Group Announces Project to Bring One Million Additional Children into Homeschooling
'Homeschooling Family-to-Family' Aims to Mobilize Experienced Christian Homeschoolers and Local Support Groups to Share Blessings of Homeschooling Through Mentoring Outreach

To: National Desk, Education, Religion, Feature Reporter

Contact: E. Ray Moore, Jr., Chaplain (Lt.Col.) USAR Ret. Exodus Mandate founder, 803-714-1744, raymoore@exodusmandate.org; Bruce N. Shortt, project designer, 832-483-8882, Lohengrin2000@sbcglobal.net

HOMESCHOOL ORGANIZATION CONTACT: Jube Dankworth, National Director, Homeschooling Family to Family, 713-937-7510 and info@family-family.org, www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org.

COLUMBIA, SC, Oct. 6 /Christian Wire Service/ Exodus Mandate announced today that it has launched "Homeschooling Family-to-Family" (HFTF) with strong support from important homeschooling organizations such as the Home School Legal Defense Association, the Southern Baptist Church Home Education Association, and the National Black Home Educators Resource Association. Homeschooling Family-to-Family encourages experienced homeschoolers to "share their heart for homeschooling" by offering to mentor families they already know into homeschooling. HFTF's goal is to bring over one million new children into homeschooling over a five to seven year period, thereby strengthening state and local homeschooling organizations.

As Exodus Mandate founder E. Ray Moore, Jr., points out, the need for Homeschooling Family-to-Family is obvious: "I think virtually every experienced homeschool family has serious conversations about homeschooling every year with friends, neighbors, and relatives who are intrigued by homeschooling, but who are a little afraid to start. HFTF asks experienced Christian homeschoolers to take the initiative by helping one of those families set aside its fears and start homeschooling by extending the hand of Christian fellowship as a homeschool mentor. In many cases HFTF mentoring would also be an excellent opportunity to share the Gospel."

While many local support groups already have excellent mentoring programs for families who come to them asking for help, Moore adds that "HFTF asks experienced homeschoolers to become more evangelical by transforming homeschooling conversations across the kitchen table with friends, neighbors, and relatives into a positive homeschooling outreach."

HFTF mentors will help new families by guiding them through curriculum decisions, introducing them to support groups and the social side of homeschooling, providing regular encouragement and counsel, and praying for them. In addition to its website materials (text, links, and streaming audio and video) and e-newsletter, Homeschooling Family-to-Family makes available DVD's, CD's, articles, and brochures to mentors through homeschool support groups and other organizations. All these materials are designed to help mentors bring families interested in homeschooling to an informed decision about whether to homeschool.

Jube Dankworth, National Director of HFTF, emphasizes the importance of state and local homeschooling organizations to the success of HFTF: "We know that homeschooling has grown organically from the grassroots, and especially through state and local homeschool organizations. Consequently, HFTF is based on the premise that mentors and state and local organizations will be the real leaders. We're here to help grassroots organizations with our newsletter, website, and other resources as requested. We are delighted that the Homeschooling Family-to-Family message has the support of important homeschooling organizations, and we hope that many more homeschooling organizations at the state and local level will help get the HFTF vision to the grassroots."

Elizabeth Watkins, Founder and Director of the Southern Baptist Convention Home Education Association (www.sbchea.org), sees the broader implications of HFTF: "Families with children are a huge mission field. HFTF is a wonderful opportunity for evangelism and Christian character development as well as homeschool mentoring."

Like Watkins, Bruce Shortt, author of The Harsh Truth About Public Schools and a designer of HFTF, sees HFTF as part of Christian evangelism: "Unlike the gimmicks that often pass for Christian evangelism today, Christian homeschooling is true revival, and HFTF is the perfect opportunity for Christian homeschoolers to become more evangelical."

In addition to being National Director of HFTF, Jube Dankworth is a long-time Texas homeschool leader and founder of Texas Homeschool Educators. Ray Moore believes Dankworth's selection as National Director brings real strength to HFTF: "We are delighted to find someone with Jube Dankworth's longtime homeschooling experience, deep spiritual walk, and commitment to the Christian Faith. Her vast knowledge of both the national homeschooling scene and mastery of internet technologies will enable her to help advance homeschooling for Christian families all over the USA."

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COMMENTS FROM OTHER NATIONAL HOMESCHOOL LEADERS ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING FAMILY-TO-FAMILY:

Mike Smith, President of Home School Legal Defense Association (www.hslda.org):

"I believe the Homeschooling Family-to-Family program has the potential to grow home schooling the way the Evangelism Explosion program has expanded the Kingdom of God through one-on-one evangelism. It is a tool that will work and will be a blessing to both the mentor family and the new home schooling family. If we believe home schooling had benefited our family, we should want to share our experience with families that need a little help getting started home schooling."


Joyce Burges, Co-Founder of National Black Home Educators Resource Association (www.nbhera.org):

"I encourage you to share your heart with a new homeschooler. When I first started homeschooling 14 years ago, finding someone who looked like me was next to impossible. However I did find someone who was homeschooling just like me. This remarkable woman took me under her wing and shared her life with me. I will always remember her giving me books and anything else I needed to be successful in this new venture. Our sons spent time together. We studied together. We went on field trips and helped to serve our community in a positive way. This helped my son to learn quality leadership abilities. These days, I am the one spending time with new homeschool moms."


Gary and Denise Kanter, Considering Homeschooling Ministry (www.consideringhomeschooling.com):

"Homeschooling Family-to-Family is a much needed mentorship ministry to encourage Christian families to homeschool their children. Their plan of encouraging homeschool families to reach out and mentor other families is a simple way to communicate to our brothers and sisters in Christ the value of a Biblical home education. My wife and I know Rev. E. Ray Moore and Dr. Bruce Shortt through our mutual efforts, we value their friendship and admire their commitment to seeing that all children from Christian homes be given the opportunity to have a Godly education."

Pat Marcum, Director of Homeschool Headquarters:

"For several years I have felt homeschool families needed to get out of their homes and churches and communicate the positive homeschool gospel to new families. I have also urged this new approach upon many national homeschool leaders. HFTF can help meet this need and help grow homeschooling nationally. I am happy to support this effort and urge others to do the same."

More information about the HFTF ministry and Christian homeschooling can be found at www.homeschoolingfamilytofamily.org.