A chance to help those in need at Church of God Children's Home (2024)

Each day, Ella Pepper works tirelessly to do everything she can to elevate the Church of God's Children's Home of NC. This includes ensuring that the 22 kids living at the site are safe and well-cared for.

Most people in the county have likely never heard of the home, located a stone’s throw away from Vietnam Veterans Park, at 3485 Weatherby Circle in Concord. It’sone of the few still-running orphanages in North Carolina, according to Pepper, who is the community liaison and activities director. Since the Children's Home is private, it can take in children from all over North Carolina. 

"We're absolutely a hidden gem," she told The Independent Tribune. "It's a great place and it's a great ministry."

But as lively and passionate as Pepper is, neither she nor the other staff members can do it all by themselves.

The orphanage, which was founded in 1944 and comprises 7 acres, is reeling from major downstream effects from Hurricane Helene. It was forced to cancel its annual Harvest Festival this year, as many of its major donors live in the western part of the state and were impacted by the September storm. The festival, which is the orphanage's largest fundraiser, typically brings in anywhere from $80,000 to $150,000, Pepper said, which provides the lion share of the operating revenue for the following year.  

"It's been absolutely horrific," Pepper said about having to cancel the Harvest Festival.

Additionally, the orphanage has taken in nine children from the western part of the state who were affected by Helene.

Efforts to help

To provide the orphanage with some much-needed assistance ahead of the holiday season, Cabarrus Brewing Company and Towel City Tavern have launched the “Gifts of Joy” Drive, a three-part initiative focused on:

"We're very excited about this whole thing," Pepper said about the partnerships. "This is something that we desperately need."

Steve Steinbacher, founding owner of both Cabarrus Brewing and Towel City Tavern, along with Susanna Black, former Charlotte news anchor who is collaborating with Steinbacher through her newly formed media company, have spearheaded Gifts of Joy.

“When we first reached out to Pepper, we were pitching a typical angel tree-style partnership for the holidays,” Black explained. “But once she laid it all out, and we realized just how big the need was, we knew we had to do more.”

Steinbacher said he and his team went back to the drawing board and the result was this three-prong approach to address the orphanage’s biggest needs. It’s a big lift, but Steinbacher said there’s no other community he’s more confident in to come together and make the drive a success.

“We’re seeking sponsors to fulfill either partial or full cottage wish lists, as well as able hands to help out at the workday,” Steinbacher explained. “I have no doubt the organizations and people here in Cabarrus County are going to step up and show up for these kids.”

Mark Dail, a general contractor with Providence Restoration, has stepped up to leadthe cottage workday.

Set for Dec. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the workday will help restore Cottage 2, which used to house teenage boys but has since fallen into disrepair. The team is aiming for at least 50 volunteers, especially skilled technicians, to improve the space. Once reopened, the cottage is expected to accommodate at least 12 additional children. 

As someone who also operates a nonprofit called Willow's Wish Foundation, which focuses on creating inclusive spaces for special needs families, Dail wanted to do all he could to help the Children's Home.

"We felt that we needed to do something to expedite everything and get this cottage up and running," Dail said, noting that a group of workers will begin performing small repairs on the cottage next week.

Fulfilling modest wishes