The DH Easter Party

Dakota House did it up in old school style this Easter, with a traditional Easter egg hunt, an extremely competitive game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and some time spent thanking Jesus for His great love for us.

Here are a few pictures that almost capture the spirit of the day.

Like the DH Facebook Page

Dakota House has a Facebook page now, and we update it frequently with pictures and announcements. Find us. Like us. It's not the same thing as liking us in person, but it's still pretty good.

Snow Go 2012

Thank you to Calvin Crest for providing Dakota House the opportunity to take our middle school girls and our high school boys to winter camp. We continue to be amazed by and grateful to the staff and volunteers who give their time and talent to our kids. We came home with memories that made us stronger as a group, and revelations that challenged us as individuals. Thank you, Calvin Crest.

Please Help Us Bring More Money Into Dakota House

Dakota House has S.H.A.R.E.S. cards now. You can use them at Save Mart or Food Maxx and we get 3% of your purchase.

Email your address to me at jamie@dakotahouse.org and I'll send a card to your mailbox.

We need the money and it's easy to do.

Thank You from the Director

Several times during the Christmas party for our kids last month, I was overcome with deep joy and gratitude.

I know people are struggling financially. I fear there is little hope in this world for the impoverished and neglected children who run unattended in our country's streets. And yet.

Dakota House was blessed beyond belief this year with thoughtful, beautiful gifts for our kids. Shoe boxes filled with stocking gifts, gift cards that allowed us to buy a gift for each child, and groceries for our food pantry all came pouring in.

Most of the people who supported our kids have never met them.

Many of the people who gave are on a tight budget.

I am humbled by the generosity of us, the people of our valley, your neighbors and mine, who gave from their hearts and demonstrated to our kids--in a very real way--that there is love and hope in the world.

May God bless you all for your faithfulness.

His,

Jamie Barker, Director and Founder

Christmas at Dakota House 2011

We had a great Thanksgiving at Dakota House, complete with a pre-dinner football game, smoked turkeys, homemade mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, and the chance for every person at our long table to share something for which they are thankful.

I am particularly thankful for all of our supporters and volunteers who consistently give from their hearts with their finances, time, and talent.

Now it’s time to turn our attention to Christmas. Every year we have a Christmas party that starts at our family home with pizza, cookies, and singing carols; after all that we move the party to Dakota House where the kids open their gifts. For many of them these are the only Christmas gifts they will receive.

We like to give each child a shoebox full of stocking-type gifts, and a main gift. To accomplish this, we need your help.

Please click on the Shoebox Christmas Project link on the right that gives you all the information you need to put a box together. This is a good way to get kids involved with giving to others; I have had many parents tell me their children not only had fun, but also learned something about how it feels to give with nothing expected in return.

Another way you can help bring Christmas to our Dakota House kids is by sending us a Target gift card, which we can use to buy the kids’ main gifts.

We need the shoeboxes and the cards no later than December 16^th.

Please call 559-230-1622 and speak to Emily to set up a delivery time for shoeboxes.

Gift cards may be mailed to:

Dakota House

203 W. Dakota

Fresno CA 93705

Thank you for partnering with us to love these kids into believing that God’s promises for their lives are a possibility.

His,

Jamie Barker

DHG (Dakota House Garden)

Thanks to Simon Biasell and the youth group at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Dakota House is now the home of a community garden.

Every Sunday at noon, Simon and his youth group show up to work with our kids in our own garden at the back end of our Dakota House yard. After weeding, digging, and sowing, all the young gardeners have lunch together in the back yard.

Our kids are excited about DHG; we are all looking forward to the fruits of this community labor.

Help Needed at After School Club

We have lots of great kids coming to After School Club, and we need some helpers.

In particular we are looking for some young men to volunteer to be a presence at Dakota House, as there are too few men for our kids to look up to. But we are happy to involve any age or gender of person who has a heart for our kids.

After School Club is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3:00 -- 5:00. We need help on any and all of those days.

Please pray about whether you or someone you know might be willing and able to come love some kids, and to be greatly rewarded in the process.

Please contact me: jamie@dakotahouse.org

His,

Jamie Barker, Director

Dakota House at Outpost

Thank you so much to all of you who provided the funds to take our youth group to Outpost at Calvin Crest. Our kids climbed and swung from trees, hiked to the top of Fresno Dome, rode mountain bikes, went boating, made pizzas, learned to use a compass, sang at campfire, and more.

The staff at Calvin Crest gave from their hearts, and served us in love. Our kids who spent the week there will never be the same again.

End of School Party

We had a great party to celebrate the end of school. A bunch of great kids, water balloon relays, a colossal water balloon battle, and ice cream sundaes.

And...congratulations to Bubba, Nay Nay, Abreanna, Joel, and Kellie for graduating from Williams Elementary. The world is waiting for the wonderful things you will do.