Members of the Professional Football Wives Association (PFWA) recently assisted the Chicago Dream Center shelter for homeless women and children with a day of service in Chicago, IL. The ladies were given a tour of the facility and asked to keep the location private. Tenisha Patterson-Brown, LeShonda Martin, Leslie Randle, and Martrice Caldwell prepared and served meals, handed out toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste, read books to the children, and offered words of encouragement.
Tenisha Patterson-Brown, wife of seven-year veteran Everette Brown, traveled from Charlotte for the day but felt she received more than she gave: “We had an amazing and blessed time. It was truly an experience that we won’t forget. They were so grateful and appreciative.” Executive Director of Chicago Dream Center, Kaitrin Valencia, expressed gratitude over the ladies volunteering their time to connect with the families on a deeper level: “Many of these kids have never been read to. It may not seem like a lot but it means so much.”
The Chicago Dream Center is a 501 (c)(3) that offers faith-based programs and services to assist low income, homeless, trafficking survivors and under-served individuals and families move toward self sufficiency. They are a partner of New Life Covenant Church in Chicago and strive to meet the practical needs of people while sharing with them faith, hope, and love (chicagodreamcenter.org).
LeShonda Martin, wife of veteran safety Sherrod Martin, traveled from Atlanta for the weekend to participate with PFWA Chicago members:
It’s so important to reach out and touch those who have fallen on hard times. Some of the women were victims of domestic violence which is a cause near to my heart. We made sure to let the women and children know that we were no different from them and that they could be anything they wanted to be. PFWA is a faith-based organization and we love what the Chicago Dream Center is doing for their community, offering not only financial help and support but ministering to and loving on people as well.
Next January, PFWA has plans to tour the Chicago Dream Center’s safe house, the facility where victims of human trafficking are housed after being rescued. To take action and get involved with the various ministries of the Chicago Dream Center, visit chicagodreamcenter.org.
To join the PFWA sisterhood and find out more information about upcoming events, visit profootballwives.org. For membership information, contact [email protected].
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