Several Sources Celebrates 30 Years Serving Homeless Pregnant Women and Their Saved Babies While Remembering President Ronald Reagan and Mother Teresa

• In 1988 Ronald Reagan invited Kathy DiFiore to the White House to honor her work for pregnant women and their children and the work of the Several Sources volunteers

(PRWEB) November 03, 2011

On October 21, 2011 over 200 people came to The Sheraton Hotel, Mahwah, NJ for one purpose to “honor and celebrate the mission of sheltering mothers and babies in need” with Kathy DiFiore, the Founder of Several Sources Shelters Inc. The celebration was highlighted by N.J. State Gerald Cardinale’s explanation of Kathy’s 1984 fight to overcome a $ 10,000 NJ State Rooming and Boarding House Fine which eventually was accomplished with the help of Noble Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa of Calcutta. A historical video showing the work of the Several Sources Shelters being honored at the White House by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 was shown. The video also showed past and present photos of almost one hundred of the thousands of children whose pregnant mothers had lived at the Several Sources Shelters.

DiFiore commented, “Little did I know that when I opened my Ramsey home back in 1981 to a few pregnant teenagers, an organization called “Several Sources” would evolve thirty years later into five shelters and a wonderful ‘baby saving’ effort. We thank God for tonight’s blessed celebration of the gift of life.”

    The evening’s focus was apparent. Babies were everywhere including the current shelter babies, Eijah, Viktor, Jullian ,Alanna & Jordany, all their mothers, as well as the young pregnant women living at the Shelters now. The “Alumni” represented by 24 children of all ages including young adults returned with their mothers. All participated in the sharing of memories and in the celebration.

One of the Several Sources children who is now an adult, Christopher Nanfria from Otisville, New York, 22, made a plea to those in attendance to please continue to help young women who have no place to live during their pregnancies. He ended by saying, “Thank you to everyone that helped my mom 23 years ago.” His proud mother took off work to join the celebration and see her son give his first public speech.

Comments from some of the younger Several Sources alumni included:    

    Darryl 10 – “Thank You” “I’m happy that you helped me with my mom” “Happy 30th Anniversary” “My mom gave birth to me at Several Sources.”
    Brianna 15 – “I wanted to come because my mother told me so much about the place where she had to come when she was pregnant.”

    Brooklyn 6 – “Several Sources helps moms & babies.”
    Alex 9 – “Hi Kathy, I am here to celebrate.”
    David 6 – “This is my best day ever.”
    Jonathan 7 – “Happy 30th Anniversary, Kathy. We love you.”

Fr. John Catoir, JCD, Founder and President of the St. Jude Media Ministry making the invocation said, “Kathy DiFiore, our champion for 30 yrs, it is fitting that we have a celebration. We want to honor the work which you have done and the Grace of God that has carried you and enabled you to do it.”

NJ Assemblyman Robert Schroeder presented DiFiore with a NJ Senate and Assembly Joint Legislative Resolution by Senator Cardinale, Assemblywoman VanDervalk and Schroeder honoring DiFiore, and the Several Sources Shelter volunteers for working “tirelessly and effectively in benefit of others” by “offering a home for mothers and their babies … are recognized and saluted for their outstanding service and exemplary dedication that have contributed to its sterling reputation to the strength and success of the State of New Jersey, the vitality of our communities and the effectiveness of our American society”.

In a letter dated October 30, 2011, Princeton University Scholar and McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Dr. Robert P. George writes, “I visited the Several Sources website where I saw a photograph of Kathy with a little black baby in one arm, a little white baby in the other arm, and a little Latino baby just over her shoulder. My eyes moistened with emotion as I thought about the more than 15,000 unique and irreplaceable lives that have been saved due to the self-sacrificial love of Kathy DiFiore and the men and women who have been inspired to follow her lead and join her efforts.”

Genoveva Wallach – Director of the United Nations Women’s Guild – Secretariat Group was in attendance to present a grant to the Several Sources Shelters and a Certificate of Appreciation to DiFiore.    

Clergy representing both the Paterson and Newark Dioceses, educators, local entrepreneurs, along with many other supporters; some who have been with Several Sources from its inception were also in attendance.

    Many changes have taken place since Several Sources Shelters began in 1981. “The foundation has always taught Holy Chastity, Bible study and supported daily prayer and obtaining a solid education” explained DiFiore (http://www.chastitycall.com). Young teens reach out for help and counseling through the churches, local priests/ministers and on a personal level through their friends & family members.

Today Several Sources counseling often takes place over the Internet. A pregnant teen in crisis will use search engine words such as pregnant, homeless, need help and the result will be finding the Several Sources Shelters websites http://www.lifecall.org or http://www.severalsources.net. Several Sources also has a positive presence on the “Web” through Twitter, @severalsources and Facebook, Pregnant Free Shelter and Counseling    

DiFiore has been a member of St Paul’s Parish in Ramsey, NJ for over thirty years. She has also spent her last thirty years devoted to saving the lives of God’s most precious, the pre born, “We are taught through our faith that God has a specific purpose for each of us, saving the lives of these babies is mine. Believing that I am following God’s will for me has given me the needed strength, particularly during those most difficult financial times when I am struggling to keep the shelter doors open.” In an emotional moment, Kathy explains, “God will never abandon His precious little ones, He, is their Creator.”

For Further info Contact:

Susan Harper-Lloyd at shlssf(at)aol(dot)com OR call 201-818-9033

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