After I posted on Facebook about the financial difficulty “My House” is under, a friend messaged me privately, “I was just reading your post about My House. I met Donna years ago and was a volunteer at My House on Thursday nights when it was still located downtown. My heart was totally owned by those children. I kept in touch with My House by email for a while when they moved, until the volunteer coordinator I knew moved on as well. I would love an update on Donna and the current situation, if you would fill me in. I will absolutely make a donation. Thanks!”

A benefactor who prefers to remain anonymous, but whom many readers would know has generously offered to match up to $10,000 in donations to “My House.” Donations made yesterday are eligible for matching as well. All you have to do is let me know the amount of a donation you actually made. Intentions don’t count; you must put your check in the mail or call in a credit card for it to count. Also, you have to email to let me know the amount via email. I won’t share your name or personal details with anyone without your permission.

Donations can be sent to My House Ministry, Inc., 980 Birmingham Rd, Ste 501-PMB 343, Milton, GA 30004. You may also send your donation, marked “MY HOUSE,” to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church at 3180 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30305. Credit or debit card donations may be made by calling Cecelia O’Flinn at Peachtree Road UMC, 404-240-8230 or online at www.prumc.org, and note that the donation is for My House.

If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to email me directly. If you have questions you wish to discuss over the phone, let me know via email and I’ll call you or give you my cell phone number.

A friend emailed me yesterday asking about accountability for My House, and I’d like to answer that question here. There are two forms of accountability in place for My House, accountability for the welfare of the children and financial accountability.

My House is held accountable for the welfare of the children through the regulatory and approval processes that govern group homes for children and which must be met for DFCS to place children in their custody and pay the per diem. For example, staff and volunteers who work with the babies must pass a background check. Additionally, because of their medical fragility, the babies are constantly being seen by doctors who have ethical and legal responsibilities to report suspected problems.

As far as financial accountability, my wife and I served on our church Outreach Commission where we had the responsibility of overseeing PRUMC’s relationship with “My House,” which includes ensuring our financial office received the information it periodically requested about operations and finance in order to be confident that our sizable support was being used in responsibly. My House never had any issues brought to our attention, and I suspect that several of the other large churches and private organizations have similar safeguards in place.

This handsome young male Black Lab is vaccinated, neutered and ready to go on his freedom ride today – on top of that, he’s free to a qualified home from the Barrow County Animal Shelter, which is overcrowded and desperate to find homes for their dogs. Please contact the shelter if you’re ready to take him home. 770-307-3012 Phone (they will not return long distance calls)  or email Kimberly Perez and Danyal Harper.

This female Black Lab is urgent at Gwinnett County Animal Shelter, which is also experiencing overcrowding. The volunteers say she’s beautiful and super-sweet.

Angie is a six-year old Black Lab who is full of love and gives good hugs – she is available for adoption from Save A Pet in Forsyth, Ga. Meg is also a six-year old Black Lab, available from Save A Pet in Forsyth, Ga; I wonder if she and Angie are sisters. She’s said to be shy but ready for a permanent home.

Experienced dogs like Angie and Meg are a joy to bring home because they are generally calmer than young dogs and puppies, and somehow they seem to know that they are lucky to have found a family and express greater gratitude. Nothing speaks better of a person’s character than caring for an older dog.

Yeah, so Blaze isn’t exactly a Black Dog, she’s a Golden Retriever mix but she is a beauty. If we had room in our home for another dog, I’d go pay the $40 adoption fee to Walton County Animal Shelter and bring her home today.

Finally, a group of volunteers in Chatsworth, Ga is still raising money to transport 15 dogs to a Maryland dog rescue that has space for them. They’re about one-fourth the way their, and any help you can give is welcome. The two pups above are among those trying to be saved.

Sulley takes a Freedom Ride!

Sulley, the Black Lab boy who lost his home when his people divorced was rescued yesterday by a GaPundit reader, for whom we are thankful. He’s such a good-looking guy that he even had a stand-in offer. His savior says he’s in a “foster-to-permanent” situation pending his ability to get along with the incumbent family dog, but we’re confident they’ll work out together. If he does need to go somewhere else, at least he got the opportunity to go into a home instead of a shelter. Thanks to all who offered to help Sulley!