A Message From the Director of Mary’s Refuge
This year’s gala was one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever witnessed at Mary’s Refuge. Standing in that ballroom, surrounded by nearly 250 supporters from our local parishes and community, I felt something unmistakable—unity, purpose, and God’s relentless grace moving through every person in the room.
Ten of our eleven mothers sat among the guests, with two of their little ones bundled in their arms. One mom was home resting after delivering twins just three days before. Another is preparing to welcome her baby in early December. These are the women at the heart of our mission—strong, brave mothers who simply needed a safe place to begin again.
Together, we raised nearly $81,000 to ensure that Mary’s Refuge continues to be that place of safety, stability, and hope for young mothers in crisis. Since November of last year, we have walked alongside 21 mothers and 17 children, celebrated eight births, provided 1,006 hours of classes, coordinated 190 rides, distributed 15,680 diapers, and offered 4,427 hours of child care. None of this would have been possible without the Church, our volunteers, our donors, and every prayer whispered on our behalf.
Mary’s Refuge exists because the Eastern Panhandle Catholic community believed—together—that no mother should face pregnancy or parenting alone. St. Joseph, St. James the Greater, St. Agnes, St. Bernadette, St. Leo, and St. Vincent de Paul joined in a coalition that breathed life into what used to be an old convent. Now it is a home where healing happens every day.
Our keynote speaker, Lisa Kratz Thomas, spent the afternoon with our moms and children before speaking that evening. After rising above her own unimaginable hardships, she now shares a message rooted in redemption. She called our home a “living testament of truth”—a place where God actively restores what was broken. And she’s right. I see it every day.
One of the most emotional moments of the night came when Caitlin, one of our residents, bravely shared her story. When she was eight months pregnant—already a mother of two toddlers—she had nowhere safe to go after her baby was born. Shelter doors were closing. Phone calls went unanswered. She was out of options. Then she found us.
I remember opening her email. I could feel her fear between every line. Five days after her C-section, on July 28, 2024, she carried her newborn through our doors with her two little ones trailing behind her. Since then, she has worked tirelessly—earning certificates, completing a five-month medical billing program, finishing her externship, applying for benefits, receiving a donated vehicle, getting her driver’s license transferred, and building a plan to tackle her debts. She is a mother, a survivor, a student, and now, a woman stepping boldly into her future.
Stories like hers are the reason our hearts break every time we have to say, “I’m sorry… we don’t have space.” And that is why we must grow.
At the gala, our board president, Michael Gormley, shared our expansion plans—renovating our third floor into two apartments, preparing a parishioner’s donated home for additional living space, and working toward purchasing a building in Martinsburg to create six transitional apartments, along with classrooms, offices, mental-health services, job-training spaces, fatherhood programming, and child care.
In other words: more room for healing, more room for hope, and more room for mothers who deserve a chance.
I often joke that I “sneak women into the house,” as Deacon Patrick Michel lovingly said that night. He’s not wrong—my heart physically aches when I have to turn someone away. We want to say yes. We need to say yes. And with your help, we can.
Lisa ended her message by reminding us that every human being has value, every story has purpose, and even though we cannot change the past, we can shape a different future. Here at Mary’s Refuge, we see that truth lived out each day.
Thank you—for your generosity, for believing in our mission, and for standing with these remarkable mothers and their children. Hope multiplies when we carry it together.
If you feel called to support Mary’s Refuge—whether through prayer, volunteering, or giving—we welcome you with open arms. You can reach us at (304) 350-1632, email life@marysrefuge.com, or visit marysrefuge.com.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping us give these mothers a chance to begin again.
With gratitude,
Allison Ferrell
Executive Director, Mary’s Refuge
