Tiffany Ceaser is a 16-year-old senior at Calumet Christian School in Griffith, Indiana on a mission. She wants to earn one of the highest recognition a girl scout can attain—a Gold Award.
She reached the Ambassador Level in the Girl Scouts under the supervision of Ms. Willie Bolden with Troop 30029 of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana. To receive the Gold Award you must complete a community service project that will have a lasting impact on your community. The project must be sustainable as well as ongoing long after the scout has received the award. Ceaser’s hope was to find an organization that would first share in her passion and then be willing to takeover her project after she goes to college. The project Ceaser chose involves the Sojourner Truth House.
Ceaser said, “Together our community will make a difference in these women and children’s lives. God’s word says from Philippians 2:4 ‘Let us not look only to our needs, but also to the needs of others’.”
The Sojourner Truth House is an organization that helps homeless women and children transition from temporary shelters into permanent homes. Ceaser chose this project because she had an Aunt that went through a rough period in her life and it was this organization that helped her until she was able to get back on her feet. One of the most common challenges faced by organizations that provide resources for homeless people are the need for toiletries.
To help these women and children Ceaser decided to host a fundraising dinner on August 24, 2018 with the proceeds being used to purchase toiletries. The dinner was held at New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church. It was well attended with guests from government, civic, and community organizations, including Mayor Karen Freeman Wilson and Councilwoman Mary Brown. The Sojourner Truth House Executive Director, Sister Peg Spindler, gave a brief talk on the organization’s mission of transitioning families from temporary shelters into permanent homes. Spindler accepted the numerous toiletries and monetary gifts.
Ceaser acknowledged the generous donations by individuals and organization, which included the full support of her church, New Mount Moriah Missionary Baptist Church and its pastor, Reverend W.N. Reed, surrounding Gary churches, the Gary branch of the NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Gamma Rho Lambda (Gary, Indiana Chapter), Councilwoman Mary Brown, Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, and The Common Council of Gary, Indiana.
