As we close out 2025 and step into a new year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey we’ve shared together at Cay Galgon Life House. This year brought meaningful growth, deepened partnerships, and countless moments of hope and transformation for the mothers and babies in our care.
A Year of Unprecedented Impact
This year marked an important milestone, one that reflects both the growing needs within our community and your steadfast support. Across all our programs, Cay Galgon Life House served 558 families, the majority were served through our Community Program, supporting 545 families. Our Residential Program provided safe shelter and intensive support to 13 mothers and their babies, and our Beyond These Walls initiative served 18 former residents as they continued their transition to independent living.
Perhaps most remarkably, we celebrated 196 babies born to the families in our care. These are 196 new lives welcomed into the world with support, resources, and a community ready to walk alongside their mothers from the very beginning.
The depth of our engagement this year has been extraordinary. We delivered more than 2,350 Community appointments and over 1,040 hours of direct services, including more than 1,500 pantry visits that met families in moments of real need. We welcomed 368 new clients into our programs, each arriving with unique challenges and leaving with new tools, support, and hope for what lies ahead.
Meeting Mothers in Their Most Urgent Moments
One of the most vital aspects of our work is responding when urgent needs arise. In 2025, we provided 194 emergency appointments for mothers facing sudden housing loss, domestic violence, food insecurity, house fires, SNAP benefit disruptions, or financial shortfalls from illness or missed work. These weren’t scheduled visits; they were lifelines extended when families had nowhere else to turn. Whether serving mothers already in our Community Program, former clients experiencing new instability, or families referred to us by partners like the American Red Cross, our team responded with practical resources, community referrals, and compassionate support. Being able to show up in real time often makes the difference between weathering a temporary setback and facing a lasting hardship.
Nourishing Mothers and Babies
When our clients shared with us they were experiencing food insecurity, we listened and responded. In November, we launched our partnership with Freezer Meal Ministry, and in just over a month, we distributed 96 nutritious, ready-to-heat meals to pregnant and postpartum mothers. This effort was beautifully complemented by the compassion of community organizations, individuals, and churches who provided food donations and grocery gift cards that made a tangible difference during challenging times.
Proper nutrition during pregnancy and the postpartum period isn’t optional. It’s essential for maternal recovery, healthy birth outcomes, and infant development. This partnership helps ensure mothers have the nourishment they need to stay healthy and care for their babies, and we’re excited to expand this support throughout 2026.
Programs That Transform Lives
Our Residential Program continues to offer a safe, nurturing environment where homeless pregnant women can focus on building stable futures rather than surviving another night without shelter. That care quickly extends beyond the mothers themselves. Currently, we have six babies in residence, with one more arriving in April. These little ones are surrounded by community care, with postpartum volunteers providing meals, childcare support, and the gift of rest for exhausted new mothers.
At the same time, resident moms are achieving remarkable milestones: Taylor is balancing an accelerated nursing program, part-time work, and motherhood as Mahkai, now 15 months old, moves through a busy and growing stage of toddlerhood. Danaisha is balancing work, continued coursework, and interviews for career advancement within a local healthcare network while Atreus, now 13 months old, grows into an active, curious toddler. Eniya is preparing for graduation from the Residential Program, focusing on housing readiness, savings, and future planning as Kora, now 5 months old, reaches new developmental milestones. These women are building futures that offer long-term stability for their families.
Beyond These Walls continues to demonstrate the importance of sustained support. With 18 former residents remaining closely connected to Life House, we’re seeing how continued one-on-one support, parenting education, and community connections help graduates maintain stability and keep moving forward long after they leave our doors.
The Heart of Our Community Work
Our Community Program serves as the frontline of prevention and support, reaching mothers before circumstances become overwhelming. The 545 families served this year represent women who are housed but facing significant challenges, including food insecurity, financial instability, lack of childcare, and isolation.
Through one-on-one support, we connected mothers with healthcare providers, employment resources, and affordable childcare. Our 1,500+ pantry visits provided diapers, formula, baby clothing, car seats, and hygiene products, allowing families to direct limited income toward rent and utilities rather than basic necessities.
For many of these mothers, CGLH is their only consistent source of support. We offer not just supplies, but dignity, encouragement, and a pathway toward self-sufficiency. The 196 babies born to families in our care this year entered the world with mothers who were supported before birth and surrounded with care in those earliest, most important days.
Building for the Future
Looking ahead to 2026, we’re expanding our educational programming with an expanded lineup of classes for all CGLH clients, including Residential, Community, and Beyond These Walls families. Our Safety Series, led by Sergeant Ramsden of the Bethlehem Police Department, will cover home emergencies, child safety, and accessing community resources. The new Economic Empowerment Taskforce brings together local banks and financial institutions to offer practical sessions on budgeting, credit building, and financial planning.
Our expanded “Real Talk: Women’s Health” series will provide in-depth education on health, relationships, and personal empowerment, while our ongoing Parenting & Life Skills classes will continue to equip mothers for each stage of their journey. From car seat safety to postpartum recovery, from managing finances to navigating toddlerhood, we’re building a comprehensive support system that addresses every step toward independence.
A Season of Celebration
Your incredible generosity during our holiday Toy Drive brought joy to 213 families through our Adopt-a-Family and toy distribution campaigns, sharing more than 1,000 gifts. These moments of celebration matter. They remind mothers that they deserve not just stability, but dignity, joy, and the chance to create happy memories with their children.
We’re also deeply grateful to the Fidelity D&D Charitable Foundation for their recent $5,000 grant award, which directly supports our Community Program. This partnership strengthens our ability to be there for mothers when they need us most.
With Gratitude
As one recent graduate shared, “CGLH was a help and a home when I had none.” Another, now working as a Licensed Practical Nurse, told us, “When you have real support, when you have a place like Cay Galgon Life House, you don’t just survive—you rise.”
Thank you for making this work possible. Every appointment, every meal, every emergency response, every baby born into a community of care happens because of your compassion and generosity. Together, we’re not just changing individual lives. We are strengthening families and building a more compassionate Lehigh Valley, one mother and baby at a time.
With deep gratitude and hope for 2026,
Paula Albanesa
Director ejecutivo
Cay Galgon Life House
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