Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey, which provides assistance to homeless, pregnant women and their children, will observe its fourth anniversary during its annual fundraising banquet Oct. 25 from 4 to 8 p.m. in Lucien’s Manor, Berlin.

That day, staff, friends and supporters of Good Counsel Homes-South Jersey, will use the occasion to joyfully commemorate the 47 babies who have been born since the facility opened in Riverside in April 2010 and another 20 babies born to mothers in the Exodus Program which provides support to mothers as they ease into the transition of independent living.

Keynote speaker at the banquet will be Christian comedian Gordon Douglas, whose comedy mixes real life stories with "off the wall" physical comedy and his own hilarious view of life. He has been married to his wife Dawn for more than 35 years, and they are the parents of five natural children. His comedy skills took him from the nightclubs in Philadelphia to Hollywood and then he ventured into ministry. About 15 years ago, he found he is able to incorporate comedy into his ministry work. Since returning to the comedy world in 1995, he has been in 37 states and four countries and has been featured on a variety of television and radio programs. 

Good Counsel Homes was founded in 1985 by Franciscan Friar of the Renewal Benedict Groeschel and Christopher Bell. In addition to the Riverside facility, GCH also operates four additional homes in the New York Metropolitan area while assisting in the opening of similar homes in eight other states.

Good Counsel Homes is a private non-profit ministry and relies on individual donations to continue to be able to provide thelevel of care for residents.

The South Jersey facility is located in the former convent on the grounds of Resurrection Parish, Delran. The average rate of occupancy of the Riverside home has been consistently 107 percent with 10 mothers, seven babies and three toddlers currently in residence. More than 32,000 nights of shelter and support have been provided since the first Good Counsel Home opened. While in residence, mothers have earned their GED; enrolled in nursing school; attended community colleges, culinary and real estate school and other work related programs while working part-time or full-time jobs.

The home in Riverside has nine private bedrooms, kitchen and dining and family room, a child care room and a chapel. The home is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and all residents share responsibility in caring for the home. Mothers take turn cooking and cleaning and are responsible for their own laundry and maintaining their quarters.

The mothers participate in a Life Skills program with weekly classes on nutrition, post/pre natal education, general parenting, chastity, spirituality, finances, job preparedness and health and computer skills. The goal of all Good Counsel Homes is to help residents find full-time employment, safe and secure housing and to become financially and physically independent while becoming contributing members of society.

For more information about the upcoming banquet, contact Mary Ann Lorimer at [email protected] or call 215-989-0021. More information about Good Counsel Homes can be found at goodcounselhomes.org, Facebook and Twitter.