Board Meeting Date Change

Because of the Thanksgiving weekend we are going to move the date of the board meeting. Instead of tonight, we'll meet next Monday, Dec. 8 at 6:00 pm. Same location.

If you are reading this and are interested in changing the lives of others why not contact us? We have a couple of postions open and are always open to new people. This might be the volunteering opportunity you've been looking for. Our email address is gayle@hopeforhealing.org.

Knoxville Christmas in the City Regal Celebration of Lights

My family and I went to the Regal Celebration of Lights in Downtown Knoxville. We had a lot of family fun! The kids favorite was the marshmallow roast by the Knoxville Fire Department. The city booth even gave away reindeer antlers. Mayfield Dairy was on hand to give away treats of Snow Cream Popsicles and holiday Egg Nog. The event was budget friendly since most of the activities were free.

For our clients, if you want to go as a group activity to any of the events on the website let me know. We'll look at the events and make plans. I would encourage anyone who is looking for Christmas activities to check out the city website. I was pretty impressed at what is offered. Many activities are free or at very little cost. Check it out at http://www.cityofknoxville.org/christmas/default.asp

Domestic Violence: How Churches Can Help

Domestic violence is rearing its ugly head in the church setting more frequently. As people are under more stress tempers are going to fly. Unfortunately, when those tempers go out of control family members and intimate partners are most likely to face the brunt of an abuser's wrath.

Fortunately, there are way that the church can help. Preaching, teaching and supporting members are just a few ways that the church can make a difference in the life of a domestic violence victim. These are a few highlights from an article I wrote for Associated Content. Click this link to view the full article.

Cheap Thanksgiving Christmas Activities in Knoxville

Knoxville is fortunate to have so many great events. Many of these are free or low-cost. They are great opportunities for the clients we serve to have quality family time. For some of these you can pack a lunch.

I've compiled a few lists of events that you may find helpful for planning an outing. Click the links below for great family activities that are going on in Knoxville.

Thanksgiving Events
Free Christmas Plays and Pageants
Christmas Productions and Pageants for Kids

Happy Thanksgiving. Be the positive amid economic downturn.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Despite the economic downturn there are positive moments that give us hope that things will get better. For us, it's always good when we can help clients. That's always a positive moment. The kids who come to us for restorative justice and leave excited about learning something new never fail to inspire. But what about the rest of the time? What do we have to be thankful for?

Today is Thankgiving. Let us each take a minute from our regular routine and think of our blessings. For me, I'm glad to be feeling better after a rough bout with pneumonia. I'm glad to have a wonderful husband and terrific daughters, good friends, sunshine and a fun puppy.

How about you? What do you have to be thankful for today?

Despite Economic Uncertainty a Client Counts Blessings this Thanksgiving

Sorry to miss the Thanksgiving service. I heard it was great! We had a mom of who came in that needed a little bit of help.. She arrived at about 6:00 pm and was grateful for the help we could give. It was a privilege to be there for her. She seems to have a great family.

That got me to thinking about being thankful. Thanksgiving is a time to stop and count your blessings. The lady that we helped was counting even though she's having a hard time. Are you counting yours? I hope so. Even the midst of uncertainty or economic woes we all have something to give thanks about. If you aren't counting your blessings I hope you will take a minute and get started.

Upcoming Class: Make Money on the Internet. Write for Associated Content

The downturn in the economy is hurting a lot of people right now. I want to share here about an opportunity that may be of help to some of our clients or even to yourself.

Since August, I've been supplementing our family income by writing articles on Associated Content. The company is a few years old and has a solid reputation. The articles typically earn anywhere from $3-$5 or more up front plus page views. Three, $3 articles per day winds up to be almost $300 by the end of the month which is a higher net than many moms get after paying day care.

Hope for Healing.Org will hold a free class about Associated Content in the near future. If you are interested, you should know that you need basic writing skills to be successful. Not all writing is accepted for upfront payment. There are tutorials that will help you throughout the process and lots of friendly folks (like me) who will help if you get stuck.

Check out the following url if you are interested but don't want to wait for the class.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/join.html?refer=303114

Watch this blog for details about the upcoming class. We'll be posting about it here as soon as the times and date are confirmed. I hope to see you there!

Gayle

Strawberry Plains Community Thanksgiving Service Tuesday at 7:00 pm.

Don't forget the community Thanksgiving service. It's Tuesday night at 7:00 pm at Rush Strong School. There's plenty of parking. But, in case the entire school lot is filled and running over with cars you can probably park on the street. It would be nice for the service to be that crowded. Let's try for it shall we?

Not all communities are fortunate enough to gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. It says a lot that our community of Strawberry Plains is so willing to do so. The service usually lasts about an hour. Be sure to put this on your list of things to be thankful for and come out tomorrow night.

Recreated Items Sell to Benefit Local Charity

The kids have refinished a few more items. We'll be listing these on eBay soon. In the meantime, they're available at our office on Saturdays. The proceeds benefit Hope for Healing.Org. Most of the kids who worked on these items are juvenile offenders. We teach them how to create items from thrift shop donations. This gives them job skills and helps them understand about recycling. It's a win, win, win situation. The stool that you see has already been sold. The table and little wall shelf above have not.

Enjoy the pictures! Come see us on Saturdays for unique items!

Click here for the article on Associated Content about how we recreated the stool. »

Unemployment Leaps, Sour Economy Strains Nonprofits Too

While the economic picture is tough (and our nonprofit is very concerned financially right now) the news is not all bad in other areas. At Hope for Healing.Org we're seeing an increase in people wanting to volunteer. They know about the impact of the sour economy firsthand. They are choosing to buff up resumes by learning new skills and helping others. If you are bombarded with headlines that make you think all news is bad, this encouraging article may help.
View more on Associated Content »

Angel Food Truck Substitutions

Hi,

We just got word from Angel Food about the following substitution tomorrow. We are sorry for any inconvenience. Angel Food strives to bring the freshest and best quality of food items. Occasionally they have to make substitutions. As a host site, we thank you for your understanding.

Honey roasted sausage will be substituted for smoked sausage.

Angel Food Pick Up Sat. Nov. 21

Don't forget to pick up your food boxes tomorrow. They should arrive by 10:00 am. Bring a box or laundry basket if you have one. We'll help you load up.

The December menu is available from the Angel Food website. For a sneak peak visit http://www.angelfoodministries.com Yum! Don't forget, there are no qualifications with Angel Food. Anyone can enjoy the bargain and convenience.

How Angel Food Ministries Works
is Angel Food really a value? Read on to see if Angel Food might be a help for your family.
View more »

London Bound Carter High Band Auction Tonight

We're letting you know about this opportunity because we have clients in the band. (Not pictured.) And we hope you're as proud of them as we are!

It's time for the 3rd Annual Carter High Band Auction. This is one event you won't want to miss! The silent auction fun begins at 6:00 pm and is followed by a live auction at 7:00pm. Lots of goodies are available! Last year's items included gold jewelry, restaurant gift certificates, themed baskets, UT items and more. It's the perfect place to do your holiday shopping and support a cause!

In case you haven't heard the band of Carter High has been selected to perform in London, England. Getting there will take the work and dedication already familiar to band members. It will also take the support of the community. Most kids, like the clients of Hope for Healing.Org that are in the band, will have to spend countless hours of fundraising to get there. The lessons learned through these activities will stay with them throughout their lives and may help them become even more productive citizens of the Strawberry Plains community.

The auction is one chance to support the kids. There will be other opportunities. Visit the Carter High Band website to learn more http://www.carterband.com

See you at the auction!

Read more on Associated Content now!

I Never Called it Rape - Book Review

I Never Called it Rape - The MS Report on Recognizing, Fighting and Surviving Date and Acquaintance Rape
Read my full review on Associated Conntent.com/

If you like the book please buy it by clicking the back button on the browser and ordering here. I Never Called it Rape. If you do, Amazon.Com will donate a part of the proceeds back to Hope for Healing.Org. It won't cost you any extra that it normally would and helps us help others.

To learn how to get your book reviewed here please email gayle@hopeforhealing.org

Reminder: UMC Holston Conference Domestic Violence Task Force Meeting Today

For the Task Force members subscribed to the blog, don't forget the meeting from 2-4 at the Alcoa Conference Office. Bring your copy of the resolution and your notes. See you there!

Allie
Guest Blogger
Hope For Healing.Org Volunteer
Filling in while Gayle is in the hospital

Great Craft Show Fundraiser. Thanks Volunteers!

What a great show! Many thanks go to all the volunteers who worked so hard. We appreciate you. We appreciate all the vendors and everyone who came by to make the show a success! Mark your calendars now for next year! Tell your friends and family. Come prepared for more great holiday shopping.

Helping us makes a difference in the Strawberry Plains community. Thanks for making this a great place to live and serve. Subscribe to our email list for up to the minute information from this blog.

Allie
Guest Blogger
Hope For Healing.Org Volunteer
Filling in while the Executive Director is in the hospital.

Holiday Craft Show TODAY!

Today's the day we've been waiting for. Our first holiday craft show has moved from planning to reality. Many, many thanks to everyone at First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains.

Here's the scoop:

First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains
Holiday Craft Show - Today!
10:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Barbecue lunch is available for a donation.
No admission.
Free door prizes.

Lots and lots of fun. Come on out!

Craft Show Vendors and Volunteers Pay it Forward

Wow...It's been a busy day getting ready for tomorrow's craft show. There are some great vendors coming in. I can't wait for the show and hope you can't either! Fundraisers like this by our great volunteers make it possible for us to change lives. The other day, a domestic violence victim was able to find out where to go for an order of protection. Another mom got food for her kids. Juvenile offenders gave back during the Angel Food Distribution Day and Junior Volunteers paid it forward. In the process, the lives of our volunteers are changed too. This craft show will pay our rent and other expenses. The fun is on Saturday from 10 until 4.

Allie
Guest Blogger
Hope For Healing.Org Volunteer

Holiday Craft Show fundraiser is Sat! Some booths still available!

Oh my! Where did the time go? This all seems to have happened so fast! Our first Holiday Craft Show happens this Saturday at First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains. Wait until you see all the goodies we have for door prizes!

Don't forget that the BBQ lunch can be pre-purchased. It's going to be a lot of fun! See you there.

And if you haven't already send in your reservation form please do so via email. We have a couple of spaces left but not many.

Come see us Saturday!
First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains
10:00 - 4:00
865.933.8769

Thanks to all our Military Veterans!

Knoxville celebrates Veteran's Day with an annual parade.

Locally, we want to express our appreciation for everyone serving in the military. We appreciate your sacrifices and your willingness to do hard jobs to keep our country safe and free. To the troops who are serving in distant lands we offer our prayers that you soon will be safely home. May God bless you and may we be a blessing to you.

Thanksgiving Service Brings Strawberry Plains Together

Community Thanksgiving Service-

Nov. 25th 7:00 PM

@ Rush Strong School

This is put together by a coalition of churches and businesses for the people of the Strawberry Plains community. A love offering is collected to benefit the local historic cemetery.

Holiday Craft Show Charity Fundraiser on Saturday

On Saturday, we'll have our first-ever holiday craft show. We can't believe it's so soon! If you are a vendor who wants a booth please get the reservation form in ASAP! Do come check us out. We're going to be a great place to do holiday shopping. Live demonstrations are going on several times of the day. The door prize list is growing. It's going to be a LOT of fun!

Many thanks to the following for helping us get the word out:

The East Knox Area News
The Standard Banner
MetroPulse
WBIR Online
The Knox County Focus
Knoxville News Sentinel
Secondhand Hope - the blog of Hope for Healing.Org
Associated Content
CraftLister.Com
Carson-Newman College

And of course, many many thanks to First Baptist Church of Strawberry Plains for allowing us to use their fellowship hall.

See you Saturday from 10:00 - 4:00
First Baptist Church
3100 W Old Andrew Johnson Hwy.
Strawberry Plains, TN 37871

Call 865.964.6673

Angel Food Deadline Sat. Nov. 08 @ 3:00 - Today!

Today is the last day to order the Nov. Angel Food box. Be sure to have your form in to our office by 3:00 today. The address is 3130 W Old Andrew Johnson Hwy., Strawberry Plains, TN 37871 Call us at 933.8769 if you have any questions. The menu is available at http://www.angelfoodministries.com

For more information about our experience with Angel Food please view our Associated Content article here.

Get Amber Alerts on Your Cell Phone. Find Missing kids.

Did you know that you can receive free Amber Alerts on your cell phone? They're fast. They're free and they save lives. You can sign up now at https://www.wirelessamberalerts.org/index.jsp

Getting set up takes about 5 minutes. You'll receive a text message to welcome you into the Amber Alert system. Then, you'll receive text messages whenever an alert goes out for one of the zip codes that you select. You will not be slammed with alerts. For most carriers, normal test message rates do NOT apply. To get started visit the url listed above today.

Want more information? View Gayle's article on Associated Content

We hope you'll sign up today!

Catching up... Craft Show, Angel Food and More.

We're catching up from where Gayle's been out sick. Thank you all for your patience while she's been out!

Two quick reminders:
1) Angel Food orders are due in our hands by Nov. 8.
2) Holiday Craft Show on Nov. 15 at First Baptist Church. You can pre-purchase your lunch plate. Let us know how many you want. We can even arrange delivery! Let us know how many plates, what time, where and we'll get them there. Call us at 933.8769 or email gayle@hopeforhealing.org.

The kids and volunteers have been hard at work on items for the craft show. We can't wait until you see what they've been doing! Lots of other great vendors will be there. We'll have door prizes and lots of fun. See you there!

Change Happens Nationally and Locally

A new day is dawning. Racial and cultural "ism's" have been set aside - or hopefully buried. The people of the United States just elected our first black president last night. Today, the election is history. Now is the time to look forward, move forward, and push on to great things as a nation and as individuals. There are difficult times ahead. The people we serve at Hope for Healing.org already know that. They are no strangers to hard times. But what we have today is a new outlook and the belief that together, we can make a difference. Last night we did just that.

Happy Election Day!

Don't forget to vote! It's important!

To sweeten the pot we wanted to let you know about the following. (Pun intended.) If you know of anyone else offering an election day freebie post it via the comment section.
________________________________________________________________

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream is giving away free ice cream. Wear you "I Voted" sticker! They're in the shops at Western Plaza.
Krispy Kreme is giving away free patriotic doughnuts.

Using These Links Helps a Charity Stay Afloat Amid Economic Turbulence.

Like everyone else we've been hit by the economic downturn. Bills are up. Grants are down. To be able to help others we are asking for your help. The listed merchants will donate a percentage of their sales to Hope for Healing.org every time a purchase is made through one of these links. The catch is that these particular links must be used.

It's a great way to support us at little or no cost to you. Of course, if you insist on helping us by donating cash that's good too. We've included those links at the bottom of this post.

Thanks in advance for your support!
Hope for Healing.Org

iGive.Com -
Shop from here for stores such as: JoAnn.Com, Broderbund, Oriental Trading, eBay and more!



GoodSearch.Com - Search using Goodsearch, a Yahoo powered search engine where every click counts for charity. It's fast and it's free! You can even set it as your computer's homepage.

GoodShop - Choose from vendors like eBay, Home Depot, Choice Hotels and more. When you shop through Goodshop vendors will donate a portion of the sales to us. You can track the total donated from their website. Every shop adds up! Plus, you don't spend a penny more than you normally would.

eBay Store - shop here for great items. Lots of deals! More coming soon!

Donate via our My Space Cause Page!

Or donate now via Pay Pal below.

Even a few dollars here and there add up to make a big difference!

Tennessee Gives Free Cell Phone and Service to State's Poor

To find out if you are eligible visit the SafeLink Wireless website at https://www.safelinkwireless.com/

According to the SafeLink Wireless website the service is currently available in Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia. Plans are in the works to offer it in other states soon. The website assures customers that they will never receive a bill from SafeLink Wireless ever. Customers will be able to text message (for a fee) and use the phone as they would any other cell phone - without worry about paying for it.

If no on else in your household receives services from another Lifeline program and if you already participate in another Government program such as Housing Assistance, Food Stamps and Medicaid you might qualify for SafeLink. Also, your total household income must be at or below 135% of poverty level.

For victims of domestic violence who find themselves without income or jobs re-establishing themselves after abuse this could be very good news.

To see if you qualify visit the website listed above.

Board Meeting Reminder

To our board of directors,
Don't forget tomorrow night's board meeting. We have a full agenda. Lots to discuss. See you Monday at 6:00.

Daylight Savings Times Ends Tonight

Don't forget to set your clocks accordingly. Daylight Savings ends tonight. Set your clocks before you go to bed.

Computer users may need to update manually.
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/dst_topissues

http://www.timeanddate.com/time/aboutdst.html
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/