Ministry Spotlight: Together for Good Update, Winter 2025
Together for Good is a ministry that comes alongside isolated and vulnerable families in the Twin Cities—particularly ones with single moms—by providing things like host families to temporarily care for children and parent advocates to support moms through friendship and prayer.
Hillside has partnered with Together for Good for many years, providing financial support. Additionally, several Hillside families serve as Together for Good Host Families, opening up their homes to children for short or long-term hostings to provide respite care for single parents families, often working with the same family each time.
Becky Dressen, whose family has been a host family for six months, has found it to be a tremendously positive experience so far.
“Knowing you are giving a single mom a much-needed break or helping during an emergency is very rewarding,” she says. “The mom we have come alongside gives the biggest hugs of gratitude and the daughter has the biggest smiles!”
Heather Gingerich, whose family also became a TFG Host Family this year, loves the impact it has made on her family.
“It has been most rewarding to have more “family” in our lives,” Heather says, “The mom and the daughter we host are now family! My daughter asks when she is coming back, and we truly enjoy having her around!”
Danielle Andrews, who has been involved with TFG for seven years, agrees, saying “It’s been a very positive experience, bringing my family and I opportunities we wouldn’t have had exposure to: serving families in crisis just through the simple act of caring for children.”
Rebekah Foreman and her family have served as a host family for nearly two years, and says that while it can be challenging, there is plenty of support.
“Living life with people is messy, but thankfully God gives us the grace we need to enter into it and to love the way that He loves,” she says, adding “Together for Good does an amazing job training and equipping host families for how to serve and love.”
Becky has felt supported, as well, through Hillside’s established Together for Good Support Network, a group of people from Hillside that provides “wrap-around care” for families hosting, offering things like meals, coffee cards, and prayer support. “Hillside has come alongside us for each hosting, so I never feel like I’m doing it alone.”
Not only is tangible support provided, but God has worked in the lives of all of these women and their families through their host family experiences.
Danielle says “These experiences of exposure to the lives of these people in crisis and need teach and remind me that I am not God—I can’t fix and I can’t change, but I can offer care and God can use that as a seed planted in that person’s life to bring them hope.”
“He has taught me that He will provide,” says Becky, “One time I had set aside an outfit my daughter had outgrown to give to our TFG kiddo.”
She was amazed what happened the next time they hosted.
“The mom was in tons of pain and couldn’t pack. The outfit we had for [the daughter] fit perfectly!”
Heather has also experienced that kind of provision from God, talking about “Seeing Him provide just what we need—the energy if we get less sleep, the right amount of things to do, the right words t0 say to the mom—when we say YES to when He calls us to host.”
Heather has also served as a Parent Advocate, and loved the opportunity to learn to speak hope and the Gospel in all things. “It was very rewarding and good practice to have!”
On Saturday, February 1, from 9:00A-12:30P, Hillside will be hosting a Together for Good Volunteer training. Anyone is encouraged to take the training, but it is a requirement for anyone who would like to serve as a Together for Good Host Family or Parent Advocate.
“I would encourage anyone who is interested or feels a nudge that they want to serve and love those who need support to attend the training,” says Rebekah.
Danielle points out that it’s a great way to live out pro-life convictions, as a way of supporting moms who have said “yes” to life.
“Some organizations fight to protect the baby when it’s in the mom’s womb; this organization fights to protect the family and strengthen parent-child relationships when crisis puts kids at risk of abuse and neglect.”
Heather encourages everyone to take the training. “It’s great training, even if you aren’t sure of hosting or being an advocate!”
Rebekah adds “They are in desperate need of Parent Advocates!”
“It has been a complete blessing to our family,” says Heather. “It is so good to get out of our normal world/busyness and connect with others—and walk with them through their hard things.”
- To register for the upcoming Together for Good Volunteer training on February 1, go here.
- To join Hillside’s Together for Good Support Network, go here.