Introducing a new chapter of The Shelter Foundation

Hello and welcome to the new theshelterfoundation.org!

The Shelter Foundation was founded in 2018 working to bridge the gap in first responder communities to know, make known, and be known by God and each other. It is our mission to reach first responder families, marriages and widows to bring community, fellowship and support with the vision that no first responder family would ever have to face this life alone.

During the last three and a half years, some incredible things have happened both with this foundation and in my personal life. An outpouring of support has flooded The Shelter Foundation with passionate volunteers, consistent prayers, generous financial contributions and more. We’ve provided scholarships for couples to go on marriage retreats, held Bible studies for men and women, been the hands and feet of Jesus to widows and had opportunities to stand beside local police, fire, EMS and dispatch families.

For me personally, I went from navigating life as an unexpected single mother of two while running a non-profit to now blending a family in my new roles as a fire wife and step mom. In the joy of a new marriage and blended family, I felt God asking me to take a sabbatical from The Shelter Foundation for much of 2021.

I’ve been a police wife, a first responder widow and am now a fire wife. In some ways, I feel uniquely equipped to walk with those whose journey parallels different parts of my own. Yet in other ways, I know that I’m still learning as I go and leaning into God’s divine plans for my life - and all its moments of pain, beauty, questioning and rejoicing.

Now, it is with great excitement and anticipation that we are launching the latest chapter of The Shelter Foundation. This new phase comes with a new website and a new logo, but the same (and renewed) urge and conviction to stand beside the families of first responders. We are planning new events, partnerships and efforts that we can’t wait to share with you over the coming weeks and months in 2022.

We hope you join alongside us and there are a number of ways to do so. If you are not already, you can follow us on Facebook and Instagram or join our mailing list. We also ask that you keep our foundation and local first responders in your prayers as we navigate the next steps. If you feel called to donate, we will steward our financial gifts to provide tangible hope for first responder families, wives and widows and change their futures forever.

For now, we invite you to browse our new website which includes the history of the foundation, frequently asked questions, resources for marriage and widows, our blog with the latest news and happenings and more.

Welcome to our new home. We’re so glad you’re here!

Gracie