How does Kindred Life carry out their mission and how can I get involved?
Cultivating growth – Kindred Life provides a safe and loving environment for each client; Life Education nights, mentoring, counseling, etc. all contribute to planting seeds that through prayer will take root, grow and flourish.
Building Relationships – Our volunteers and staff models the hands and feet of Jesus, sharing His love and the eternal life they can have through a relationship with Him. While the Holy Spirit is working, we also empower and equip families with the skills needed relationally during their time in the program (friends, family, society, etc.).
Meeting the needs of teen parents and their children –These needs are numerous and multi-faceted. Often times we are meeting a basic need first (food, clothing, education) before he/she trusts us enough to let us work on and meet his/her emotional and spiritual needs.
Our 2018 Vision Plan includes an fresh updated vision and mission statement and newly created values and guiding principles. These will lay the groundwork providing the roadmap and tools for staff and volunteers to more clearly measure and communicate impact for those we serve and those with whom we serve.
To learn more about serving or getting your church to become a ministry partner, visit our Volunteer page or contact Rachael at volunteer@KindredLife.org
Where is Kindred Life headed in the next three years?
In order for us to grow and serve a greater number of families, we need to invest resources in expanding and strengthening our community partners which include churches and public and private organizations so that we can meet the family’s needs to a greater capacity. We are striving to implement new systems and tracking measurements to more clearly communicate impact. We realize that expanding both paid and volunteer teams will be necessary to meet the needs of our teen fathers and grandparents as well as continue improving services for the teen mother and child. As the Lord leads and through our faithful prayer warriors and financial supporters, we can position ourselves to provide improved services to a greater number of families to surrounding communities.
2019 – Expand outreach and development to increase number of community partners by 20%
2020 – Hire a Teen Dad Program Coordinator to serve all three site offices
2021 – Open a fourth Program Service Site in northern Cook County, IL
How does Kindred Life Ministries differ from other family social service organizations?
Why does Kindred Life Ministries limit the number of teenage parents can serve at each location?
Each of our three service locations serve up to seven teen parents and their families. Experience has shown that seven families is the optimum number to provide the greatest attention to each based on the availability of resources. Kindred Life Ministries’ partners with local churches, communities and the teen parent’s family of origin to provide the most comprehensive program to help all members of the teen family thrive. (See also Partner’s Page)
How do teen parents find out about your program and what are the socio-economic and faith backgrounds of the young parents you serve?
Teen parents are often referred by local pregnancy centers, schools and churches with many finding out about the ministry through friends and social media. Our three office sites are in the northern suburbs of Illinois: Antioch, Gurnee and Wheeling and serve the surrounding communities which are comprised of working class and middle class families with a variety of ethnic, cultural and faith backgrounds. We serve teenagers who have chosen to parent their children.
How long can a young parent remain a part of Kindred Life Ministries, and where do they go after?
Each teen parent involved with Kindred Life Ministries is offered an array of services and is asked to meet program guidelines that allow her to grow and mature. A teen mother/father identifies and works toward meeting her own individual goals with the assistance of the Site Director, her counselor and her mentor. These goals are addressed and monitored regularly. As the teen parent continues to participate in the Life Ed group and on his/her individual goals, they can remain a part of Kindred Life Ministries. A typical stay in the program is 2-3 years ending with a graduation ceremony. Graduates are invited to join the Kindred Life Alumni Group and encouraged to get plugged into a church and/or Mom’s group to continue to grow and be supported. (See also Programs & Services)
What type of services do you offer to the teen father and extended family?
Are my donations to Kindred Life Ministries tax-deductible?
Yes, Kindred Life Ministries is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Both monetary gifts and in-kind donations are most appreciated and tax-deductible. To make an online gift please visit our Donate Page.