My name is Fr. Lance W. Harlow and I founded The St. Nicholas Project in 2015 as a means of promoting Catholic philanthropy for a nondenominational children’s home in southern Vermont.  The boys and girls there are ages 5-15 and come from families who can’t take care of them for a variety of socio-economic reasons which I want to share with you in these blog posts.  The kids live in a residential care facility called Kurn Hattin Homes for Children.  It is not a reform school, juvenile detention facility or a psychiatric treatment facility. It is a charitable institution or “home” for kids where they receive an education, room and board, live in a safe environment, participate in music and sports and experience the compassionate care of amazing adults.   I repeat: it is charitable; meaning it depends upon you and me to keep it operating.  But it is also a place of extraordinary graces and miracles for these kids which is why I have devoted my time and energy to it—in addition to a very demanding schedule as a parish priest.

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My dream is to connect the Catholic community in Vermont and beyond with the good works taking place at Kurn Hattin with material and financial donations.  That’s my ultimate dream.  But in order to embody that dream I have realized that few people in Vermont and beyond have even heard about this institution founded in 1894!  But now that you are reading this you have become part of that dream and I hope part of the St. Nicholas Project mission!

 

In these blog posts I want to share with you my experience in helping these kids overcome the difficulties of a traumatic and troubling childhood.  I want you to come to love them and be moved to tell their story to your own friends, family and colleagues.  And, I want you to join me in aiding them financially, materially and prayerfully for the sake of their well-being.