You escape a bad situation. You are a single mom with two daughters. The apartment has no furniture but it's a roof, you have clothing and school supplies for the kids but not much else. A lady hires you to wait tables. It's a hard job but you like the people you work with. Then, you come into work and find out it's Christmas - in August.
No, this isn't a fairy tale. We just helped this mom get furniture for her new home. She has a bed to sleep in now. The kids have a desk and chair for their homework. Kitchen chairs, a lamp and an older but functional microwave are on the way now to her new home. We made sure to see if there was anything the daughters need that we have.
I'd love to be a fly on the wall when the kids get home from school today!
Thank you for helping us make hope happen for this family. With your help, they have a good start on what now seems to be a happy home!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Sept. Angel Food Menu Available
The Sept. Angel Food menu is available. Many thanks to all the terrific volunteers who came Saturday. The distribution went smooth. You all did a great job! We hope to see you next month on distribution day too!
In the meantime go here for the menu: http://www.hopeforhealing.org/angelfood
Not local? Visit Angel Food's website to find a site near you:
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/hosts.asp
In the meantime go here for the menu: http://www.hopeforhealing.org/angelfood
Not local? Visit Angel Food's website to find a site near you:
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/hosts.asp
Friday, August 17, 2007
Rural Poverty
It's been hot before in Tennessee but not like now. People across the state are taking extra precautions. Outdoor pets are being brought inside. The nightly news is telling everyone to check on the elderly. If you have breathing problems like asthma you are being told to stay inside. It's bad. Some folks have taken to going to the mall or movie theater to escape the heat.
People are suffering but the poor suffer the most. Our rural area is no exception. If you live in the city and have $2.00 you may be able to walk to a corner store to buy something to eat or to pick up what you need. In the country that $2.00 won't even buy a gallon of gas to take you anywhere.
Hard times force hard choices. School just started. Family budget money allocated for other areas is being shuffled to provide the required items for school. Those needs top the list of buying items in most homes. Then what? Do you buy school supplies and clothing or rent and utilities? Do kids really need a new backback or is that just a want? What do you do when there's too much month when your money runs out?
Fortunately, there's help. Before we opened in Strawberry Plains the nearest help center was over 12 miles away. That's quite a distance if your car won't run well and seems further if you don't have a car.
We have an agreement with a local church to provide food boxes outside of their designated times. Yesterday was a miserable day for the church to have a food pantry open but open it was. Only a few came but those in did wreched your heart.
About an hour after closing time there was a knock on the door. The pastor opened it to find a grandmother standing outside with her little granddaughter in tow. Both looked tired and hot. The little girl carried a bottle filled with juice and her pacifier.
Hesitantly, the grandmother asked for a food box. The pastor was glad to oblige. While he was putting it together the little girl chattered about the day. When asked what kinds of cereal she liked for breakfast the little girl said she'd eaten only brownies that morning and announced that she was thirsty.
That's when the grandmother gave the pastor the empty cup she had brought with her and asked if the church gave away ice. The little girl wasn't to be outdone. She handed the pastor her warm bottle of juice. If ice was to be had she wanted some too please. The pastor thought this was an odd thing to do but was glad to fill both the cup and bottle.
The three chatted for a minute. It was an uneasy, nervous conversation. The pastor got the feeling the folks wanted something else but were nervous about asking. When domestic violence came up he called me and I immediately went over. The grandmother proved to be as reserved as the little girl was outgoing. You could tell she didn't like asking for help but I did my best to reassure her. She and the granddaughter are safe. She was asking on behalf of someone else. Then, the conversation wound down and I made ready to leave. That's when the grandmother nervously stepped up again.
She ducked her head and quietly asked if she could get help carrying the food box home. You see it's hard for her to carry it. She's a diabetic and has other physical problems. She wasn't sure she could manage the load and her granddaughter. It wasn't more than a mile or so. Could we give her a ride? If not, they'd take what they could carry.
I was shocked that they had walked in 100+ degree searing heat to get food. Of course they could have a ride! It took me 30 seconds to get the car and pull it around to the back door. We pulled to the end of a road where the houses saw better days years ago. At the end was a neat little house with pink toys strewn about the yard.
We pulled into the driveway. The little girl was excited at the idea of company. The grandmother wasn't. She asked the pastor to put the box on the porch so they could carry it in stages into the house. So, he did while I zeroed the mileage to see how far they'd walked.
I dropped the pastor back at the church and checked the odometer. It was just over 1 mile each way to the church from their house. That's a long way to walk in the heat with a little girl. We'll be back to check on them soon in case there's anything else we can do.
Keep them in your prayers will you?
People are suffering but the poor suffer the most. Our rural area is no exception. If you live in the city and have $2.00 you may be able to walk to a corner store to buy something to eat or to pick up what you need. In the country that $2.00 won't even buy a gallon of gas to take you anywhere.
Hard times force hard choices. School just started. Family budget money allocated for other areas is being shuffled to provide the required items for school. Those needs top the list of buying items in most homes. Then what? Do you buy school supplies and clothing or rent and utilities? Do kids really need a new backback or is that just a want? What do you do when there's too much month when your money runs out?
Fortunately, there's help. Before we opened in Strawberry Plains the nearest help center was over 12 miles away. That's quite a distance if your car won't run well and seems further if you don't have a car.
We have an agreement with a local church to provide food boxes outside of their designated times. Yesterday was a miserable day for the church to have a food pantry open but open it was. Only a few came but those in did wreched your heart.
About an hour after closing time there was a knock on the door. The pastor opened it to find a grandmother standing outside with her little granddaughter in tow. Both looked tired and hot. The little girl carried a bottle filled with juice and her pacifier.
Hesitantly, the grandmother asked for a food box. The pastor was glad to oblige. While he was putting it together the little girl chattered about the day. When asked what kinds of cereal she liked for breakfast the little girl said she'd eaten only brownies that morning and announced that she was thirsty.
That's when the grandmother gave the pastor the empty cup she had brought with her and asked if the church gave away ice. The little girl wasn't to be outdone. She handed the pastor her warm bottle of juice. If ice was to be had she wanted some too please. The pastor thought this was an odd thing to do but was glad to fill both the cup and bottle.
The three chatted for a minute. It was an uneasy, nervous conversation. The pastor got the feeling the folks wanted something else but were nervous about asking. When domestic violence came up he called me and I immediately went over. The grandmother proved to be as reserved as the little girl was outgoing. You could tell she didn't like asking for help but I did my best to reassure her. She and the granddaughter are safe. She was asking on behalf of someone else. Then, the conversation wound down and I made ready to leave. That's when the grandmother nervously stepped up again.
She ducked her head and quietly asked if she could get help carrying the food box home. You see it's hard for her to carry it. She's a diabetic and has other physical problems. She wasn't sure she could manage the load and her granddaughter. It wasn't more than a mile or so. Could we give her a ride? If not, they'd take what they could carry.
I was shocked that they had walked in 100+ degree searing heat to get food. Of course they could have a ride! It took me 30 seconds to get the car and pull it around to the back door. We pulled to the end of a road where the houses saw better days years ago. At the end was a neat little house with pink toys strewn about the yard.
We pulled into the driveway. The little girl was excited at the idea of company. The grandmother wasn't. She asked the pastor to put the box on the porch so they could carry it in stages into the house. So, he did while I zeroed the mileage to see how far they'd walked.
I dropped the pastor back at the church and checked the odometer. It was just over 1 mile each way to the church from their house. That's a long way to walk in the heat with a little girl. We'll be back to check on them soon in case there's anything else we can do.
Keep them in your prayers will you?
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Hope for Healing.Org Youth Volunteer Bash 2007
Our Volunteer Youth Bash 2007 was a roaring success! The terrific folks with DJ Express did another excellent job. A big thank you goes to James Mize owner of DJ Express for all his support! He's becoming a legend here in Strawberry Plains. The kids really put him to the test as they kept him busy spinning their favorite hits while they enjoyed the festivities in the hot August sun.Hope for Healing.Org held the get together as a way of saying "Thank You" to all the youth volunteers who have helped the organization in many ways.
Youth volunteers have helped paint the shop, refurbish items, distributed food, hauled away trash, sorted recyclables, folded and sorted clothing, helped with special events such as Christmas parties, fundraisers and more! Since 2004 Hope for Healing.Org has been a certifiying site for the US Presidential Service Awards and serves as a Restorative Justice worksite for juvenile offenders in two counties.
It was up to Summer Youth Coordinator Allie Crabtree to plan the youth party. She contacted each youth saying "Come prepared to get wet!" and come they did. It was smiles and laughter all around as the kids celebrated the many hours well served.
According to Crabtree there was one rule "Don't get the DJ wet!" Good advice considering the kids battled with water balloons and buckets of water.
After the kids finished playing games they enjoyed a cookout of hot dogs with all the trimmings.
The Summer Youth Bash also served as a going away party for the Youth Coordinator. Miss Crabtree was provided to Hope for Healing.Org through a student work opportunity grant from Berea College where she is a student.
An education major, Crabtree leaves next week to resume classes. There, she will take a student position in the music department. Earlier this year she assisted with a first grade class and worked with the middle school band. When asked about her experiences at the college she replied "I love it!"
A gift was given to Crabtree by Martha Moore, former board chair at Hope for Healing.Org, in appreciation of her hard work. "She will be missed all right." Said one volunteer as she dodged a water balloon.
"It's cool to talk to somebody who's done that." Said another youth. "It makes college more real."
Like most of the youth who come to Hope for Healing.Org, Miss Crabtree promises to visit during college vacations as a volunteer.
"There's always so much going on here." She says. "I can't think of being anywhere else."
The organization maintains an excellent track record. According to the organization's blog at http://hopeforhealingorg.blogspot.com/ No Knox County youth offenders have re-entered the Restorative Justice program after coming to Hope for Healing.Org. As for youth from Jefferson County only one child has re-entered the program during the past year.
Hope for Healing.Org is the only social service agency serving all of Strawberry Plains. As a 501c3 nonprofit donations are tax deductable. Volunteers are needed in all areas including teen mentoring, helpline, Angel Food distribution, thrift shop and more. To learn more contact Hope for Healing.Org online or at 933.8769.
Restorative Justice at Hope for Healing.Org
You may have seen my previous post asking for mentors for juvenile offenders. We are now happy to make a follow-up report.
Teens come to us to serve court-ordered community service commonly known as Restorative Justice. Juvenile offenders mix with other youth and adult volunteers who are here doing whatever tasks are at hand for the day. The kids have distributed Angel Food, Christmas toys and food boxes, helping set up the thrift shop, making jewelry or handbags and sorting clothing, recyclables and taking out the trash. They've also helped in other ways and have learned new skills.
While they are here we try to make a connection with each child. Our goal is to support them as best we can. This means if they come to us with a tangible need we'll try to meet. Also, we talk with the kids about whatever is on their mind, goal setting and encourage them in considering college or tech school just as we do with all of our teen volunteers.
Even by our standards the results have been astounding.
This past year we have worked with several offenders from Knox County. So far, not a single teen has re-entered the Restorative Justice program after coming to Hope for Healing.Org!
Of the kids from Jefferson County we know of only one who has re-entered the system in the past year!
And in even better news, one of the teens we worked with liked us so much that now his brother and even his dad helps here. To me, that's a sure sign we're on the right track! Plus, many of the teens who originally came to serve hours wind up becoming volunteers.
Hope for Healing.Org is also a certifiying site for the US Presidential Service Awards.
If you're reading this as an adult mentor or one of our teen volunteers pat yourself on the back. You're doing a great job!
If you're reading this as a teen who came to us to put in community service pat yourself on the back. We're proud of you. You've done a great job!
Thanks for all of the wonderful things you do to make hope happen for others.
Until next time,
Gayle
Teens come to us to serve court-ordered community service commonly known as Restorative Justice. Juvenile offenders mix with other youth and adult volunteers who are here doing whatever tasks are at hand for the day. The kids have distributed Angel Food, Christmas toys and food boxes, helping set up the thrift shop, making jewelry or handbags and sorting clothing, recyclables and taking out the trash. They've also helped in other ways and have learned new skills.
While they are here we try to make a connection with each child. Our goal is to support them as best we can. This means if they come to us with a tangible need we'll try to meet. Also, we talk with the kids about whatever is on their mind, goal setting and encourage them in considering college or tech school just as we do with all of our teen volunteers.
Even by our standards the results have been astounding.
This past year we have worked with several offenders from Knox County. So far, not a single teen has re-entered the Restorative Justice program after coming to Hope for Healing.Org!
Of the kids from Jefferson County we know of only one who has re-entered the system in the past year!
And in even better news, one of the teens we worked with liked us so much that now his brother and even his dad helps here. To me, that's a sure sign we're on the right track! Plus, many of the teens who originally came to serve hours wind up becoming volunteers.
Hope for Healing.Org is also a certifiying site for the US Presidential Service Awards.
If you're reading this as an adult mentor or one of our teen volunteers pat yourself on the back. You're doing a great job!
If you're reading this as a teen who came to us to put in community service pat yourself on the back. We're proud of you. You've done a great job!
Thanks for all of the wonderful things you do to make hope happen for others.
Until next time,
Gayle
Friday, August 10, 2007
Fixing a Smile - The Power of a Puppy
A few months ago we introduced my new puppy, Tomlin, here on the blog. He's a malamute/German shepherd mix puppy who is now 7 months old. He loves to play, lick and thinks the whole world exists to pet him.Yesterday afternoon the little boy with a broken smile came in with his foster mom. He's looking brighter so I asked the little boy if his smile was fixed. He said no. My husband happened to be here and we exchanged glances. Did the foster mom have a minute? She said yes.
We asked the little boy if he liked meeting puppies. He said yes.
Without another word John ran home, grabbed Tomlin and brought him back over.
It was an instantaneous success.
Both the little boy and Tomlin enjoyed meeting each other. After petting him for a few minutes and getting licked more than a few times they went outside. When the little boy threw a stuffed animal Tomlin retrieved it. The boy threw it again and Tomlin again retrieved it and on it went. When the little boy looked up at us his smile was as bright as the sun.
Now I'm sure they'll each expect the other to be here when they visit. That's ok. For the moment at least, the little boy's smile is fixed. That's all that matters.
Use Yahoo Powered Good Search to Help Here
Visit http://www.goodsearch.com. Select Hope for Healing.Org in Jefferson City, TN as your nonprofit. Then search. It's that easy.
Every time you use the free, Yahoo powered search engine Good Search they will donate half the proceeds to us. (This is like the Google Search on our website except it pays more.) If we earn more than $20.00 a check will be sent to us in December. So please, tell your friends about it and encourage them to donate to us. Every click adds up!
We'll use the proceeds in our general operating budget. This will help us provide services to victims and stay online. Sounds like a good thing right? So what are you waiting for? Help us get started now!
To track our earnings or for more ideas about how to promote this great opportunity please visit http://www.goodsearch.com.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Angel Food Price Increase Plus Sales Tax
Hi All,
We knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. To keep us with rising costs Angel Food is having to raise prices. This increase is effective immediately. If you have already paid we are asking you to bring the difference to us when you pick up your boxes. Please accept our apologies for the short notice! I'm enclosing a cut and paste of the email Angel Food distributed to us on the 7th.
Additionally, beginning next month Angel Food is being required to collect necessary sales taxes. This will add another 9.25%. A basic box will cost $30.59 instead of the usual $25.
We appreciate all of your support. Please don't hesitate to phone or email us with any questions. My email address is gayle@hopeforhealing.org
Below is a cut and paste of the email from Angel Food.
Thanks,
Gayle
_____________Angel Food Email____________________
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM
ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES
E-mail sent:
August 7, 2007
Dear Host Site Directors and Minister’s of Outreach,
This e-mail is to inform you that effective immediately, the cost of our boxes of food is increasing from $25.00 to $28.00. In addition, specialty boxes will increase by $2.00. This increase is to cover additional administrative costs within the ministry. To better serve you, Angel Food will be handling all the necessary paperwork and payments to your state pertaining to your sales tax issues.
This will be a seamless administrative transition for your ministry.
We understand that the increase could affect some of your participants, but you need to reach out through your ministry and explain that administrative costs have gone up, and that includes current state compliance issues effecting Angel Food Ministries.
We appreciate all of the hard work you are doing for the ministry, and we are blessed to have you as partners. If you have any additional questions about this increase, please call your area MO or e-mail Sunny Foster @sunny.foster@angelfoodministries.com. If you need to speak to Sunny, please call 1-770-266-5596.
God Bless you all.
Pastor Joe Wingo
We knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. To keep us with rising costs Angel Food is having to raise prices. This increase is effective immediately. If you have already paid we are asking you to bring the difference to us when you pick up your boxes. Please accept our apologies for the short notice! I'm enclosing a cut and paste of the email Angel Food distributed to us on the 7th.
Additionally, beginning next month Angel Food is being required to collect necessary sales taxes. This will add another 9.25%. A basic box will cost $30.59 instead of the usual $25.
We appreciate all of your support. Please don't hesitate to phone or email us with any questions. My email address is gayle@hopeforhealing.org
Below is a cut and paste of the email from Angel Food.
Thanks,
Gayle
_____________Angel Food Email____________________
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM
ANGEL FOOD MINISTRIES
E-mail sent:
August 7, 2007
Dear Host Site Directors and Minister’s of Outreach,
This e-mail is to inform you that effective immediately, the cost of our boxes of food is increasing from $25.00 to $28.00. In addition, specialty boxes will increase by $2.00. This increase is to cover additional administrative costs within the ministry. To better serve you, Angel Food will be handling all the necessary paperwork and payments to your state pertaining to your sales tax issues.
This will be a seamless administrative transition for your ministry.
We understand that the increase could affect some of your participants, but you need to reach out through your ministry and explain that administrative costs have gone up, and that includes current state compliance issues effecting Angel Food Ministries.
We appreciate all of the hard work you are doing for the ministry, and we are blessed to have you as partners. If you have any additional questions about this increase, please call your area MO or e-mail Sunny Foster @sunny.foster@angelfoodministries.com. If you need to speak to Sunny, please call 1-770-266-5596.
God Bless you all.
Pastor Joe Wingo
Monday, August 06, 2007
Can your church host a clothing drive for us?
Hope for Healing.Org - the only 501c3 nonprofit serving all of Strawberry Plains, TN needs churches willing to host a used clothing drive. Can you organize a drive in your church?
Helping is simple. Designate a Sunday in your church to "make hope happen". Ask members to bring in a bag of used clothing they no longer need. (Let us know what date you choose so we can be there with a truck!) As your members arrive they simply put the bags in the truck and we take care of the rest! Helpling load the truck is also a great project for youth group members!
Hope for Healing.Org works with victims of domestic violence, distributes Angel Food and works with juvenile offenders. We also meet other needs on a case-by-case basis and maintain a small thrift shop. Last fiscal year, our free community clothing closet was accessed over 1000 times!
Clothing not put to use in Strawberry Plains is sold to a recycler at a per pound rate. Then it is either recycled or sent to third world countries to make affordable clothing available there. (The last load went to Haiti!) Funds generated go into the general operating fund of Hope for Healing.Org which helps support all of our programs.
Can your group help? We hope so. If you can host a drive please let us know by emailling gayle@hopeforhealing.org or calling our office at 865.933.8769. We'll be glad to hear from you.
Thanks for helping us make hope happen for others!
Helping is simple. Designate a Sunday in your church to "make hope happen". Ask members to bring in a bag of used clothing they no longer need. (Let us know what date you choose so we can be there with a truck!) As your members arrive they simply put the bags in the truck and we take care of the rest! Helpling load the truck is also a great project for youth group members!
Hope for Healing.Org works with victims of domestic violence, distributes Angel Food and works with juvenile offenders. We also meet other needs on a case-by-case basis and maintain a small thrift shop. Last fiscal year, our free community clothing closet was accessed over 1000 times!
Clothing not put to use in Strawberry Plains is sold to a recycler at a per pound rate. Then it is either recycled or sent to third world countries to make affordable clothing available there. (The last load went to Haiti!) Funds generated go into the general operating fund of Hope for Healing.Org which helps support all of our programs.
Can your group help? We hope so. If you can host a drive please let us know by emailling gayle@hopeforhealing.org or calling our office at 865.933.8769. We'll be glad to hear from you.
Thanks for helping us make hope happen for others!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Community turns out for Gospel Singing
Many thanks to David Asbury from W.K.X.V. AM 900 Gospel Radio, April Humphrey with Anchor-Holds, Touched by Grace, Rev. Danny Tipton, our volunteers and everyone who braved the heat! We had a great time sitting under the shade trees enjoying the fine entertainment. Rev. John Crabtree did a lively job as auctioneer (when he wasn't grilling up the best hamburgers in town!).
We appreciate everyone who came out! Thank you all so much!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
A Broken Smile
The little boy that came in with his new foster mom was about 4. He arrived at his new home with baggage that you can't put in a suitcase and without clothes. So, she visited us.
He's an adorable little boy but we noticed right away that he didn't smile. He played quietly and didn't talk. There was none of the rambunctious activity that you expect from a little boy this age.
Our youth director showed him a whole basket of cars and told him to pick some out to keep. He solemnly picked out a few and began playing on the floor. No noise. I gathered a few things which included a couple of handmade blankets from our friends at the Linus Project. After watching him and speaking with his foster mom I bent down and asked if he would like a blanket. I explained that it was brand new and made just for him. I also told him that it would be his own to keep for as long as he wanted.
He looked up at me and seemed interested but made no move. I asked if he liked purple or red like fire engines. He softly whispered that he liked red so I gave him that one. He sat there, on the floor holding the blanket and then put his new cars on top of it.
I told him it was nice to meet him and I hoped he would have lots of fun playing with the new cars and the blanket. Still no smile and no laughter. I asked if he was sure he liked the cars and that would could find something else if he didn't. (We would have given him the moon if he'd of said he liked that better!) He very slowly picked up a car and said that he did like them. I said that was great and that they were his very own cars to play with and keep. He seemed to like that.
Then, I asked if his smile was just broken today. He looked at me with those sad little eyes and slowly nodded his head "Yes".
I told him that it was ok to be sad sometimes and that maybe, with lots of love from people who this he's great, maybe we could fix his smile so it wouldn't be broken anymore. I asked how that sounded and if he thought that maybe someday his little smile would be fixed.
He looked up at me and slowly this four-year old shook his head "No."
He left clutching the blanket and with a new backback on his shoulders that contained all the toys and cars our youth director could fit into it, the clothes he and his new foster mom had come for and with our hearts wrapped around his finger - and his smile still broken.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Used 20 oz soda bottles needed now for Terracycle!
Help us make hope happen. Donate your used 20 0z soda bottles here. By doing so, you'll help victims of domestic violence, put juvenile offenders on the right track and distribute food boxes.
Helping is easy. This picture proves that you are never to young to make a difference.
We only need your used 20 oz soda bottles like Pepsi and Coke come in and not the wide mouth Gatorade or Powerade bottles.
Just put a collection box near the drink machine at your office or school. Don't worry about rinsing them out. The volunteers we work with will clean them out and sort them if you'll collect them. Then, we'll send them in the prepaid shipping boxes to Terracycle who will buy them for .05 each.
Our first box was sent in June. So far, we've accumulated enough to keep us online for 2 months! It's adding up fast!
Plus, you don't have to be local to help. You can sign up with Terracycle where you are and designate the proceeds to us here at Hope for Healing.Org. They'll send the prepaid shipping boxes right out. Just fill them with empties and send them back. It's that easy! Plus, it reduces landfill waste and helps victims of sexual and domestic violence - that's an awesome combination!
Contact us by emailing gayle@hopeforhealing.org or call our office in Strawberry Plains, TN at 865-933-8769 to help.
Find out more from TerraCycle at http://www.terracycle.net/bb/
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