Maureen Karpinski - Founder and Director

The roots of Maureen Karpinski’s devotion to abused children hail back to long-forgotten time

The real estate agent and owner of Cactus Country Property Professionals grew up in Ontario as the only child of two alcoholic and negligent parents, who left her to fend for herself in life. The experience taught her hard-earned self-sufficiency, determined independence and a lifelong compassion for addicts and the children they wound. Because of her Nanny’s (Grandmother) ability to transmit non conditional love across the seas from England to her and being the only source of Love and kindness, Maureen knows first hand what a difference one person can make in a child’s life even from a distance.” Every time I think of her which is still daily or look at a picture of my own grandson that’s always on my desk, I know why there is ”The Love House Kids Program” and why it must thrive”.

After donating 25-30 hours a week, creating the Love House Program as a charity in her real estate business, putting on fund raisers and doing clothing drives and running a clothing bank for organizations that house neglected and abused kids, Maureen felt it was time to become their own non profit and use all these resources she has built up over the years to help others who may not be affiliated with these organizations, do more for the poorest of poor children along with continuing her work with these small organizations. We just feel that we can do more.

All of the sponsors of the Love House program of Cactus Country Property Professionals have been so generous over the years and are so willing to expand their commitment with us and they too feel they can bring more people on board to help these little victims if it is us who is the keeper of the funds and goods and that it is The Love House Kids Program being accountable and overlooking the distribution of funds and goods to the children.

Joyce Kirkpatrick - Project Co-ordinator

I am from Massachusetts and have been living in Phoenix for 17 years.  I've been married for 22 years and have a 21 year old daughter. Hiking and Mountain biking are my  hobbies. I own a small business called Arizona's Best Hiking Tours Inc . I enjoy helping to clothe and feed neglected and abused children. I do it because it keeps me focused on someone besides myself.

Scott Miller - Education and Special Needs Advisor

I am originally from Phoenix, New York, which is a small town just outside of Syracuse. I moved to the "The Valley" in 1996 after graduating from Florida State University with a degree in Special Education. Since, I have married and have been blessed with a beautiful daughter, who is now 3, and recently a wonderful baby boy.

I am currently working as a Junior High Special Education Teacher and have completed my Master's Degree in Administration/Supervision from Arizona State University. Along with teaching, I have enjoyed being a professional real estate agent for the past 8 years. Being a real estate professional has given me the opportunity to interact with the community, meet new people, and be a part of The Love House Program.

The Love House Program is committed to helping children who are in need of food, clothing, shelter, and to simply show others that they are loved and cared for. By giving to The Love House Program, the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ may be received by many. As scripture states, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" Matthew 25:40. I believe The Love House Program is about performing acts of love and kindness as well as serving others. This is why I am committed to such a wonderful cause.

I have done volunteer work since I was a Teenager. In the later 90's- in my 40's - I was blessed with a foster child that I have known since she was 11 years old and I took over her guardianship when she had just turned 15. She was a very sweet person but at the time she came to live with me, she had done just about everything there was out there. It was a day to day learning experience and a big life style change for me - (I hadn’t been grounded since High School if you know what I mean.) I think my foster daughter stayed grounded from age 15 to 18. I was to find out later that she loved every minute of it! Even though you would never know it with all the yelling and temper tantrums that were thrown. As I got to know her friends, I discovered a great number of throw away kids and horror stories that made my stomach turn. Their parents had their own agenda’s and major problems to solve and didn’t have the energy, resources or the knowledge of parenting. There was not one child that I met that didn’t want to graduate from High School, sadly I knew for some this would be impossible if they lived that long. I never met one of her friends that didn’t thank me for taking care of my foster daughter. If may sounds really insane to some, that two words out of the mouth of a child that is standing in front of you with tattoos and body piercing, their belly button showing, way too much makeup for their beautiful youthful face that a “thank you” would made it worth every inconvenience. I also believe it gave them a hope with the knowledge that there are people out there to help. The “Love House” program will also be instrumental in showing children someone cares and there is help and hope in the world.
This is what I am about.

~Joyce Guyett
Entertainment Coordinator “Love House” program

I came to the United States from Munich Germany as a small child, and grew up in Los Angeles, California during the 50’s and 60’s. I survived Earthquakes, and Flower power, and escaped 30 years ago to Carefree/Cave Creek Arizona.

I just celebrated my 40th wedding anniversary and am blessed with a beautiful daughter, who is now 21. For the past 15 years I have been the state manager for 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty. Being a part of the Real Estate Community has allowed me to meet some incredibly generous people, and be part of organizations that want to reach out and lend a helping hand .I have been “blessed” to be part of the Love House Program.

The Love House program is about Children- a commitment to be there for kids who are abused or neglected, or just in situations where Mom, or Dad, has had a bad break in life. This includes helping with food, clothing, and shelter. 100% of all funds go directly to the kids.

Children come into the world, and sometimes bad things happen to them. I am part of the Love House Program because I want to give children, and myself, hope that the world can be a better place.

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