Gianna’s Place stories and testimonials
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Sarah and Max Dolinsky and their baby, Andy
Sarah and Max were living together in Delaware when this chapter of their story began. They were very much in love and committed to each other. Sarah worked at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia as a speech language pathologist, while Max was a professor in the business school at the University of Delaware. Then, unexpectedly, Sarah became pregnant. They hadn’t intended to have children at this time, but they bravely set out on the path of parenthood sooner than expected.
Shortly thereafter, Max was offered a new position at the University of Florida in Gainesville. He became the Director of the Finance Professional Development program for undergraduate students. This event led to, in Sarah’s words, “a kind of a whirlwind of life, but it all feels really bright and just such a blessing! We married in May (2022), moved (to Florida) in June, and had the baby in July. It was a great pregnancy and a beautiful home birth, no complications. Max is absolutely incredible and so supportive. We knew we wanted to be together, the timing just wasn’t quite the way that you would typically plan. I left my job at Fox Chase Cancer Center in order to move and have the baby, and I’ve been blessed to stay home with Andy during his first year of life. This month, I’ll be returning to work part-time, and I’m very much looking forward to it. I love my profession so much and the way it challenges me to think critically and allows me to serve others in such a special way. It’s a gift to have both – the profound blessing of motherhood as well as the continuation of my career. I feel like we’re living a miracle.”
Sarah and Max want to raise Andy to understand the importance of generosity and of giving to others. They started early by setting up a fundraiser for Andy’s 1st birthday. They created online invitations to Andy’s 1st birthday party and sent them via text to their friends and family. On the invitation, they requested that, in lieu of gifts for Andy, donations be made to Gianna’s Place. They included a link on the invitation so friends could easily click to donate in Andy’s honor. Andy’s birthday fundraiser raised over $1,000 for Gianna’s place!
Max and Sarah personally know single moms who work hard to raise children alone and want to support them as much as possible. Sarah shared that “I hope that we can inspire others to do something similar or to just get creative with fundraising. Fundraising can be daunting, but if it’s done in small increments, in small steps, it can be much more achievable.”
Sarah’s joy and enthusiasm for being a mom, as well as for supporting other moms, is inspiring. When asked what her favorite part of being a mom was, she replied, “OH MY GOSH! I just LOVE being a mom! I knew I wanted to be a mom and I love it even more than I could possibly imagine. I love how much Andy teaches me every day, and I love seeing the world through his eyes – his joy and enthusiasm for life and his awe and wonder, that innocence and unbridled joy all the time. I am amazed by him and the way he teaches me and my husband. He has made us better people just by being alive. It’s so wonderful, the way he grows and works through things. He’s fearless! His approach to life is an inspiration! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with Gianna’s Place; I can’t wait to see the home in action. I’m super excited for it to become a reality and to see where it goes.”
Kelsy’s Story
“Hi, my name is Kelsy and my motherhood journey started at the young age of 18 years old, while a freshman at Mercer University. From childhood, I have always known that I wanted to be two things in life, a wonderful mother, and a college graduate. After walking through a very challenging childhood, it became a priority for me to change the narrative of what my life would be like if I followed in my family’s footsteps. I knew how important it would be to myself and my family if I were to become a first-generation college graduate. Therefore, once I got pregnant with my son, I strived even harder to set an example that I could do anything through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13). I knew my biggest goal was to make my baby boy proud and to provide a life for him that I was unable to have growing up. I can honestly say that I was beyond blessed throughout my college journey by having the support of my amazing husband, family, friends, and professors who helped me along the way. However, if I were to not have had the help of these amazing people, Gianna’s place would have been life-changing by providing maternal housing, support, and a community of people who were walking in a journey similar to mine. It would have been a safe place for me to stay as I finished my degree and made my motherhood dreams come true!”