Having Hope Foundation
“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope; the steadfast love of the Lord never
ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning. Great is your
faithfulness! “The Lord is my portion”, says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
Lamentations 3:21-24
Having hope
On October 23, 2015, Judy and Kevin Gardner along with their four other children welcomed their fifth precious daughter, Hope Elizabeth into the world. Hope was born with Trisomy 18 which is an “incompatible with life diagnosis”. In spite of this diagnosis, the Gardner family celebrated every amazing moment. Hope lived for six months and impacted hundreds of lives and our community before going home to the Lord. Hope Elizabeth’s purposeful life brought intentional investment into other lives by spreading the hope we can all have through a relationship with Jesus.
The “Having Hope” foundation celebrates Hope’s birthday on October 23 each year by honoring a volunteer at our center with flowers and a personal message from the Gardner family thanking them for their service as they advocate for mothers and fathers to choose abundant life for their families.
2023 Having Hope Volunteer
Kelly Overton
Having Hope Volunteer 2023
This year’s chosen volunteer is client advocate, Kelly Overton. Kelly pours her knowledge of God’s word, her own personal experiences, and the love of Jesus into every client that she interacts with. She is a blessing and encouragement to our staff and our clients.
What is so amazing is we didn’t know that October 23 is also the birthday of Kelly’s son who shares another unique tie to Hope’s story besides sharing a birthday. Kelly had suffered a stroke with the birth of her first child. She was told by doctors and specialists that women who experience a blood clot in their brain during labor usually don’t survive. The next three years were filled with blessings of motherhood and Kelly and her husband decided to have another child. It wasn’t long until Kelly was pregnant with their second child.
A high-risk doctor encouraged termination of the pregnancy due to the previous stroke during her first pregnancy. Kelly and her husband refused because, like Hope’s story showed, they knew there was a purpose for the life of their unborn child. Kelly delivered a healthy baby boy who is now a Chiropractor and spends his days helping people.
The Gardner Family and the Overton family trusted The Great Physician and it is the mission of the Having Hope ministry that you will, too.
Happy Birthday, Hope Elizabeth Gardner! Your legacy lives on as we share the Hope of Jesus with others.
2024 Having Hope Volunteer
Becky Somarriba
Having Hope Volunteer 2024
In honor of The Living Hope that was represented in Hope’s brief time on this earth, the Gardner family honors WRC Volunteer, Becky Somarriba. Becky serves as an advocate to our Spanish-speaking clients. Most of our volunteers serve one day per week, but Becky has served at the WRC for up to three days per week to keep up with the demand of the services offered by WRC. Becky’s greatest strength is her genuine love for Jesus and her desire for all to truly have a relationship with Jesus Christ. She spends her days serving WRC clients and her family in ways that consistently demonstrate the Hope that Jesus brings to us all. Baby Hope and the Gardner family honor you today, Becky. Thank you for sharing the Hope of Jesus!