WE LIVE TOGETHER
AS FAMILY.

Welcome to Redeeming Life, a Christian maternity home program for single expectant women. Our program will prepare you for your future and equip you with the tools you need to master everyday life situations. If you become a resident with us, your new home will be a place of comfort, peace and growth as you prepare for your baby’s arrival. Please note that Redeeming Life is not an emergency or crisis shelter. It is a live-in, full-time housing program. This FAQ document will give you a good preview of how our program works and what it might be like to live at the maternity home . All the guiding principles of Redeeming Life are based on the fruit of the Holy Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Applications for residency are available on our website: www.rlom.org/get-help. The application process takes 7 to 10 days. Admissions Process Guidelines: Applicant reviews FAQ’s (this document) or program Guidelines to determine if the program is right for them. Application: Applicant submits an application (online form or MS Word doc) Admissions Review: The admissions team reviews the application to determine if the program will meet the applicant’s needs. The result is either an invitation for a personal interview or a referral to another ministry for services. Interview: Applicant meets with admissions staff either in person or thru video conference for a personal interview, tour, and discussion and Q&A about the program. Invitation for Residency & Intake Process: If the applicant is believed to be a good fit for the program, an invitation for residency will be extended. Once the applicant accepts the invitation, she will be required to take and pass a drug test, background check and psychological screenings prior to admission, as well as review and sign intake paperwork. Compliance with Program Policies: Applicant signs written documentation to certify that she agrees to comply with RLOM Program and Policies as implemented by RLOM administrative staff.

There are no more than 6 women in the maternity home at a time and the residents live together, along with a Residential Manager. Each woman is on her own journey toward self-sufficiency, and everyone is taught important life skills that are required for them to eventually move-out and live on their own. Our residents live as a family, cook and eat together, have daily devotions, pray, and study God’s Word together. When “life happens,” they support one another. They learn to get along with people with different backgrounds and ideas. When conflict arises, they learn how to communicate and manage it, and they learn how to forgive one another and to accept forgiveness.

Women who desire the opportunity to learn and grow and have a strong desire to become self-sufficient and take care of themselves and their babies are the best fit for this program. They should also have a desire to strengthen their spiritual walk with God and are willing to engage in regular devotions and Worship.

Residents are expected to wake up, clean up, get dressed, and eat breakfast before 9 AM. By 9 AM, everyone is required to be completely ready for the day - breakfast is over and the dishes are washed and put away. The Residential Manager begins the weekday room inspections at 9 AM to assess the cleanliness of each resident’s room and the common areas. Each resident then goes about her day at work, school, appointments or job interviews using her own transportation or by walking, biking, or using public transportation. The women take turns cooking dinner one night a week, and the cook that night prepares the evening meal for everyone in the house to be served between 6:00 PM and 6:30 PM. Training is provided to teach the women how to cook, plan means and plan a menu. Everyone in the house sits down together to a family style dinner from 6 to 7 PM, and during the meal, they have a devotion. After dinner, the dishes are cleaned and put away, and then it is time to do chores or laundry before bedtime at 10 PM. There’s also free time after dinner to connect with friends or family by phone, relax, watch TV, study, play games or talk with the other women.

Although you will have private time in the home, we do not allow anyone to isolate themselves in their rooms. Once dinner, devotions, and chores are done, you have private time every night before 10 PM. You also have private time on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. RLOM staff has the right to enter a bedroom at any time and search belongings for any reason.

We expect that each woman is actively engaged in either working or looking for work, going to school or studying, or volunteering during daytime hours. You will not have a key to the house to come and go as you please. Each resident is provided with a unique code to access the home. Doors are locked at 10:00pm. All residents will keep an up to date google calendar shared with both the Director of Program Ministries and Residential manager. You will always be required to provide information to the Residential Manager about your whereabouts for safety and security.

All residents learn to clean everything in every room of the house, and everyone will be assigned chores on a rotating basis to learn how to properly maintain a home for themselves in the future. Chores include dusting, vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping, cleaning the kitchen and bathrooms, and more. Residents are responsible for daily, weekly, and monthly chores. Monthly chores are completed the last weekend of each month.

Unfortunately, we do not allow family, friends, or any other type of meeting inside the home. After the first 21 days, residents are permitted to spend time visiting outside the home with friends and family. You may request an overnight visit after successfully completing all required program work. You will have time to connect with everyone by phone before bedtime at 10 PM as long as you call from your room and are respectful of other residents. There are times when residents are not permitted to use their phones at all - during meals, family devotions, or house meetings, for example. Lastly, we expect that you will not be using your phone or answering calls from midnight to 6 AM, unless it is an emergency.

Residents are placed in either a double bedroom or private room based on availability and due date. Two residents are assigned to share a single bathroom. We provide a twin bed, dresser, clock radio, bed linens and towels for resident use. No personal televisions or outside furniture are permitted in the resident bedrooms. Residents are also given WI-FI access to look for jobs or do schoolwork.

All of the women are encouraged to provide support to one another while living together like a family. Our goal is to create an environment of trust, security, and mutual respect for one another and the staff. There are some restrictions in how residents may help one another. Neither the residents nor the staff are permitted to give other residents or their children a ride in their cars and no resident, staff, nor outside parties are permitted to babysit for a resident in the home.

Redeeming Life does not provide childcare to residents. All childcare and babysitting must take place outside of the maternity home. In order to go to work or attend class, all residents are expected to secure childcare and pay for it directly.

There is $0 cost for rent, utilities, and household supplies for you to live in the home. Redeeming Life helps its residents create budget plans that makes sense. We will teach you to shop and how to get along with much less money than you think you need in order to save and take care of yourself. The residents are responsible for personal expenses and will have to budget for them, including clothing, shoes, cosmetics, specific brands of toiletries, cell phone, insurance payments, car repairs and transportation expenses, medical expenses for herself and her baby, child care expenses, and tuition and books, as examples. Residents are not allowed to incur any new debt in the program except student loans for higher education. All residents are required to limit their spending to no more than 40% of their income. Additionally, they must save 50% of their income, and donate or give away 10% of her income (tithe).

You should plan to bring clothing, shoes, personal items, toiletries, cell phone, laptops, and important paperwork with you as you move into the maternity home. Everything is subject to inspection on move-in day. We do not allow weapons of any kind, and no one is permitted to bring in outside furniture, appliances, or a TV.

Yes. We believe that all people need Jesus, God’s Son and our Savior. No matter who we have in our lives, we always first need a relationship with Jesus. Part of your journey with us is to grow in faith with God, and bring your baby up knowing who Jesus is and having a relationship with Him. We also know that families who worship together have healthier and positive relationships with each other. Therefore, all residents attend Bible Study and worship services every Sunday across the street at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer beginning at 9 AM.

We care deeply about the women who come to live with us. It is important that you understand the expectations and reality of how life is inside the maternity home. It may not match your expectation of how life “should be.” Only you can decide if this is right for you. If a resident chooses not to abide by the rules or program guidelines she may be asked to leave. We want to avoid this, whenever possible.

Are you ready to take the next step? If you are interested in applying for residency at Redeeming Life, please visit https://www.rlom.org/get-help and complete the online application. We would love to hear from you. Thank you for considering our program. May God bless you and protect you throughout your pregnancy and provide the best direction for you to succeed. God Bless You, Sheryl DeWitt, Executive Director and Deaconess Alex Shick, Senior Program Director