Heart to Heart Ministries is celebrating the launch of its permanent location just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The Seward Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting event for Heart to Heart Ministries at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16, and the new Heart to Heart Ministries building will have an open house until 5 p.m. the same day.
Then, it will hold its first annual Valentine Gala Connection & Celebration at Bottle Rocket Brewery at 6:30 p.m.
Heart to Heart Ministries director Arica Dawe started Heart to Heart Counseling in 2012 but always felt her heart being pulled to ministry. So, she transformed it into Heart to Heart Ministries, a nondenominational nonprofit, in 2018 so she could offer a biblical point of view in her counseling services.
On Jan. 2, the team opened its first physical location.
Heart to Heart Ministries provides faith-based counseling to help people with a variety of possible struggles, including family and marriage, addiction, abuse, domestic violence, grief and more. Heart to Heart Ministries Disciple Vicky Hanseling said she is excited to use the new building to provide support and discipleship for more community members in need.
“Part of (healing) is not just putting a bandaid on things but getting to the root of the problem,” Hanseling said.
The gala will feature a testimony from someone who has underwent Heart to Heart Ministries counseling. It will also host a Price is Right-style game with prizes inside balloons. Sparetime Lounge and Grill will cater the event and provide roast beef, chicken breasts with sauce, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and a sheet cake.
Hanseling said she is most looking forward to conversing with new people and making connections at the Valentine Gala. She said anyone is welcome to attend, and the Valentine’s Day theme does not mean a date is required.
Dawe said she is looking forward to the opportunities for greater outreach this new building will provide because she has a passion for sitting down, connecting with people and helping them through difficult times.
Not everyone at Heart to Heart Ministries is a certified mental health counselor, but they have all gone through training classes. Some of the disciples are former professional counselors, and others have different related experiences, including in social work, Child Protective Services and nursing.
“Everyone has that background and that life experience with it, and I think that’s more important, honestly, to have walked through it and conquered it when you’re helping somebody,” Dawe said.
Heart to Heart Ministries strives to serve everyone. It asks its clients to make a suggested donation if possible, but most people are unable to afford it.
Heart to Heart Ministries encourages anyone who is able to be a sponsor or donor to do so. To donate, go to hearttoheartministries.org or learn more at the gala.
“Many would tell you I just have the heart to sit down and connect and help people through hard times, but I’m not good at asking for money,” she said. “So that’s where I need these things to come into place.”
Dawe said she is looking forward to being able to make connections with more people in the community at the event and celebrate what God has done in providing the building for Heart to Heart Ministries.
“I’m just really thankful to even be in this position at this point,” she said. “It’s kind of been a dream for, oh gosh, 15 years or so. To actually be walking it out is really cool.”
Tickets are $25 per person to cover the price of food and the venue, and attendees can pay at the door. Contact Hanseling at (402) 430-9852 or vhanseling@gmail.com to register for the event. Registrations must be made by the evening of Thursday, Feb. 15.
