In Honor of Matthew Niner
Tax deductible
As we mourn the loss of Matthew we have the opportunity to do something good, something BIG and LASTING in his memory. While it is customary to send flowers, the family feels strongly that the best way to honor Matthew's life is by creating a legacy of service for those living unsupported due to teen pregnacy.
How many of us know how Matthew's story started and why this cause is a fitting tribute to celebrate his life?
Matthew was born in 1992 to Colleen Niner. Colleen was only 19 when she became a mom. As an unmarried teen mother, Colleen faced many obstacles and she rose to meet each head on. For the first two years of their life together as a family, Colleen relied on the generosity of family and friends for shelter and support, finding it impossible to simultaneously provide for her family financially and create a self-sustaining future. Colleen realized that she needed and desired education, and even enrolled in school, but ultimately could not afford the expense nor the time lost away from paid work. It wasn't until one of Colleen's sisters took she and Matthew in (just before his second birthday), that Colleen was finally able to establish what would be their home for the next 6 years. And, only with this support, was Colleen able to enroll in classes, complete school, and become employed at a level that would provide for herself and Matthew as he grew.
Colleen has spent the last decade donating her time to Borromeo Housing, Inc. (BHI), oftentimes accompanied by Matthew and/or his siblings. BHI is an Education First Shelter for teen moms and their babies. In the care of BHI, young familes are able to live safely, attend school, and through group training and counseling, learn life and family skills essential to establishing their independence. As you can imagine, helping those who do not have the family support that they did when they were in a similar position, is a cause is near and dear to both Colleen and Matthew.
You may be asking yourself what can YOU do? YOU can help ensure that Matthew's tragic passing and the tremendous hole that it has left in so many lives is not the way his story ends. Rather, it's a turning of a page, the start of a new chapter, in the creation of his legacy. Please consider joining with us to honor his beginning, his journey, his desire to serve others. With your help we can sponsor a family in the BHI program for an entire year, in memory of Matthew Niner so that the next Colleen and Matthew know that they when the chips are down, and they are playing the hand that they have been dealt, they have no doubt that they are not alone and that they have the support they need.
How many of us know how Matthew's story started and why this cause is a fitting tribute to celebrate his life?
Matthew was born in 1992 to Colleen Niner. Colleen was only 19 when she became a mom. As an unmarried teen mother, Colleen faced many obstacles and she rose to meet each head on. For the first two years of their life together as a family, Colleen relied on the generosity of family and friends for shelter and support, finding it impossible to simultaneously provide for her family financially and create a self-sustaining future. Colleen realized that she needed and desired education, and even enrolled in school, but ultimately could not afford the expense nor the time lost away from paid work. It wasn't until one of Colleen's sisters took she and Matthew in (just before his second birthday), that Colleen was finally able to establish what would be their home for the next 6 years. And, only with this support, was Colleen able to enroll in classes, complete school, and become employed at a level that would provide for herself and Matthew as he grew.
Colleen has spent the last decade donating her time to Borromeo Housing, Inc. (BHI), oftentimes accompanied by Matthew and/or his siblings. BHI is an Education First Shelter for teen moms and their babies. In the care of BHI, young familes are able to live safely, attend school, and through group training and counseling, learn life and family skills essential to establishing their independence. As you can imagine, helping those who do not have the family support that they did when they were in a similar position, is a cause is near and dear to both Colleen and Matthew.
You may be asking yourself what can YOU do? YOU can help ensure that Matthew's tragic passing and the tremendous hole that it has left in so many lives is not the way his story ends. Rather, it's a turning of a page, the start of a new chapter, in the creation of his legacy. Please consider joining with us to honor his beginning, his journey, his desire to serve others. With your help we can sponsor a family in the BHI program for an entire year, in memory of Matthew Niner so that the next Colleen and Matthew know that they when the chips are down, and they are playing the hand that they have been dealt, they have no doubt that they are not alone and that they have the support they need.
Organizer
Dani Seltzer
Organizer
Arlington, VA
Borromeo Housing Inc (Bhi)
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
