This is a highly individualized program designed to meet people where they are. To date we have helped in a variety of areas including job security and training, transportation needs, schooling including college level and GEDs, child care and parenting training, and much more!
We align our program with solid Biblical teaching. This program is offered free of charge.
Mission: Preparing disadvantaged young women to take on the world with new hope and life skills.
Vision: Harvest House will transform the lives of young women through God's love.
Sometimes a non-conventional approach to healing allows young women a restart they need to carry hope (and a light) out into the world.
Rather than try to make a one-size-fits all program that kind of works for the masses, we have tried to create a very individual approach that meets the specific needs of the young people we are working with. We help with both practical needs as well as mentoring, goal setting, and a little bit of mom-ing.
Harvest House Blog
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 Friends, What are your favorite kinds of emails? I’d say phone calls, but I hardly ever answer them anymore, so emails it is! My favorite? The kind that share good news—especially the kind that say, “I know you and everyone you told about me were praying. I just wanted to keep you updated.” In the September newsletter, I asked you to pray for Ms. A and the situation she was facing. While things aren’t fully resolved, progress is being made! Bills have been paid, work has been found, and food is on the table. Knowing that people have been praying is a beautiful testimony, and I’m so grateful the Harvest community is part of it. Thank you. Please continue to pray for Ms. A and the others we’re currently working with. Specifically, pray that their needs are met in ways that help them see God at work! To borrow some words from Paul: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:3–6, NIV) Blessings, Elizabeth Kilby
“faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17b (NIV) Dear Friends, One thing I've always appreciated about the book of James is that he doesn't dance around the issues! He reminds us that following Jesus Christ involves much more than what we believe, what we say, or even how often we pray. Genuine faith produces genuine action! In James 2:15–16, we're given a powerful illustration. Suppose someone is without adequate clothing or food, and we offer them kind words and wish them well, but do nothing to meet their needs. James asks a simple question: What good is that? Think about it. We can tell someone God loves them. We can assure them we're praying for them. We can even invite them to church. Those are all wonderful things, but what happens when the person standing in front of us is hungry, hurting, frightened, or wondering how they're going to make it through another day? That's when faith needs to roll up its sleeves! We believe wholeheartedly in the power of prayer and the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Over the years, we've had the privilege of leading many people to Christ. But we've also learned that sometimes people need to experience God's love before they're ready to hear about it. Through Second Harvest Thrift Store , we provide affordable necessities and opportunities for job training. Through Harvest House , we offer encouragement and practical support to people facing difficult circumstances. And through Harvest Helps , we assist individuals and families struggling with financial and other immediate needs. Sometimes ministry means providing clothing or household necessities. Sometimes it means helping someone financially. Other times, it simply means listening to a hurting person and reminding them that they haven't been forgotten. That's what Harvest Youth Ministries is—a ministry that doesn't just talk about compassion but puts it into practice. A ministry that doesn't simply recognize needs but responds to them. And a ministry that gives God the glory for every life touched. Putting the love of Christ into action, together! Pastor Jim Kilby
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40, NIV) Friends, I heard a story once about a woman who served the “at risk” community around her because her own child was caught up in substance abuse but would not accept any help from her family. It broke this woman’s heart to think of her own child on the street, so she tried to love others well and make a difference in other people’s lives. She hoped that, somewhere, someone would love her daughter well, too. That story came back to me recently after a conversation at the thrift store. Someone tried to donate a couch with large rips and missing cushions, explaining to Aaron that a poor person would certainly want it. I understand the sentiment behind that. If you have very little, something is better than nothing, right? But it made me think about something we don't always consider when we talk about serving people in need: the people we serve are somebody's sons and daughters. They're somebody's family. We would never want our own child to be defined by their circumstances—to be told, directly or not, that because they're struggling, they should be grateful for what most people would turn down if given the option. I know that ruffles some feathers, and I hope you hear my heart in this, because Harvest is SO grateful for the generosity of so many people in this community. The store and ministry would not exist without the people who clean out their closets, donate their furniture, drop off household goods, volunteer their time, and give financially. The retelling of that conversation was such a great reminder for our team of who we are serving and why. We want to treat people with dignity and respect—not simply because they are in need, but because they are people. Someone’s son or daughter. Someone’s child. Someone’s family. And maybe that is what I keep coming back to from the story of that woman. She knew what it felt like to wonder where her own child was and whether someone would love her well. So she chose to love someone else’s child well. That is a beautiful picture of what we hope Harvest Helps can be: not simply meeting a need, but seeing the person behind the need. Because every person who walks through those doors is someone’s son or daughter, someone’s family—and ultimately, someone Jesus tells us to see and serve as though we were serving Him. Celebrations! Ms K received a bicycle to get to work! Mr. R received a bus pass and groceries to help while his family deals with illness. Ms H received a bus pass to get to work! Blessings, Elizabeth Kilby
