Once upon a time there was a young boy named Oscar who was skipping small stones gently across the water. With each stone that jumped across the water surface and briefly sink beneath, Oscar noticed the ripples that began to set off around the lake. Oscar becoming more eager to make an abundance of ripples began to gather as many smooth stones as he could find. He stood at the water's edge and one after another, Oscar sent his rocks along the water's surface. He watched as some ripples had a small effect before vanishing, but some had a larger span that sent ripples far and wide across the lake. Oscar in seeing these ripples began to wonder what other things could have an effect such as what he was seeing at the lake.

Later that afternoon, Oscar watched his mother as she went out to serve women and children that day. He had been watching each day how his mother's care, love and support, was softening hearts. He watched as people from churches poured in their time, effort, and money to see the lives of women and children changed. Later that weekend he watched as a women graduated from Acres of Hope into a life outside of the barriers of homelessness. Oscar began to notice how ripple effects, like those produced by a rock skipping over water, were so much more powerful when they came from people have an impact on someone else's life. Oscar got to see the good and far reaching ripple effects that people could have on a life.

At Acres of Hope we get to see the power effects of these "ripples" everyday. When a woman and her children come through our doors we see the effects of "negative ripples" that have hardened hearts, brought forth fear and shame, and a lack of the awareness of how loved each person is. However, as time passes and families get to experience the effects of "positive ripples" through mentoring, counseling, compassion, stability, and love. The ripples that produce strong mothers, and strong children, who all know they have value and are loved.

You can become a part of the team creating positive ripple effects in the lives of our families.

Learn more today about how you can be a part of breaking the cycles of trauma and homelessness for the women and children of Acres of Hope.

Call 530-878-8030 or Visit: acresofhopeonline.org