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Spring is here!

Join us in celebrating new life and read how PREPARES volunteers are walking the journey with pregnant moms and families around Western Washington.

Our Lenten Journey

"By embracing the gift of Lent, every Christian community can accompany its members in facing the challenges of our time (because) the hoped-for changes in the world begin with change in me and in you." 



-Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

Baby Shower Season

Last week two pregnant moms at CCS' New Bethlehem Family Shelter in Kirkland were celebrated and showered with love and baby essentials provided by PREPARES ministries at Holy Family Kirkland and Sacred Heart Bellevue. Is your community ready to host a Baby Shower in person or to benefit moms in the wider community? We can help!

Semi-Annual Bishops Report

From July to December of last year, PREPARES parishes in Western Washington served 3,909 families by providing essential needs, companion matches and early learning groups in dozens of communities across the region.


There were Baby Showers in Lynden and Vancouver, not to mention a first-ever Pop-Up PREPARES event hosted by Cowlitz County parishes which served 186 families in a single day.


Pictured below: Archbishop Etienne blessed Mercy House, a new facility housing PREPARES in addition to other outreach ministries at St. Pius X in Mountlake Terrace. Play With Love families enjoyed a late summer outing at the Woodland Park Zoo.


Click here to see more photos and to read the full report.

Open Your Heart Campaign, 2024

We are filled with appreciation for your support of our Annual Open Your Heart Campaign to fund the PREPARES program. The appeal funds allow PREPARES to grow in more parishes and in more communities throughout Western Washington.


How does the funding the Appeal impact families?

Before August 2022, PREPARES had never had a staff member located in SW Washington. Since joining PREPARES 1.5 years ago, Vancouver-based Cindy has supported 13 new parishes in establishing PREPARES and empowered volunteers to serve hundreds of new families. SW Washington parishes have increased services to families by 77% since Cindy came aboard!


Your support makes a huge impact across our region, and we are so grateful for your sustaining gifts for our ministry. If you would like to support the growth of PREPARES in Western Washington, please click here.

PREPARES Prays

At PREPARES we recently celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph and completed the Novena for Adoption to St. Joseph.


Let us pray:


Dearest St. Joseph, at the word of an angel, you lovingly took Mary into your home. As God’s humble servant, you guided the Holy Family on the road to Bethlehem, welcomed Jesus as your own son in the shelter of a manger, and fled far from your homeland for the safety of both Mother and Child.

We praise God that as their faithful protector, you never hesitated to sacrifice for those entrusted to you. May your example inspire us also to welcome, cherish, and safeguard God’s most precious gift of life.

Help us to faithfully commit ourselves to the service and defense of human life —especially where it is vulnerable or threatened. Obtain for us the grace to do the will of God in all things.


Amen.


-from the USCCB

PREPARES dad Josh and his son Damien pictured above

A Place to Call Home

The PREPARES offices have moved to the St. Edward Parish campus in South Seattle. In 1954, this beautiful mid-century building was established to house the dozen or so Dominican Sisters charged with teaching the students of St. Edward Parochial School. It's been a joy to review archival photos and to learn about the history of the church in South Seattle.

What used to be the convent's Eucharistic Chapel is now a Clothing Closet that's served local families for the last 10 years. While the building is now home to PREPARES and a few other Catholic Community Services programs, it continues to be a place where the body of Christ is shared. We love our new home and hope you will come to visit us soon! Our in-person address is 4250 S Mead St Seattle, WA 98118. Donations and visits welcome. Our mailing address has not changed! Thank you for continuing to send mail to 100 23rd Ave S Seattle, WA 98144.

A blessed Palm Sunday and Holy Week to all,


Aleah, Peggy, Teresa, and Cindy

PREPARES of Western Washington Team

100 - 23rd Ave South, Seattle, WA 98144     

206-737-9264

To learn about updates and upcoming PREPARES events, please visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PreparesWW

or Instagram at www.instagram.com/prepares_ww

Please consider joining us in walking the journey with families in your own parish community. For more information please visit our website at www.preparesforlife.org. If you know of others who might be interested in volunteering and or learning more about PREPARES, please forward them this message or have them contact us directly.