Dear Super Friends of JSP,

Dear Super Friends of JSP,

As many of you know the Jackson Smith Peck Children’s Foundation was formed in February 2005. It was never our intention to launch a children’s foundation. We simply requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in honor of Jack for his “Wee” school to build a children’s playground. Through your generosity, in that initial year we were able to accomplish many wonderful things in addition to completing the playground and pavilion.
Over the past four years, we have partnered and served with many great organizations such as: Warehouse of Hope (www.warehouseof hope.org), The Lighthouse Family Retreat (www.lighthousefamilyretreat.org), and Eagle Ranch Children’s Home (www.eagleranch.org). We encourage you to look into these ministries and see what a tremendous impact these organizations have on the children and families that they serve. JSP has also given to many families and children who are in need. We have come alongside and provided for many children who have needed extra help to overcome some of life’s difficult obstacles, such as childhood illness, counseling, or simple basic needs. We have learned so much during these first few years and have been blessed by helping many.
Immediately following our personal loss, we desperately needed a place to go as a family and receive counseling and healing. Our desire was to find a place where people understood us and could help our entire family process our tragic loss. Although we are thankful for the programs that we were able to attend, we needed so much more. Witnessing our hurting children first hand encouraged us to take action and find somewhere that they also could receive the healing that they needed. Unfortunately, we determined that there were not a lot of options available. As we continued our journey as a family, we trained and educated ourselves at many different programs and facilities around the country. In the process, we grew convinced that ministering to others who were grieving was a critical ingredient to our own healing.
In the spring of 2006, we began our first adult bereavement program at West Ridge Church. That summer we trained at the Dougy Center in Portland, OR and implemented a kids program in the fall of 2006. This allowed JSP to serve entire families that had experienced loss. Now having gained the experience of four years of grief ministry, combined with intensive education and training, we feel like God’s is expanding the vision for JSP.
Grief and loss are universal, everyone experiences it, yet there are very few who truly understand it. It is our mission to help bring light to the dark path through the valley of grief. Allow us to paint a picture of the God sized dream He has given us.
Jack’s House will be a unique bereavement ministry with a primary purpose to help families choose to live again. This very powerful decision, made first by parents, offers hope and healing to their children and future generations. Parents who do the “work” that grief requires in turn open the door for their grieving children to do the same.

We have seen many families accept the loss of their loved ones while ignoring their own pain. They move ahead with plans to endure the rest of their lives, this side of Heaven. The result is a joyless life that causes others in the family to lose heart. To tolerate grief only sows seeds of bitterness in the heart, which produces a harvest of pain in the lives of those we truly love.

Our mission is to offer hope and healing to the broken hearted and to come alongside and share the weight of those who, through no fault of their own, have been given a heavy burden to carry. In the bigger picture of our vision, we see a whole community benefiting directly and indirectly. The most obvious outcomes will be the healing of bereaved families. Parents will receive education, support and encouragement to take the next steps of grief. Marriages will be strengthened and kept safe from divorce. Siblings will have a place to safely process their grief. Supporting family members can find helpful information to support their grieving family members. We have even witnessed volunteers, who serve the families on a weekly basis, being ministered to through the hope that is offered by our program. Jack’s House will serve those in need, who will return to serve others as they have been served. Our focus is to help bind hearts, one family at a time. We trust these efforts will multiply and begin to bind “a community of hearts” working together as one. Imagine communities becoming stronger rather than weaker with each tragedy.

Please Join With Us! As we move forward with our dream, we are reaching out to you for support.

We Need Your Prayers!
*Pray that God would keep His hand on this ministry and give us wisdom and discernment as we go forward.
*Pray that God would provide leaders and volunteers that will be necessary to succeed
*Pray for the families that we serve
*Pray for financial support.

We Need Your Financial Support!

*We need the resources to grow our staff, acquire a permanent facility and to continue our training.
*Please visit our website to make an online donation. www.jspfoundation.com

We Need Your Help!

*Spread the word about JSP
*To see how JSP is helping others, we have attached two testimonies written by families who have been a part of our grief program.

With Much Love-
Smith and Julie Peck

Today we remember you..

“Somewhere there is someone that dreams of your smile, and finds in your presence that life is worthwhile, so when you are lonely remember its true, someone somewhere is thinking of you”

Author Unknown

Jack,

We love you and miss you dearly today as we remember the time we had with you here on this earth.

Love-

Dad, Mom, Maddie and Macie

The Christmas Blessing 2009

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

JSP's fall "Through the valley" grief share session has ended this season with an amazing face to face encounter with Joy! Every year we invite our families to an end of session dinner, hosted by JSP at Roz's house (Smith's wonderful mom!). They come only expecting dinner... but they receive much more. During our 13 week session we are busy collecting shirts of their lost loved ones. The families have no idea what we are going to do with their special shirts, so with much hesitation they hand them over. We have a team of blanket makers that take their shirts and transform them into cherished treasures, we lovingly call "Shirt Blankets". What makes these blankets unique is that they can actually put on their loved one's shirt which is sewn to a blanket made just for them. They can then wrap the blanket around their shoulders and feel close to the loved one they miss. It's like getting a hug straight from heaven any time they want. In addition to the blankets we surprise them with a serenade from their friends and family. We secretly call all the participants family and friends before the dinner to invite them to participate in a "surprise serenade". We do this to remind our families that they are not alone in their grief.. that they have not been forgotten, and are still being prayed for and supported. While our grief share families are eating dinner, we are secretly meeting with their friends and family at "Lost Mountain Baptist Church"which is located across the street from Roz's house.
For about 30 minutes they practice a special selections of songs with our choir leaders. As soon as dinner is over they rush over to surprise their grieving loved ones. Imagine, being invited to an end of year party and only expecting dinner... just when you think the night is coming to an end it's really only beginning, because the best has yet to come. Off in the distance, you faintly hear joyful clapping accompanied by a sea of voices singing "This is the day the Lord has made". At first, our families are some what confused. One child looked at me and said, "Why do I hear clapping?" I replied,"We always clap after dinner!" With a big smile on his face he jumped up from his chair and joined in. With in seconds, all the dinner guest realize what is going on. This is my favorite part of the entire evening. The look on their faces... it is a look of someone surprised by joy. For the first time, they are met in the midst of their sorrow by an intense feeling of "JOY!" With happy tears flowing, they welcome their families with tight loving embraces. It is a night that gives our families a glimpse of what Heaven might be like.

One of our guest said, "You could have stopped with the dinner and I would have been more than happy. It was one of the nicest dinner's I've had in a long time. But when my family entered the room singing, and then we received our special blankets..The night kept getting better and better!"

What he said reminds me of God's love for us. It also reminds me of His plans for us, better than we could ever possibly imagine!

JSP is so grateful for all of those who believe in our mission to bind the broken hearted. Click on the window below to catch a small glimpse of how your support offers hope for the weary.

From Christmas Blessing 2009

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The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Isaiah 61:1-4 (NIV)