Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Spring Basket; full of flannel receiving blankets!!


happy soon-to-be spring!


my hope is that we can have 12 spring baskets sponsored to give out on the first day of spring.

each basket contains 12 large reversible flannel blankets, all of which have been crafted by a local mom.

each basket will be donated to one of the following organizations or the organization of your choice.

please indicate where you want your basket to be gifted.

you will receive a receipt from the receiving location.

suggestions-
shelter network-
-haven family house, redwood family house, first step and crossroads.
-pre to three county program- assist moms with babies in need.
-friends outside of santa clara
each basket is $250.00 and can be purchased through www.paypal.com
by using our email address as the recipient. please note which organizaion you would like your basket to be delivered. to!
from the $250.00
$50 is for fabrics.
$100 is for labor.
$100 is for project warm hug's
operating budget.
this is a triple win.
thanks so much.
megan

Sunday, February 24, 2008

warm hug care packages- update, i need your help!

hi

at the beginning of the year, i set up a program that would not only gift moms in need, but would also provide work for local stay at home moms,
and provide funding for project warm hug.

to meet our annual budget of $36,000.
1000 warm hug care packages need to be sponsored.
this is 250 per quarter.
so far in quarter #1= only 27 have been sponsored.
this means between now and march 31st,
223 packages need to be sponsored!!!

each package will either contain-
a warm flannel receiving blanket made by a local mom,
a dozen diapers, and some wipes.
and a fleece stroller blanket.

or

a book bag made by a local mom.
filled with books to read to her kids.
a dozen diapers and some wipes
and a chocolate bunny!

you can choose either or both!
go to paypal.com for payment
and note in how many of each packages
you want to sponsor.

thanks so much!!!
megan

ck out our new website!!!

wwggzhttp://www.projectwarmhug.org/

thank you, lauren!!
a very generous mom designed and set this up for us!!

a quick update of our efforts, january and february.

greeting.

finally i have a moment to sit here and write up an update. i wonder just how so much time can go by, so quickly. i believe it is called mommy-warp-speed.

since the beginning of the year,

the following groups have started diaper drives for us!:
cubes and crayons, menlo park
the children and family institute, menlo park
st timothy's school, san jose.
bonnie's pre-school, sunnyvale.
i picked up these donations the other day. the kids had brought items from home, folded them up and put a little paper heart in each pocket.
this is the third year that bonnie hosts a "diaper and clothing" drive for us. each year she teaches her kids that not everyone is as fortunate as they are, and that those who can share, need to share with others. each year, her kids are so proud of their bags of donations. these kids are 3-4 years old.

we have donated:
strollers- 3+2
pak n play-1
swing-1
bathtub-2
hi chair-2
bags of clothing- 90. approx 25 items per bag. (2250)
toys- 3 dozen (36)
books- 2 dozen (24)
diapers- 300+200 (500)

we have gifted:25 gift bags that included-
40 dozen diapers.(480)
25 new kid's t-shirts (25)
25 blankets (25)
tolietries (25)

we have donated to:
pre-natal to three program- san mateo county
st francis center- redwood city
kinship program- san mateo county
shelter network, san mateo county

going into march-

we have 0 diapers.
we have 0 gift cards.
all of our remaining diapers, clothing and items are being donated out this next week to a number of families who are in great need of donations.
donations estimated to total- 150 items.

total for jan and feb= ~3500 items.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

what we really need to make this year work.

greetings.

i have posted our 2008 plan and the details of our first two warm hug giving programs.

what i really need is to have a number of moms who are willing to make a monthly donation towards these programs.

for example-

" i would like to sponsor 10 care packages a month. i will use paypay the first of the month. please email me as a reminder."

our goal is only 80 a month. if there are 8 moms willing to sponsor 10 care packages, our budget is set for the year.

please let me know if you would like to monthly sponsor 1,2 ...10... or more.

thanks so much.
megan
mrosenhart@yahoo.com

february and march- warm hug care packages details.

greetings!

after a very successful "adopt a mom" holiday program,i am excited to announce our next two programs. project warm hug donated 122 holiday care packages to local moms in need.

i have changed the name of our 'adopt a mom' to 'warm hug care packages'. this ties our name into the giving program and gives us a little more flexibility with the seasonal themes.

here are the next two month's programs-

february- valentines theme.
a hand-crafted receiving blanket detailed with a heart.
a package of diapers. a package of wipes.
and a little something for the mom.
sponsorship is $40.00
deadline is February 5th.
to be delivered on February 12-14th.
goal is 80 packages.

march- spring theme.
books, a hand-crafted book bag and a see's chocolate bunny. these packages will be donated to local kids in need.
sponsorship is $40.00
deadline is March 5th.
to be delivered on March 19-21st.
goal is 160 packages.

additional bunnies can be ordered as a fundraiser for
project warm hug at $5.00 each. these are from SEE'S!
they can be ordered to donate or to receive...
projectwarm hug receives $2.50 per bunny.

please let me know how you would like to participate!
thanks so much.
megan

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Project Warm Hug's 2008 plan!

Greetings.

I hope that you have had a wonderful holiday season.

William and I have been spending time at home in slow motion.
It has been great to look back and reflect on last year's efforts.
Below is Project Warm Hug's plan for 2008.
I would love your comments and suggestions.
Megan.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Here is our 2008 plan.

To begin with the organization that we were working with in 2007, Friends Outside has eliminated a number of their programs, including ours.

This has been a huge disappointment especially since Friends Outside was founded by my grandmother.

In spite of this decision, Project Warm Hug will continue as a community program that collects and distributes warm clothing, diapers and books to local families in need.

The volume of this program will be confined to my garage and limited time each week. Last year, we donated #60,000 items! up from 21,000 for 2006.

I introduced to new programs last year; our 'adopt a family and adopt a mom' holiday giving programs. We gifted 21 families with over 200 gifts and gifted 122 moms with 'warm hug care packages'. Because of the success of these programs, I have decided to expand these programs to year round giving.

These families in need really need our assistance year round not just at the holidays.

Each month we will have a couple of families identified that need to be gifted. I will post the monthly wish lists on our blog at projectwarmhug.blogspot.com.

You can email me with the items that you would like to gift. The first two families are posted below. #01 and #02.

Our "adopt a mom" program quickly has shown that it is our most successful program for a couple of reasons.

This program combines Big Heart Designs with Project Warm Hug's efforts. Not only does a mom in need receive a "warm hug care package", a portion of the sponsorship is used for Project Warm Hug's operating expenses, a portion is used to create our "emergency fund".

The 'warm hug care package' includes a Big Heart Designs hand-crafted blanket valued at $24.00, diapers and wipes, a couple of books to read to their babies, and a special gift just for the mom.

The entire package will be valued at over $50.00. Big Heart Design's gifts are hand crafted by local moms who are looking for an opportunity to successfully work from home. This is a win all the way around!!

Each 'warm hug care package' sponsorship is $40.00.
My goal is to create and donate 1000 warm hug care packages this year!!!

Individual and monthly sponsorships are welcome. 1000 sponsorships will provide all necessary funding to continue Project Warm Hug as a community program, an emergency fund that will help many moms in need, and provide me with a "paycheck" to continue all of my efforts and also gift 1,000 moms in need!!!

So, our financial goal for 2008 is for 1000 'warm hug care packages' to be sponsored.
It is as simple as that. 20 warm hug care packages a week! (for 50 weeks).

I am hoping to jump start this year by receiving at least 100 sponsorships.
You can pay for your sponsorships via paypal.com or by sending a check.
I am happy to give you details for each.
I will be able to give you a receipt from the organization that receives your care packages.
Email me if you are interested in this program.
Here is an overview of our 2007 results!
number of items donated- ~60,000last year- ~21,000
number of families gifted- 21last year- 0/ new program
number of moms gifted- 122last year- 0/ new program
donation sites- 12last year- 0 new program.
we were ~$2500 short of meeting our out of pocket expenses.
we were 100% short of the $14000 to provide me with a monthly stipend. (for the last 14 months) these amounts will be set up as a note payable for 2008.

Here is a list of how you can make a difference.
~host a diaper drive.
~host a book drive.~host a clothing drive.
~sponsor a family's wish list or a few items on it.
~sponsor a warm hug care package monthly.
~tell a friend about our efforts.
~donate gift cards.
~volunteer an hour or two.
~host an "evening of giving"

It has been great to be able to have the time to put this plan together. I am excited about our new year-round giving programs as a way to give, fund and provide.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your support. I am thrilled that we have made such a difference in the lives of so many families in need.

with warm hugs.megan

2008 Family Wishlist #02

Struggling family in San Bruno.
Father trying to support family.
Special needs baby born very premature, mother unable to work as baby requires 24 hour care.
Gift Certicates to places she shops at:
Pack and Save
Lucky's
Target
Old Navy
Foot Locker
Foot Action
Clothes for Mom "Tilema"Shirts: 2xSweaters: 2xPants: 18socksShoes: size 9
Clothes for baby" Nephi" 10 months old Diapers Size 3 Wipes shirts 2T months pants 18 months socks Size 2blankets crib sheets King sheets, blankets, and comforter (any color in fine as long as they match)king pillows
Husband " Isaac"Shirts-3X or 4XJacket-4XPants-42/32socksShoes-13

2008 Family Wishlist- #01

have a single mother in san mateo who does not speak english and is raising her 2 year old on her own.
She is a wonderful mom living on very little.
She does not have a car to drive her around.
Her needs are:
Silverwear: she has 2 spoons and 2 forksplates:
she has 2, cups:
she has 1sippy cups:
she has 1 new king sheets new king comforter and blanket
Television (20" or larger) with DVD would be great
she would appreciate a gift card to (these are the only stores she canget to by walking):
Key Market KMart Target
Clothes for mom " Vitalina":Pants (size 14)Shirts (L)Sweatshirts (L)Jackets (L)Shoes (size 7) white tennis and any black shoeSocks
Clothes for 2 year old girl "Maria":long sleeve and short Shirts: 3TPants: 3TJackets: 3TShoes:7 ½Socks

Friday, December 28, 2007

happy holidays!!

happy holidays to all!!

what a year! at the end of last year, i thought that our 21.000 item donation total was going to be hard to beat. well, guess what? not only did we pass it, we nearly tripled it!
our rough total right now is ~$60.000!

in addition, our adopt a family program was wonderfully successful.
we gifted 21 families with a total of 88 family members.
and, we gifted 122 moms with our adopt a mom program.
whew!!!
thank you to all!!!
a few other successes-
a local family received a used RV to call home,
over 20,000 diapers were donated,
many very lo income families had warm clothing for their children.

after a couple of days of rest from this crazy week,
i have finally put together our numbers for the year.
so far, our out of pocket expenses are $17,640.
so far, we have received $14,846.
the difference we need to receive is $2794 by 12/31/07
my stipend of $14,000 is not included in this total.

please, if you are able to help us reach our goal of $17460,
send a ck to: 174 spruce ave. menlo park, ca 94025
or use paypal.com with my email address as the recipient.
mrosenhart@yahoo.com

thanks so much!!!
look for our 2008 plans in the next week!!
megan

Monday, December 17, 2007

Last Call for our "Adopt a Family" Holiday Giving Program.

GREETINGS.

HERE IS OUR UPDATE AS OF SATURDAY THE 22ND. IN CAPS~

greetings.

it is amazing just how many gifts we have received to give to our families this year....

we are still in need of just a few others.

a women's bike- GIFT CARD TO TOYS R US RECEIVED.

a gift card to macy's - GIFT CARD TO TARGET RECEIVED.

a gift card to north face - GIFT CARD TO TARGET RECEIVED.

a new car seat for a 1 year old - STILL NEED

a new car seat for a 2 year old.- STILL NEED

a gift card for a family portrait.- STILL NEED

6 more gift cards to target for $25-$50. each.- STILL NEED PLEASE!!

2 gift cards to old navy- STILL NEED

a gas card.- STILL NEED TWO.

and a partridge in a pear tree....

thank you all!!!

(email me if you would like to gift any of these items,
i will pick up from you!!- most of the gift cards you can buy from safeway)

Thursday, December 13, 2007

urgent need for gift cards for our holiday giving program

greetings.

at this late date, i have had two more families added to our holiday giving program.

to save you from battling the retail craziness... i will do the shopping if you can help me out with gift cards.

target, safeway, toys r us, mervyn's, ....

please send them to:
174 spruce ave.
menlo park
ca- 94025.

PLEASE- email me first and let me know they are being sent...
i get a little nervous about the mail this time of year...
if i can pick them up from you i will~~

thanks, megan

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

holiday giving program- update.

greetings.

i am in a whirlwind of gifts for our holiday giving programs~! there has been such an amazing response from local moms to make this a very exciting season of giving!! thank you all.

i have just a few more gifts that need to be "adopted".

this is a last minute family wish list.
THIS FAMILY HAS BEEN ADOPTED!!!- extra gift cards are always welcome.
single mom with 2 year old son. for the 2 year old.
art supplies.
crayons,
chalk,
paint.
large roll of paper.
pots and pans for his play kitchen.
bath toys/paints...
he wears a size 3t on top and a 2t on bottom and size 8 shoes.
she would love a new "special" outfit for him for christmas dinner.
he loves dogs, trucks and trains.
he isn't into spiderman, cars, nemo, sponge bob....
or her.
simple/basic digital camera
flannel sheets/queen size.
bath towels- pink/yellow/lavender
gift card- cost plus, pier one, target, safeway, mervyn's, shell, kepler's.
so that she can shop the sales after christmas!
anything other than basics have not been in her budget for a long time...
she receives diapers and clothing for her son through project warm hug.

STILL NEED. - extra gift cards are always welcome.
mom and son in shelter
women's bike (prefer black)

STILL NEED extra gift cards are always welcome.
mom with 15 year old.
mom just had a heart attack.
$50 gift card to target.
$50 gift card to safeway.

STILL NEED - extra gift cards are always welcome.
single mom with 7 year old.
mom got laid off a month ago.
women's black work shoes. size 7.
synchilla sweatshirts/tops form gap or old navy.
gift card to toys r us.
coupon to movies for two.
gas card.

STILL NEED- extra gift cards are always welcome.
single mom with one year old.
only able to work part time.
gift card to target
gift card to safeway.
hi chair
changing table.

STILL NEED ALL OF THESE... for project warm hug.
donations and gift cards to add to our emergency fund.
this fund is available to moms who encounter an
unexpected expense that they need help with.

payoff of our borrowed car. $4000

payoff of our out of pocket expenses. $4100

someone to sponsor my "stipend" of $1000 a month for the last 14 months!!

and someone to sponsor my 2008 stipend of $1500 a month!

STILL NEED. a business, an organization, a neighborhood, ... to sponsor a month for next year. we are working towards this kind of project based community involvement.


thanks so much!!!
megan
(i would love a gas gift card!!!)

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Gift giving update/ gifts still needed.

greetings.

the response to our giving programs has been wonderful!!!

we only have a few extra gifts that need to be gifted...here is the list of gifts. please take a look and let me know if you would like to gift...

please wait for my confirmation before buying...

gift cards would also be great, i am sure that i will have some last minute requests.
thanks so much
meganproject warm hug

mc-single mom in need contour pad/changing table.
carseat for a 16lb baby
3 yr old girl- toys
high chair

la- single mom with 7 year old.
mom-size 7 work shoes.
synchilla tops- large
girl/7yr old.
disney figures, high school musical gear. cheetahgirls, hannah montana
pair of movie tickets
gas gift card

c4- in family shelter.
mom- pots and pans or nail kit.
14 yr old/boy-dress watch
7 yr old/boy- jacket size 10 boys.
11 yr old/girl-foot massage kit/foot soaker.
all love music
gift cards welcome.

"conjoined twin's family"
10 in family/ $50 for each.
i have the GIFT list or gift cards and i will shop!!

p4-
target gift card- $50+
safeway gift card- $50+
single mom just had a heart attack.
and has a 15 year old daughter.

our wish list still includes:
$4100 for out of pocket expenses.
$14000 for 14 months of stipend for megan
$4200 to buy the used car i am borrowing.
88 more moms to be sponsored for our mom's giving program ($40 a piece) already have 112 sponsored!

someone, ... to adopt us. project warm hug has 501c3 status as an affliate program of friends outside-until 12/31/07.

2008 budget is $36,000! and that includes all of our expenses and my "full" time salary!please

let me know if you have any questions.
thanks so much.megan
468-3065

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Address to send gift cards and checks.

hi

i hope to make this easy for everyone who is interested in donating to our adopt a mom/family programs.

please send all gift cards and cks to:
megan rosenhart
174 spruce ave.
menlo park
ca. 94025.

please make cks out to:
project warm hug.

please indicate with a note or in the memo section
whether the ck is for our adopt a mom program
at $40 a mom.

or

our adopt a very special family project.

or

towards our out of pocket expenses.

that way i can keep track of the "accounting".

one last "to-do". if you would please email me with
what you are sending so that i can make sure all
gift cards and cks are received.

thanks so much!!!
megan

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Our Holiday Boutique is Monday, Nov. 26th!

You are cordially invited to
Project Warm Hug's"Give a Little – Get A Lot" Holiday Boutique
Monday, Nov. 26th * 2-5 p.m./5:30-8 pm

You'll be so ready to step away from the turkey by then,
so get out your Treos & Iphones to mark down a very special date on your calendars –Nov.26th!

Come sip tea or champagne and spend a little "you"time shopping for a good cause.

Please join a wonderful group of moms and designers for this upcoming boutique that will benefit *Project Warm Hug*, a local program that provides diapers, warm clothing and cool books to local children in need in association with Friends Outside of Santa Clara County.

This will be an intimate holiday shopping opportunity to purchase unique, handcrafted items to help you get a jump start on your gift giving for friends, family, teachers - and maybe yourself, too!

Date: Monday, Nov 26th, from 2-5 pm; 5:30-8pm
Location: 1621 Portola Avenue, Palo Alto, in the Southgate
neighborhood (cross street is Miramonte).
Hosted by: Pamela Weiss

Browse & buy during tea time in the afternoon or drop in after dark for a glass of champagne and a bite of dessert while you cozy up to local designers &artists including:
•Ashley Jane Designs: Ashley Jane offers distinctly unique handmade clothing and gifts for babies and little girls and will feature vintage postcard reproduction wall plaques as well as a new product – fabric wallets for moms! Ashley Jane is a one woman show run entirely from the East PaloAlto home of designer Ashley Higashi. Her designs are sold exclusively through home shows and local events.
Website:Ashleyjaneonline.comhttp://ashleyjaneonline.com/
•Copper Moon Apothecary: Katy Thompson is known for her healing lotions and potions - handcraftedsoaps and lotions using organic, natural sustainable ingredients with no animal testing.
Website:http://www.coppermoon.net/
•Sara Jane Jewelry: For women, Sara Jane features handcrafted jewelry using sterling silver combined with gemstones and/or freshwater pearls.
For the sweet little girls in your life, there are fresh water pearl bracelets with crystals and sterling silver necklaces/bracelets with charms. Also,for girls, handmade whimsical and dainty hairclips,headbands, and bows!
A darling addition to any little girl's outfit!
•Shalini Bitzer: Shalini presents beautiful embroidered shawls and wraps in many different styles. Wool and silk pashminas, fun and funky little handbags in festive colors - even quilts and bedspreads!
•Jewelry designer Anna Yee: With her beautiful handcrafted jewelry, Anna blends a combination of pearls and gems to create the perfect jewelry to wear for all occasions.
•Big Heart Designs: A fun collection of whimsical and retro-inspired children's clothing and accessories handmade by local moms and represented by Megan Rosenhart, director of Project Warm Hug.

Truly in the giving spirit?

Donations of gently worn children's clothing and diapers (all sizes, loose and open packs are fine) will be collected at this event, so take a moment to clean out your little one’s closet to make room for holiday bounty while providing a new home for your kids’ outgrown clothes and too-small diapers!
Proceeds from this event will directly benefit Project Warm Hug’s holiday Adopt-A-Family program that seeks to match area families with their specific holiday needs and wishes.

More info: For more information about the “Give A Little, Get a Lot” Holiday Boutique or Project Warm Hug, email mrosenhart@yahoo.com or call (650) 468-3065.

Update as of November 20th!

hi

i have a lot to update you on.... our holiday program is going full steam ahead.
our adopt a mom program launched last week. we have been honored to gift a really special family. donations of goods are coming in and going out. financial donations are beginning to come in as well!! and life is very full right now.

details on:
our holiday program.

as of last night we have 16 families with a total of 70 people who are a part of our "adopt a family" program. thanks to this wonderful community of parents, all of these families have been matched up!!! i am sure that i will have a couple of last minute requests! thank you all for your support with this program.
if you are still interested in "adopting" a family, email me with your name, budget of what you are willing to spend, and any special interests... like single mom with small children...
our adopt a family program will continue year round!!! so, please sign up if you are interested in helping out this season or next year!!

i was overwhelmed with how many single moms are struggling with living here. so, i have put into place an "adopt a mom" program. i am really excited about this program!!
here are the basic details.
each sponsorship is $40.00/per mom.
each mom will receive a big heart designs handcrafted item such as a large receiving blanket, a stroller blanket or a nursing poncho. local moms will be making these items, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to project warm hug and moms will receive a beautiful gift. big heart designs is my attempt to have project warm hug be self sufficient, train single moms how to sew and be able to earn money by working from home, and put all of my many years of design, production, retail, wholesale skills to work.
in addition to the big heart designs gift, these moms will also be gifted with some practical items such as diapers, wipes, clothing....
i am thrilled that this program will be offered year round as well.
my goal is to gift 200 moms this season. so far, we have 112 sponsorships!!!
please email me if you would like to adopt one, two, ten or a hundred moms.
mrosenhart@yahoo.com


project warm hug has been contacted to "gift" the following family.
i see this as a huge honor!!
please let me know if you are interested in being apart of this gift giving team.
i will be "assigning" a gift wish to you this weekend.
gift cards will also be helpful.
project warm hug will be continuing to be this family's "secret Santa" year round!!!
here is the latest email i have received from their social worker.
thanks so much.megan
project warm hug. ___________________________________________________
Hi Megan
Thank you so much for your help with this family. I have written a short introduction and a wish list for the girls and their mother.Yurelia and Fiorella are two year old conjoined twins. They were successfully separated at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital on 11-12-07. The twins have overcome many hardships since their birth. They have strong spirits and were able to endure a high risk surgery, where they only had a 50% chance of survival.Yurelia has already undergone a second surgery to correct a heart condition. The twins parents have very limited resources. Their parents, Maria and Jose have 9 other children, in Costa Rica, where the family is from. One of their son's has cerebral palsy. Jose only earns $200 dollars per month. Maria and the twins will remain in the United States for a prolonged period of time while the girls recover and possibly undergo other surgeries. Jose will return to Costa Rica to care for the other children and Maria will have to care for the twins on her own. It would be wonderful to have these girls and their family receive unexpected Christmas gifts .thanks again, maria.

since receiving this email, i have also received the wish list for the other members in their family. if you would like to donate to this family, please email me as well. mrosenhart@yahoo.com

donations are coming in... still need diapers!!! baby clothing, strollers, car seats,
i have some new donation drop off sites. in redwood city, community street jam on veterans blvd and celebrate art on main street. email me and i will set you up with the donation site closest to you. mrosenhart@yahoo.com

financial donations are trickling in... we still need $4300 to meet our out of pocket expenses this year. i am also hopeful that my stipend will be covered for the last 14 months @ $1000 a month... our 2008 budget is a mere $48,000,
i bumped it up from $36,000 in order to have an assistant to help out with office "stuff".

i will be attending a lot of holiday events during the next two weeks. i will post them tonight on this site!!!

happy thanksgiving!!
megan

Friday, November 09, 2007

who we are and how you can help.

project warm hug
our mission is to provide dry diapers, warm clothing and
cool books to local children in need.
...
our vision is that through our efforts, an increase in
social awareness of our economic diversity will occur.
...
how can you help?
* donate diapers. all sizes, open packs and loose diapers are fine.
...
*donate gently worn children's clothing, newborn to 5T.
larger sizes as well as women's, men's and
maternity clothing are also needed
...
* donate your spare change. we operate with a bare bones budget.
your spare change really does make a difference.
...
* donate gift cards; safeway, target, salvation army, savers. these cards are used in emergency situations as well as for our adopt a family program.
...
*sponsor a family for our year round adopt a family program
simply email me your name and any details of a family
you would like to assist, and i will match you up.
...
* offer a financial donation to help us with our emergency program.
...
*offer a financial donation to assist us meet our bare bones budget.
...
*offer a couple of hours of volunteer help!!
...
*refer us to a business or a social organization that might be
interested in adopting project warm hug as community service project.
...
2004/2005- 4000 items were donated.
2006- 21,000 items were donated.
2007- so far, 53,000 items have been donated!!
...
thank you for your interest.
megan

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

update as of November 6th, 2007

greetings all.

this past week has been all about organizing our adopt a family program.

the response from the community has been wonderful!!! it looks like as of today we have 21 families who will be either adopting a family, providing gift cards, volunteering or cooking for them.

this week is all about matching up families with families.

if you are interested in getting involved, please email me at:
mrosenhart@yahoo.com
with your name, phone number and your interests...

________________________________________________________

also, the big news of last week is that our "trailer family", received their donated RV and moved into it on Friday!!! truly an amazing donation from a very generous family.

we also received a generous check to cover all the fees and expenses for this transaction to happen!!! thank you.
________________________________________________________

so while i was coordinating this donation to happen, my car died! come to find out the repairs needed are more than the car is worth. i can have a portion them done but i still run the risk of it dying again. i have loved this car, it was donated to us last year from a very generous family.

in the meantime, another very generous mom has lent me a car.

________________________________________________________

oh, and yes, we also donated a bunch of clothing, a crib, a couple of strollers, some diapers and some housewares last week as well. #500 items to add to our
#52,000 totally.

#52500 for the year so far.

________________________________________________________

still need the last of our out of pocket expenses covered... only $4200 left!!!
and then it would be awesome to fill our emergency fund with $2000 and
it would really be awesome for my stipend for the last 14 months covered, $14,000....

______________________________________________________

my wish list includes:

gift cards to add to our newly formed emergency fund.
these will be handed out to families who are needing a helping hand during a challenging time in their life.
Safeway and target are the most useful cards.

the purchase of my "borrowed car". the seller is a single mom and this would be so helpful for her as well. if someone bought the car, then they could donate it to us and receive a receipt for tax purchases...

this is my big wish!!!
i would love for "someone" to adopt project warm hug for 2008. this adoption would include having expenses covered including a small salary for me!
our total bare bones budget for next year is $36,000. this could be a great opportunity for a business/foundation to show their community support!!!

that's all for now!.
megan

Friday, October 26, 2007

Weekly Friday Update. October 26.

greetings.

i hope you enjoy this new format.
each friday i will be updating you with:
the donations we made that week.
the donations still needed.
our wish list.
the questions asked that week
an update on the adopt a family program
an update on the diaper and spare change drive.
comments by megan

DONATIONS MADE-
donations made to st francis center in redwood city.
diapers, clothing, baby items including a stroller, a crib and mattress, a bassinet.
~3000 items.
donations made to friends outside in santa clara.
diapers!!!!
~1200 items.
donations made to the pre to three program.
oodles of diapers!!

TOTAL ITEMS DONATED TO DATE- #~52,000
project warm hug found:
a winnebago for a family to live in.
there trailer is falling apart.

a car to borrow while we decide whether to
and how to fix our "workhorse-mobile"

DONATIONS STILL NEEDED-

diapers... all sizes, always needed.
if you want to order online and have them shipped directly to me, let me know and i will give you the address needed.

warm coats- children's, women's and men's.

warm blankets- new if possible.

OUR WISH LIST-

gallons of spare change!!
you can set up a jug at home, at work, at church, at school....at a holiday party.
our funding is based on a very bare bones budget,
your spare change will actually make a difference.

the remainder of our out of pocket expenses is $4300.

to refill our emergency fund is $2000

to pay megan a $1000 a month stipend is $14000 for the last 14 months.
yes, megan has not been paid for the last 14 months.

to have the repairs paid for on our workhorse is $519.00

i would love to add gift cards to our emergency fund.
safeway, target... have the most items needed.

OUR ADOPT A FAMILY HOLIDAY PROGRAM.

i have had an amazing reponse of families who are wanting to adopt a family this year!!!

i will be sending out a separate email, but if you are interested please email me and let me know. mrosenhart@yahoo.com

what i need to know is:

your name.
your email.
how much you want to spend on a family.
(we have a wide variety of families)

the matching will be made in the next 2 weeks.

OUR DIAPER AND SPARE CHANGE DRIVE.

currently:
St Timothy's in San Jose is conducting a diaper and spare change drive through the end of November.

to begin in november:
community street jam in redwood city.

and we have 3 others who hopefully be onboard for November 1st.

COMMENTS....

this has been a really challenging week for me. finally after 2 months of looking, a new roommate moved in on sunday. i had spent that rent check three times over. monday morning i find that the rent ck is missing and replaced by a note telling me that she doesn't think it will work for her.
whew, that was a shocker!
that day i posted that i was looking for a travel trailer for a family because theirs is falling apart. a few hours later, one showed up!!! wow!!!
tuesday, i am trying to figure out how to pay my pge bill without the rent money.... finally my mom helps us out, i am at the bank cashing the ck, go back out to the car and it doesn't start. the fourth time that week that i needed to have it jumped. the nicest aaa guy cks the battery and the alternator. both are shot! he actually followed me home to make sure i could get home. my mom meets us in the parking lot to pick up my bill and the cash and drives it to the pge office for payment. she manages to make it there with 10 minutes to spare.
that night i put out a post about needing a car to borrow while i figured out how to pay for the repairs or if it was worth spending the money on this car. a couple of hours later, a mom emails me to let me know that she has a volvo wagon to borrow. wow!!! so i have been able to continue picking up and donating out diapers and items all week!

i am telling you about this week because it has been a defining moment for me.
i work with families (or their caseworkers) who are in crisis, 24/7. every time i get a request from a family or caseworker, it is an urgent request!

i get it!
i understand just how much stress these families are under day to day.
i was able to find a family in need a new home, but could hardly make my pge bill because i didn't have the rent ck i was anticipating.

there are so many families living on the fringe where if any emergency happens it throws them into a crisis. these families are all one payck away from being homeless if they aren't already.

i wrote a post about 4 single moms last week. all who are needing some kind of assistance. likely you thought that these moms were unemployed, homeless, undocumented, ... or something like that. please read the post if you haven't already.

these four moms are actually my babysitter, her cousin, my next door neighbor and myself.

i ask you to please gift how you are able to; a pack of diapers, a safeway card,
a gas card, a target card, a handful of change, a hour of volunteer help, helping us reach our 2007 budget, making a pledge for next year's budget....

we are 501c3 approved by being an affliate program of friends outside of santa clara. you will be given a receipt for all donations made.

thanks so much. megan

QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK???

do you have 501c3 status if i want to make a financial donation??
YES.

where can i send a donation check?
174 spruce ave. menlo park, ca 94025. to my attention.

if i want to start a spare change drive, can you provide me with a flyer to hand out??
YES

do you have your 2008 budget in place?
YES, $50,000.
email me if you would like the details.

can i forward your information to other mom's groups??
YES.

why do you keep project warm hug going??
i understand the clients we assist. i know how hard it is to be a single mom, to have lo-income status, to be on medi-cal, to try to navigate the systems for assistance. i also know that we are one of the very few if not only programs that donate diapers, that donate these items on a consistant basis. at this point, too many families are depending on us.
i believe that if you are able to make a difference then that is what you are meant to do. and that is what i am doing.

are you participating in any holiday events???
YES.
i am usually at the campbell farmers market on sundays from 9-1.
i am going to try out the sunnyvale market tomorrow, october 27th from 9-1.
i will be participating in a number of holiday boutiques and will post my schedule.

how can i be reached??
mrosenhart@yahoo.com
650-468-3065

thanks for your kindness,
with many warm hugs.
megan