There's a community of people in Myra KY. in need of help..if you check out our web site
www.family-to-family.org and click on "sponsored communities" you can read all about it.
This commuity is trying real hard under the direction of an amazing woman, Miss Lois, to become self sufficient and grow their own food.
Please take a moment and check it out on our site..and then please help the Manna from Heaven community grow their own food.
On of our contributors wrote me:
"I pick up seeds everytime I go to the grocery store and send it to them. Manna from Heaven Seed Project c/o PO Box 43, Myra KY 41549. "
They could use your help!
Pam
Monday, May 7, 2007
Sunday, May 6, 2007
I need some help..
I just don't know enough about this blog world..
Can some one help me get this out there???
HELP!!
We need to get to college and university newspapers...to get F-to-F 's story and volunteer opportunity out there.
If anyone reads this and can help..please..email me!
famtofamily@aol.com
THANK YOU!
Can some one help me get this out there???
HELP!!
We need to get to college and university newspapers...to get F-to-F 's story and volunteer opportunity out there.
If anyone reads this and can help..please..email me!
famtofamily@aol.com
THANK YOU!
I need some help..
I just don't know enough about this blog world..
Can some one help me get this out there???
HELP!!
We need to get to college and university newspapers...to get F-to-F 's story and volunteer opportunity out there.
If anyone reads this and can help..please..email me!
famtofamily@aol.com
THANK YOU!
Can some one help me get this out there???
HELP!!
We need to get to college and university newspapers...to get F-to-F 's story and volunteer opportunity out there.
If anyone reads this and can help..please..email me!
famtofamily@aol.com
THANK YOU!
Went to DC yesterday...
Spent the day in Washington yesterday....
Reminded me of how shocking and overwhelming it is that victims of Katrina are still without..
We need to continue to help...here's Family-to-Family's program..it's still up and running..we need everyone out there to forward this blog to everyone you know.
We've helped thousands of families this way..and there are many waiting.
"THE HOME ESSENTIALS PROJECT"
Join us and sponsor a family devastated by Hurricane Katrina/Rita. Help your sponsored family rebuild their lives by sending clothing, blankets, personal care items — a coffee pot, a tea pot — things to make home a home again.
From our family to your family
The challenge for Hurricane Katrina families to re-build their lives remains enormous. They may have been moved to a new apartment in a new city, sometimes far away from their family, friends, jobs, churches and communities. While sometimes helped with a place to live, they remain in desperate need of the basic essentials that will help to make their new house a home: clothing, cold weather clothing, sheets, towels, pillows and blankets, over the counter medications, eyeglasses . . . everything! The list is long, but here's what your family can do to help! Sponsor a Hurricane Katrina victim's family, helping them as they now turn towards their new life.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS To get started, complete this form and we will contact you with information about your sponsored family. Family-to-Family still has extensive lists of families in need from government agencies, shelters and social service agencies working throughout the Gulf region.
We will match your family with a family in need and we are hoping that your family will commit to helping for 3-6 months.
As a volunteer family you will receive the name and address of the family you are sponsoring and we are asking you to do the following:
Confirm with Family-to-Family/Katrina that you will in fact help the family you were assigned (do this by replying to the e-mail with your family’s name)
Call your family, if a phone number was provided, to confirm address (many families are still being moved to different locations)
Read the questions from the questionnaire (below) or e-mail the questionnaire to your family with a self addressed stamped envelope addressed to you.
Many sponsor families tell us that calling their survivor families and letting the conversation flow naturally to determine their needs has been a wonderful way to begin this relationship.If you are not comfortable sharing your home address consider a p.o. box for return mail from your sponsored family.
You will be responsible for the shipping/posting of the items you are sending.
Download QuestionnaireDownload letter
HOW TO MINIMIZE COSTS We do not expect the sponsor to be able to provide the families with everything on their list. Each sponsor should only send as much as they feel comfortable with. Below is a list of cost saving ideas for sponsors and if you have any more ideas please email them to us so we can add them to our list.
SHARE THE SPONSORSHIP Instead of trying to help your family alone ask friends and organizations to help. Here is a list of groups you might want to ask:
Extended family
Places of Worship
Playgroup
Boy or Girl Scout troops
Neighbors
Sports teams
Clubs/Organizations
Workplace
GOODS
DO NOT SEND CASH. If you'd like, send a Visa/Master Card gift card, a gas gift card, or as you receive information from your family, a gift card to a local Wal-Mart, Kmart etc.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND USED ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.
Please send either new or Very Gently Used items. Do remember that your sponsored family's personal dignity has been compromised so profoundly.
Shop at discount stores, especially when items are on sale
Download our general information letter and approach local merchants for donations of in-kind goods
Shop online at stores that offer discounted shipping for larger orders
SHIPPING
Use ground services for UPS, Fed Ex, USPS
Ask local UPS, Mail Boxes, Etc. store for discounted shipping
Shopping online eliminates your travel to and from shipping stores
As your family settles in try and keep communications flowing, helping them think through what they might need in the coming months. Remember, the trauma will be with these families for quite a long time.
Please note: Families in the Gulf area are still in transition and though they contact us when they are in housing some families do move multiple times. If you do not hear from your family within 3 weeks please contact us and we will assign another family to you.
Family-to-Family is working with several government agencies in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. These authorities are providing us with names of families who have sought their assistance. Additionally, as word has spread among the community of evacuees, evacuees themselves are registering with Family-to-Family. Because of the exigent circumstances surrounding this disaster, the in-depth screening that is customarily performed to determine eligibility for aid is not being performed. We are acting on good faith that all names provided to us represent families who do require the type of support we offer. In the event Family-to-Family learns of any malfeasance or fraud, we will provide sending families with this information and will assist them so that they can sponsor another family truly in need.
Reminded me of how shocking and overwhelming it is that victims of Katrina are still without..
We need to continue to help...here's Family-to-Family's program..it's still up and running..we need everyone out there to forward this blog to everyone you know.
We've helped thousands of families this way..and there are many waiting.
"THE HOME ESSENTIALS PROJECT"
Join us and sponsor a family devastated by Hurricane Katrina/Rita. Help your sponsored family rebuild their lives by sending clothing, blankets, personal care items — a coffee pot, a tea pot — things to make home a home again.
From our family to your family
The challenge for Hurricane Katrina families to re-build their lives remains enormous. They may have been moved to a new apartment in a new city, sometimes far away from their family, friends, jobs, churches and communities. While sometimes helped with a place to live, they remain in desperate need of the basic essentials that will help to make their new house a home: clothing, cold weather clothing, sheets, towels, pillows and blankets, over the counter medications, eyeglasses . . . everything! The list is long, but here's what your family can do to help! Sponsor a Hurricane Katrina victim's family, helping them as they now turn towards their new life.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS To get started, complete this form and we will contact you with information about your sponsored family. Family-to-Family still has extensive lists of families in need from government agencies, shelters and social service agencies working throughout the Gulf region.
We will match your family with a family in need and we are hoping that your family will commit to helping for 3-6 months.
As a volunteer family you will receive the name and address of the family you are sponsoring and we are asking you to do the following:
Confirm with Family-to-Family/Katrina that you will in fact help the family you were assigned (do this by replying to the e-mail with your family’s name)
Call your family, if a phone number was provided, to confirm address (many families are still being moved to different locations)
Read the questions from the questionnaire (below) or e-mail the questionnaire to your family with a self addressed stamped envelope addressed to you.
Many sponsor families tell us that calling their survivor families and letting the conversation flow naturally to determine their needs has been a wonderful way to begin this relationship.If you are not comfortable sharing your home address consider a p.o. box for return mail from your sponsored family.
You will be responsible for the shipping/posting of the items you are sending.
Download QuestionnaireDownload letter
HOW TO MINIMIZE COSTS We do not expect the sponsor to be able to provide the families with everything on their list. Each sponsor should only send as much as they feel comfortable with. Below is a list of cost saving ideas for sponsors and if you have any more ideas please email them to us so we can add them to our list.
SHARE THE SPONSORSHIP Instead of trying to help your family alone ask friends and organizations to help. Here is a list of groups you might want to ask:
Extended family
Places of Worship
Playgroup
Boy or Girl Scout troops
Neighbors
Sports teams
Clubs/Organizations
Workplace
GOODS
DO NOT SEND CASH. If you'd like, send a Visa/Master Card gift card, a gas gift card, or as you receive information from your family, a gift card to a local Wal-Mart, Kmart etc.
PLEASE DO NOT SEND USED ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.
Please send either new or Very Gently Used items. Do remember that your sponsored family's personal dignity has been compromised so profoundly.
Shop at discount stores, especially when items are on sale
Download our general information letter and approach local merchants for donations of in-kind goods
Shop online at stores that offer discounted shipping for larger orders
SHIPPING
Use ground services for UPS, Fed Ex, USPS
Ask local UPS, Mail Boxes, Etc. store for discounted shipping
Shopping online eliminates your travel to and from shipping stores
As your family settles in try and keep communications flowing, helping them think through what they might need in the coming months. Remember, the trauma will be with these families for quite a long time.
Please note: Families in the Gulf area are still in transition and though they contact us when they are in housing some families do move multiple times. If you do not hear from your family within 3 weeks please contact us and we will assign another family to you.
Family-to-Family is working with several government agencies in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. These authorities are providing us with names of families who have sought their assistance. Additionally, as word has spread among the community of evacuees, evacuees themselves are registering with Family-to-Family. Because of the exigent circumstances surrounding this disaster, the in-depth screening that is customarily performed to determine eligibility for aid is not being performed. We are acting on good faith that all names provided to us represent families who do require the type of support we offer. In the event Family-to-Family learns of any malfeasance or fraud, we will provide sending families with this information and will assist them so that they can sponsor another family truly in need.
Friday, May 4, 2007
I've got more to share...
The Ripple Effect…We are always amazed by the way one act of generosity ripples out to inspire other generous acts… so we thought we’d tell you some recent ways that Family-to-Family has directly and indirectly inspired other wonderful acts of generosity…
A woman in California who heard about Family-to-Family is now starting an “adopt a family” program of her own in her local community, with families with more helping nearby families with less…
A woman named Michele from Geneva, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) e-mailed us saying she had read about our “Birthday Buddies” program, but she had too many toys to fit in a shoe box, and could she send them some other way? So we asked Jessie Mae Walker (our Pembroke, Illinois Community Coordinator) if she could use a box of unwrapped toys to give out to parents who are unable to afford birthday gifts for their children… and Jessie Mae was happy to get them. Michele, who says she “loves to shop,” generously sent all of the following brand new items to Pembroke:
Two dolls, 1 purple princess nightgown with magic wand, 1 gold/w glitter tutu style skirt, 1 shark playdoh set, playdoh, 1 glamorous stationery chest set, 1 Pucci Pups Yorkshire dog w/ gold and pink travel bag and accessories, 1 "Super Girl" pink and white bed canopy, letter L stationery pack, letter C stationery pack, scented markers, abc flashcards, hair accessories, 1 white blouse, 1 pink blouse and skirt to match, bag of little goodies (pencils, coin purse, memo book, wooden spinning top, etc.), several stuffed teddy bears, 1 Cadoo Cranium game!!!
UPDATE!! We just received another e-mail from Michele, telling us she has sent another box of goodies – this time to Manna From Heaven in Myra, Kentucky! Lois Tackett, our community coordinator in Myra says she will look at her lists of children’s birthdays, and ask the parents to come in to “shop” (for free) for birthday gifts!
Also in California, Julia Holladay (F-to-F’s chapter chair in La Mesa, Ca.) is now reaching out in another way… to help refugees from war-torn Sudan. She writes, “I am involved in helping refugees from southern Sudan, who have been here since 2001. The (Sudanese) authors of the memoir, "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan", (www.theypouredfire.com) live here in San Diego and the co-author, Judy Bernstein, and I have become acquainted. My work involves helping these young men with ways to improve their quality of life (setting up tutoring to help prepare for the GED to allow one to go to college; getting another one an acting coach so he can pursue his dream of acting; selling books at speaking engagements, etc.). I will also be working with one of the author's roommates, who is blind and needs some assistance to enhance his education opportunities. I have a to-do list that I tackle each week; nothing major yet, but still helpful nonetheless. My biggest dream is to help the International Rescue Committee (IRC) with opening up micro-enterprise opportunities in southern Sudan to help entrepreneurial Sudanese get the seed money loans to begin life again in their homeland. I am meeting with the point person at IRC this week to see what the steps are to make this happen. As an entrepreneur myself, I love the idea of helping those individuals who just need a little money to get started in some small enterprise which will allow them to make their own way with their own money and not be dependent on foreign aid, which is not good for Africa's farmers and doesn't allow local people the opportunity to sell to their own people.”
F-to-F to Send ‘Lovies’ Blankets to Ugandan Orphans After hearing about babies left orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda, Pam recently contacted Ro Cafaro, a wonderful woman who crocheted blankets for babies in a Mississippi daycare center after Hurricane Katrina, and asked if she would be willing to make “lovies” (small blankets) for Ugandan orphans. Ro not only said yes, but put the word out through her Web site www.onesmallthing.org to the crocheting community she’s involved with to start working on cuddling blankets for HIV/AIDS babies. One of the people who responded was a 4th grade teacher who says she plans to have her 4th graders make some blankets! As Ro wrote to Pam: “Kids making blankets for kids. This is just too cool.”
Thanks to Ro’s efforts, people across the U.S. are making and sending us beautiful hand-crocheted “lovies”, which we will forward to the non-profit organization GCBC (Ggaba Based Community Care) in Uganda for the profoundly poor, orphaned babies and children they care for. We received the first ones in the mail a few days ago… and they are incredibly beautiful!!! These lovies (meant to give comfort by giving the babies something to hold) will be given out to over 100 of the approximately 600 orphaned babies and children cared for by GCBC.
We first heard about these needy babies from our new Ugandan chapter chairperson, Jerome Kasekende, whose mother is active in GCBC. Jerome estimates that approximately 400 of the 600 orphans there are HIV positive. He tells us there are two categories of orphans – “total orphans” - children who have lost both parents, and “partial orphans”- children who have lost one parent. GCBC tries to obtain anti-HIV drugs for these kids and whatever family they have, which it distributes to them for free. Through donations, GCBC also supports some of the children through the primary level of education, as well as educates the community about HIV and AIDS.
F-to-F’s New ‘Best Dressed Babes’ Donation ProgramF-to-F is excited to launch a “Best Dressed Babes Recycled Party Clothes” effort! We are collecting gently used and outgrown party clothes (for either girls or boys ages 2-18), and forwarding them to our receiving communities.
We’re asking our community coordinators to make the clothes available to our receiving families… so moms, dads and kids, too can “shop” (no money necessary) for a perfect dress, party suit, shoes... the works!! A truly empowering gift for these parents who have so little, and a super “Princess or Prince for a day” treat for the kids! We’re sure our F-to-F kids will be thrilled to have “party clothes” to wear to their “Birthday Club” and “Birthday Buddies” celebrations!! We’re looking for:
girl’s party dresses
boy’s suits
girl’s prom dress
boy’s dress jackets
girl’s fancy shoes
boy’s dress shirts & ties
party type girl’s purses
boys dress shoes
…but only items that are in very good condition. Anyone interested should email us at famtofamily@aol.com for information about where to send them.
A woman in California who heard about Family-to-Family is now starting an “adopt a family” program of her own in her local community, with families with more helping nearby families with less…
A woman named Michele from Geneva, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago) e-mailed us saying she had read about our “Birthday Buddies” program, but she had too many toys to fit in a shoe box, and could she send them some other way? So we asked Jessie Mae Walker (our Pembroke, Illinois Community Coordinator) if she could use a box of unwrapped toys to give out to parents who are unable to afford birthday gifts for their children… and Jessie Mae was happy to get them. Michele, who says she “loves to shop,” generously sent all of the following brand new items to Pembroke:
Two dolls, 1 purple princess nightgown with magic wand, 1 gold/w glitter tutu style skirt, 1 shark playdoh set, playdoh, 1 glamorous stationery chest set, 1 Pucci Pups Yorkshire dog w/ gold and pink travel bag and accessories, 1 "Super Girl" pink and white bed canopy, letter L stationery pack, letter C stationery pack, scented markers, abc flashcards, hair accessories, 1 white blouse, 1 pink blouse and skirt to match, bag of little goodies (pencils, coin purse, memo book, wooden spinning top, etc.), several stuffed teddy bears, 1 Cadoo Cranium game!!!
UPDATE!! We just received another e-mail from Michele, telling us she has sent another box of goodies – this time to Manna From Heaven in Myra, Kentucky! Lois Tackett, our community coordinator in Myra says she will look at her lists of children’s birthdays, and ask the parents to come in to “shop” (for free) for birthday gifts!
Also in California, Julia Holladay (F-to-F’s chapter chair in La Mesa, Ca.) is now reaching out in another way… to help refugees from war-torn Sudan. She writes, “I am involved in helping refugees from southern Sudan, who have been here since 2001. The (Sudanese) authors of the memoir, "They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan", (www.theypouredfire.com) live here in San Diego and the co-author, Judy Bernstein, and I have become acquainted. My work involves helping these young men with ways to improve their quality of life (setting up tutoring to help prepare for the GED to allow one to go to college; getting another one an acting coach so he can pursue his dream of acting; selling books at speaking engagements, etc.). I will also be working with one of the author's roommates, who is blind and needs some assistance to enhance his education opportunities. I have a to-do list that I tackle each week; nothing major yet, but still helpful nonetheless. My biggest dream is to help the International Rescue Committee (IRC) with opening up micro-enterprise opportunities in southern Sudan to help entrepreneurial Sudanese get the seed money loans to begin life again in their homeland. I am meeting with the point person at IRC this week to see what the steps are to make this happen. As an entrepreneur myself, I love the idea of helping those individuals who just need a little money to get started in some small enterprise which will allow them to make their own way with their own money and not be dependent on foreign aid, which is not good for Africa's farmers and doesn't allow local people the opportunity to sell to their own people.”
F-to-F to Send ‘Lovies’ Blankets to Ugandan Orphans After hearing about babies left orphaned by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Uganda, Pam recently contacted Ro Cafaro, a wonderful woman who crocheted blankets for babies in a Mississippi daycare center after Hurricane Katrina, and asked if she would be willing to make “lovies” (small blankets) for Ugandan orphans. Ro not only said yes, but put the word out through her Web site www.onesmallthing.org to the crocheting community she’s involved with to start working on cuddling blankets for HIV/AIDS babies. One of the people who responded was a 4th grade teacher who says she plans to have her 4th graders make some blankets! As Ro wrote to Pam: “Kids making blankets for kids. This is just too cool.”
Thanks to Ro’s efforts, people across the U.S. are making and sending us beautiful hand-crocheted “lovies”, which we will forward to the non-profit organization GCBC (Ggaba Based Community Care) in Uganda for the profoundly poor, orphaned babies and children they care for. We received the first ones in the mail a few days ago… and they are incredibly beautiful!!! These lovies (meant to give comfort by giving the babies something to hold) will be given out to over 100 of the approximately 600 orphaned babies and children cared for by GCBC.
We first heard about these needy babies from our new Ugandan chapter chairperson, Jerome Kasekende, whose mother is active in GCBC. Jerome estimates that approximately 400 of the 600 orphans there are HIV positive. He tells us there are two categories of orphans – “total orphans” - children who have lost both parents, and “partial orphans”- children who have lost one parent. GCBC tries to obtain anti-HIV drugs for these kids and whatever family they have, which it distributes to them for free. Through donations, GCBC also supports some of the children through the primary level of education, as well as educates the community about HIV and AIDS.
F-to-F’s New ‘Best Dressed Babes’ Donation ProgramF-to-F is excited to launch a “Best Dressed Babes Recycled Party Clothes” effort! We are collecting gently used and outgrown party clothes (for either girls or boys ages 2-18), and forwarding them to our receiving communities.
We’re asking our community coordinators to make the clothes available to our receiving families… so moms, dads and kids, too can “shop” (no money necessary) for a perfect dress, party suit, shoes... the works!! A truly empowering gift for these parents who have so little, and a super “Princess or Prince for a day” treat for the kids! We’re sure our F-to-F kids will be thrilled to have “party clothes” to wear to their “Birthday Club” and “Birthday Buddies” celebrations!! We’re looking for:
girl’s party dresses
boy’s suits
girl’s prom dress
boy’s dress jackets
girl’s fancy shoes
boy’s dress shirts & ties
party type girl’s purses
boys dress shoes
…but only items that are in very good condition. Anyone interested should email us at famtofamily@aol.com for information about where to send them.
Books for Life Program...
Friday..
We're trying hard at F-to-F to get books to all of our impoverished communities...here's a description of the program we're working on: if anyone out there wants to help...contribute..contact us @ famtofamily@aol.com.
Books for Life — Books Collected and Donated to Communities in Need
For families struggling to put food on the table, books are an unaffordable luxury. And in many of our F-to-F communities, the nearest library is hours away. So if you have shelves full of books you no longer look at, or that your children have outgrown, consider sending them to one of our communities, where they will enrich lives as they encourage a love of reading and learning.
Contact Family-to-Family at LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net and we will give you the name and address of an outreach worker in one of our communities where you can ship the books. Some outreach centers have set up lending libraries in extra rooms (or closets) for donated books. Some distribute the books at home visits, or when the families come to pick up their food boxes.
You can send your own books, or collect books from neighbors.
You can organize a book drive through your local school.
Ask your local book store, or library, to donate books.
Put an ad in your neighborhood paper asking for book donations.
BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR BOOKS BE SURE TO EMAIL US AT LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net, AND LET US KNOW HOW MANY BOOKS YOU’RE SENDING, AND WHAT CATEGORIES OF BOOKS THEY ARE. HELP US KEEP TRACK OF WHAT BOOKS ARE BEING SENT WHERE!
You may want to raise money to pay for the cost of shipping the books. You can ask the individuals or businesses donating the books to each contribute a few dollars, or you can go to a local business that has a shipping department, and ask if they would be willing to pay for the shipping of your boxes as an in-kind contribution. Or perhaps your kids would want to join in the effort and help raise the money with bake sales or a yard sale. Note that the U.S. Postal Service has a book rate, which is significantly cheaper than sending a 1st-class package..
Remember, the books you send can look used, but shouldn’t be dirty or falling apart. And not every single book will be useful – so we’ve included a list of the best kinds of books to send.
USEFUL BOOKS TO SEND
ADULT
Novels
History/Politics
Parenting
Diet/Health/Fitness
Cookbooks
Nature/Gardening
First Aid/Medical Reference
Dictionaries and Thesaurus
Other Reference Books
Art
Inspirational/Motivational
Self-improvement
How-To – Crafts, Sewing, Home Improvement<
Love/Sex
Addiction/Recovery
Children
Baby (soft, chewable)
Toddler (board books)
Picture Books
First Readers
Chapter Books
Teen Non-fiction
Teen Fiction (not too racy, please)
Brain Quests and Flash Cards
Workbooks
Dictionaries
Children’s Videos
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE COMMENTS WE’VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED BOOKS.
“The books are wonderful! The children are especially enjoying the Dr. Seuss books. When they come into the pantry with their parents, they sit down and look at them and when they are ready to leave, I let them pick one out to keep. Our women are especially interested in recipe books and many ranchers like to read westerns in the winter. We are just grateful for all you have sent.” “What a pleasant surprise to receive the books you sent. Actually, they couldn't have come at a better time. Kids and teachers need a little extra motivation as the year winds down. You sent enough Goosebumps books to make a whole class of 6th graders very happy. They selected their own and some delved right into them!”
“The books have been wonderful. We give them out on home visits. This helps the visiting teachers, visiting nurses, and home health care visitors grow closer in the relationships in the homes. Also many have been added to our library for people to come in and check out. This also gives the parents something for their children to do if they want to work on the computers or have an appointment.”
"Your shipment of books has been wonderful. Thank you so very much. The children's selection is especially popular...What a blessing your gift of books is!"
We're trying hard at F-to-F to get books to all of our impoverished communities...here's a description of the program we're working on: if anyone out there wants to help...contribute..contact us @ famtofamily@aol.com.
Books for Life — Books Collected and Donated to Communities in Need
For families struggling to put food on the table, books are an unaffordable luxury. And in many of our F-to-F communities, the nearest library is hours away. So if you have shelves full of books you no longer look at, or that your children have outgrown, consider sending them to one of our communities, where they will enrich lives as they encourage a love of reading and learning.
Contact Family-to-Family at LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net and we will give you the name and address of an outreach worker in one of our communities where you can ship the books. Some outreach centers have set up lending libraries in extra rooms (or closets) for donated books. Some distribute the books at home visits, or when the families come to pick up their food boxes.
You can send your own books, or collect books from neighbors.
You can organize a book drive through your local school.
Ask your local book store, or library, to donate books.
Put an ad in your neighborhood paper asking for book donations.
BEFORE YOU SEND YOUR BOOKS BE SURE TO EMAIL US AT LongIslandFtoF@optonline.net, AND LET US KNOW HOW MANY BOOKS YOU’RE SENDING, AND WHAT CATEGORIES OF BOOKS THEY ARE. HELP US KEEP TRACK OF WHAT BOOKS ARE BEING SENT WHERE!
You may want to raise money to pay for the cost of shipping the books. You can ask the individuals or businesses donating the books to each contribute a few dollars, or you can go to a local business that has a shipping department, and ask if they would be willing to pay for the shipping of your boxes as an in-kind contribution. Or perhaps your kids would want to join in the effort and help raise the money with bake sales or a yard sale. Note that the U.S. Postal Service has a book rate, which is significantly cheaper than sending a 1st-class package..
Remember, the books you send can look used, but shouldn’t be dirty or falling apart. And not every single book will be useful – so we’ve included a list of the best kinds of books to send.
USEFUL BOOKS TO SEND
ADULT
Novels
History/Politics
Parenting
Diet/Health/Fitness
Cookbooks
Nature/Gardening
First Aid/Medical Reference
Dictionaries and Thesaurus
Other Reference Books
Art
Inspirational/Motivational
Self-improvement
How-To – Crafts, Sewing, Home Improvement<
Love/Sex
Addiction/Recovery
Children
Baby (soft, chewable)
Toddler (board books)
Picture Books
First Readers
Chapter Books
Teen Non-fiction
Teen Fiction (not too racy, please)
Brain Quests and Flash Cards
Workbooks
Dictionaries
Children’s Videos
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE COMMENTS WE’VE GOTTEN FROM THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED BOOKS.
“The books are wonderful! The children are especially enjoying the Dr. Seuss books. When they come into the pantry with their parents, they sit down and look at them and when they are ready to leave, I let them pick one out to keep. Our women are especially interested in recipe books and many ranchers like to read westerns in the winter. We are just grateful for all you have sent.” “What a pleasant surprise to receive the books you sent. Actually, they couldn't have come at a better time. Kids and teachers need a little extra motivation as the year winds down. You sent enough Goosebumps books to make a whole class of 6th graders very happy. They selected their own and some delved right into them!”
“The books have been wonderful. We give them out on home visits. This helps the visiting teachers, visiting nurses, and home health care visitors grow closer in the relationships in the homes. Also many have been added to our library for people to come in and check out. This also gives the parents something for their children to do if they want to work on the computers or have an appointment.”
"Your shipment of books has been wonderful. Thank you so very much. The children's selection is especially popular...What a blessing your gift of books is!"
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
I'm back...
So....
What I did was contact the NY Times writer, John Fountain and one of the key figures in Pembroke, the Rev. Jon Dyson and said.."I have to do something".
Long story short...we decided that food, clothing, basic life essentials and connection through the exchange of letters was the way to go..and Family-to-Family......one family helping another was born.
Here's the "formal" description:
"Family-to-Family, a national hunger relief organization, links American families with "more" to impoverished rural American families with "profoundly less" across the U.S. Once every month each sponsoring family shops for 7 dinner-type meals (nonperishable foods only) for "their" family...packs them in a sturdy box, and then delivers their box to a local chapter chairperson, who ships the chapter's boxes to the receiving community. Receiving families pick up the box packed especially for them from a local outreach center.
Included in each food box is a letter written to the sponsored family from the sponsoring family. Sponsored families often write back, creating a bond of friendship between families who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to connect. Currently, F-to-F sends over 500 boxes of food each month to 14 receiving communities in ten states...from Maine to New Mexico.
Children are particularly interested in a number of Family-to-Family's programs: "Birthday Buddies, Books For Life, The Breakfast Club and Best Dressed Babes" are all great projects for kids, schools, scouts, religious organizations etc. And helping to shop for and pack a monthly food box is a valuable, hands-on way to teach children empathy and compassion.
Check out our newsletter:May 2007 Family-to-Family Newsletter
I'll be back later...
Pam
What I did was contact the NY Times writer, John Fountain and one of the key figures in Pembroke, the Rev. Jon Dyson and said.."I have to do something".
Long story short...we decided that food, clothing, basic life essentials and connection through the exchange of letters was the way to go..and Family-to-Family......one family helping another was born.
Here's the "formal" description:
"Family-to-Family, a national hunger relief organization, links American families with "more" to impoverished rural American families with "profoundly less" across the U.S. Once every month each sponsoring family shops for 7 dinner-type meals (nonperishable foods only) for "their" family...packs them in a sturdy box, and then delivers their box to a local chapter chairperson, who ships the chapter's boxes to the receiving community. Receiving families pick up the box packed especially for them from a local outreach center.
Included in each food box is a letter written to the sponsored family from the sponsoring family. Sponsored families often write back, creating a bond of friendship between families who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to connect. Currently, F-to-F sends over 500 boxes of food each month to 14 receiving communities in ten states...from Maine to New Mexico.
Children are particularly interested in a number of Family-to-Family's programs: "Birthday Buddies, Books For Life, The Breakfast Club and Best Dressed Babes" are all great projects for kids, schools, scouts, religious organizations etc. And helping to shop for and pack a monthly food box is a valuable, hands-on way to teach children empathy and compassion.
Check out our newsletter:May 2007 Family-to-Family Newsletter
I'll be back later...
Pam
my first blog ever
May 2, 2007
My first blog ever.
I'm trying to find my way here..the notion that my thoughts..my words are "public" the second I hit the "publish" tab is stopping my flow!
But..I have much to say and share about an organization I started just 3 years ago, Family-to-Family (www.family-to-family.org). We started helping a few families in Pembroke, IL. , a rural community about 1 hour south of Chicago after I had read a piece in The NY Times about the area and how families there where living in "third world like conditions". The piece spoke of the overwhelming amount of hunger and poverty right here in the U.S ...and we all now know it to be true after seeing the outpouring of thousands of poor New Orleans families after Katrina hit.
The idea that so many families are starving..so many kids malnourished right here in our country...that this can exist is obscene.
The reality is that millions of families can not make it to the end of each month with enough food to eat.
I had to do something.
My first blog ever.
I'm trying to find my way here..the notion that my thoughts..my words are "public" the second I hit the "publish" tab is stopping my flow!
But..I have much to say and share about an organization I started just 3 years ago, Family-to-Family (www.family-to-family.org). We started helping a few families in Pembroke, IL. , a rural community about 1 hour south of Chicago after I had read a piece in The NY Times about the area and how families there where living in "third world like conditions". The piece spoke of the overwhelming amount of hunger and poverty right here in the U.S ...and we all now know it to be true after seeing the outpouring of thousands of poor New Orleans families after Katrina hit.
The idea that so many families are starving..so many kids malnourished right here in our country...that this can exist is obscene.
The reality is that millions of families can not make it to the end of each month with enough food to eat.
I had to do something.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)