Goal #1 - ACCOMPLISHED!

It is actually a lot more accurate to say that you blew Goal #1 away!  

The first milestone we were aiming for was to be able to deliver 25 bags, each with a blanket and stuffed buddy, to OCY, to gift to a child as they were forced to enter the foster care system.

We were thrilled with the donations we started to receive.  

These fun guys even came to us from across the country!

Then we gathered everything together so we could start to assemble bags.

Can you believe this!?

Once all buddies and blankets were tucked safely inside a tote bag or back pack...

... it became very clear that you had bigger goals for the children of Erie than we did!  You helped us put together 67 bags.  SIXTY-SEVEN!  That is absolutely amazing and humbling.

We are taking YOUR gifts to OCY this afternoon.  

Thank you for the blessings you are passing along on your behalf.  

In Kristy's Words...

Kristy, our friend who inspired us to reach out to children in the foster care system, wrote on her blog, Waiting For Happy, today about her family's experience in caring for the children who have come to them.  We wanted to share some of her words with you.  They touched our hearts.

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"We are not the same people today that we were just a few months ago. Today, we live with not just the awareness, but the intimate knowledge that not all children are fed, loved and cared for the way children should be. We have always known that this is the reality but now our eyes have truly been opened and we cannot look away. Once you’ve seen the face of abuse so horrific you’re sure you yourself wouldn’t have survived it, or have held a tiny child who has not had even some of their most basic needs met let alone been appropriately interacted with, you cannot turn back. It burns in your heart and in your mind. 

Our family has been blessed to be able to love and hold a few children in our three months since we’ve been licensed and our lives have been forever changed by them. Survivors in their own right, these kids are absolute miracles, but nobody has told them that. We get to. We get to love them and feed them and rock them to sleep at night assuring them that they are safe and secure and the next meal is sure to be served. 

Each child comes with a different story…a different reality and no two seem to be just alike. We’ve had four children placed in our home over the past four months and one common thread has been woven through each one and been a real eye opener to our privileged family. Each of these kids has come with little more than the clothes on their very back. Often times those clothes don’t even fit and sometimes they aren’t even weather appropriate. Taken from everything they know and love, they don’t even have a blankey or a trusted snuggly friend to join them on their journey that they didn’t ask to be on. 

It has been overwhelmingly heartwarming though to see that with each child who has walked or been carried through our door, the outpouring of love we’ve seen from friends and family. Not everyone can open their home (though I’d encourage you to really think and pray on that) but we all need to open our hearts to these kids and from our experience folks are eager to do so, they just don’t quite know how to help. I am here to tell you that something as simple as providing these sweet ones with just a little something to call their own, can make a difference. I have had the honor of being able to hand a four year old his very first stuffed animal and a five year old girl her first doll and I am here to tell you they are moments I will never forget. I’ve given my own children plenty of gifts, yet giving to a child who truly has nothing is an experience everyone should know."

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Thank you, Kristy, for sharing this.  

Eight Blankets

Check out this group of sweet young ladies.   

Can you guess what they are holding?  

Eight soft and cozy blankets that they worked together to make. 

Their amazing Girl Scout Troop leader, Melissa, organized several hours on a Saturday afternoon 

for the girls to devote to doing something for children they will never meet.  

These girls came in with smiles and giggles, ready for action.  It was actually quite a bit of work for those little fingers, but they were up for the challenge.  

Cutting edges to make the fridge.

That is a lot of cutting!

Starting to knot each one of the fringes.

                             

Eight blankets that will provide comfort for eight children who are likely pretty scared.  

How awesome for Melissa to give them a chance to do something that powerful,

for showing them that they can make a difference to a child in need.

We are so proud of their hearts, and grateful to Melissa for supporting Soul Purpose.

Project #3 - A Little Security

We have friends, Kristy and Howard,  who have recently become foster parents.  They have, in just a few months time, had four different children stay with them before moving on for various reasons.

One thing we have learned while talking to Kristy, is how little these children have.  They are taken from their homes with not much more than the clothing they are wearing.  In some cases, that is ALL they have with them.

We think of our own children, whose needs are more than met, and who have the security of knowing that home is a safe place. It is heartbreaking to think that any child does not have that, and yet there is a staggering number of children who are mistreated and neglected.

And then it hit us - our children do have a safe place to call home, and they still have a security blanket, or a stuffed animal that they hold on to when they are sleeping, when they are nervous, scared, or upset, or when they have a bad dream.

Let's make sure that the children entering the world of foster care have something to hold tight to as they are transitioned to a safe place. The fear they must feel is something most of us can't begin to imagine. A stuffed animal or a blanket provides so much comfort to a child.

For Project 3, we are collecting NEW stuffed animals (with the tags still on, please), cozy lap blankets meant for snuggling, and tote bags for children entering the foster care system.

We will be setting up drop of locations as we have done in the past.  You can also get in touch with us through the blog or our email (soulpurpose.erie@gmail.com) and we can set up a pick up time.  Our first goal is to have 25 bags with a small blanket and a stuffed animal tucked inside by November 30th. These will be delivered to Mary Jo at OCY.

Your contributions of any combination of these 3 items will help meet this goal and give some love and a little security to children who desperately need it.

Boo Running!

TEAM SOUL PURPOSE!

Actually, this is only part of the team.  By race time we were about 20 strong. (AWESOMENESS!!!!)  The non-stop rain made it a little tricky to get pictures.  That's right.  Non-stop rain.  We were all cold and wet and happy at the end of the race. 

How fantastic is it to be wth a group of people who believe in a cause and will brave the elements to support it?

How can you feel anything but great when you know you have done something to help others?

Thank you ALL for coming out to the peninsula with us to take part in Safenet's Boo Run.  Thank you to those of you who made donations directly to Safenet.  You are amazing!

Who knew Frankenstein could be so adorable? 

Amy and Ellie.

 Melissa and Annabelle modelling the race shirts after warming up.

And a close up of the logo.

Thank you all for supporting Safenet and Project 2!

YOU are making a difference!



Domestic abuse is......

Domestic abuse is scary.  It is not knowing what the next day or sometimes the next moment brings.  It is feeling ashamed.  It is lying to cover for the person you love, no matter how they are treating you.  It is not feeling worth it.  It is feeling that no one  understands.  It is losing friends, family, and others that you love because they can not understand or you are just to afraid to open up to them.  It is driving home and feeling sick to your stomach because you are not sure what waits for you.  It is feeling so lonely all the time.  It is almost losing your job due to call offs because the night before you were having your head slammed into the floor.  It is being spit in the face.  It is being told that you  are nothing.  It is covering your arms so no one can see the bruises.  It is making excuses to not go places because of the bruises.  It is taking so much blame on yourself that you are convinced you deserve it.
It is.....sad
It is....desparate
It is..... hard to leave.  That does not make sense to some, but it really is hard to leave.  It is making plans to be safe and still not being sure you will be safe.  It is facing the fact that the person you trusted with your life and your heart is the one that is hurting you the  most.  It is taking months, years, or even decades to undo the damage.  It is thinking you are doing just fine and then being slapped in the face with a memory that brings you to tears.  If is feeling like you have no voice, no control, and no choice.

Please come out and support SafeNet next weekend at the Boo Run Run.  Help them continue to protect, councel, and rebuild these women.

Register here:  http://safeneterieboorun.weebly.com/

Boo Run Run

The Boo Run Run is just over a month away! Have you gotten registered yet?

 

A few questions have come up so we just wanted to clarify a couple of things. This is a FUN event. Don't let "5K" intimidate you. If you want to run, please do, but as of now the majority of our team is going to be walking the course.

 

If you want to wear a costume, again, please do, but you do not have to.  :)

 

We would love to see you there running, walking, skipping, or dancing.

Costumed, not costumed, in your pj's, or however you would like to dress.

If you are still working out your schedule and are not sure you can commit to that day yet, just remember you can register the day of the event.  And you can always sponser Team Soul Purpose with a donation!

Hope to see you there!!

Announcing Project 2!!

We are so excited to get started with Project 2. We are hoping for a great turn out that will benefit a wonderful and unfortunately much needed organization. 

SafeNet is an organization that helps house, counsel, and protect women dealing with domestic violence.  Click the link below to learn more about SafeNet, their programs and what they do.

http://www.safeneterie.org

Did you know?

-One in four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.

-Nearly 50% of homeless women and children are homeless because of domestic violence.

-More than three women a day are murdered by their husband or boyfriend.

-Most cases of domestic violence are never reported.

These women are alone, afraid, and embarassed.  They stay in dangerous relationships out of fear and because they start to believe that they are the problem and that they deserve what is being done to them.  They have no self-esteem left.  They truly are broken.

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We want to help in any small way that we can.  Housing, counsel, and protection of these women costs money.  October 28, 2012  Safenet is having a 5k walk/run and all the proceeds will help with these expenses.  It is called the Boo Run Run and as you can guess from the title it is a costume run.  There will be prizes for the best costumed runner/walker.  There will be door prizes and trick-or-treat candy.  You will also receive a long sleeve T-shirt with your registration.

It is going to be lots of fun and we are hoping for a big Soul Purpose team.

How to join the Soul Purpose Team, you ask?  Fill in the registration form that you can find right HERE.  You can give it and your registration fee to Clarissa or Lisa. We will get it where it needs to go and add you to our "roster".  Or you can mail it to Safenet on your own and email us at soulpurpose.erie@gmail.com and we will know to add you to the roster.  

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So get dressed up, come out, walk/run, have lots of fun, and help us raise funds for Safenet and the amazing work they do.

Overwhelmed

Wow.  You guys rock. 

Here we are at today's scheduled drop off. (Notice we are out in the sun this time!)

And here is what you brought for Community Shelter Services today. (Awesome!)

And here is the result of your generosity...

Wow.  Seriously - Wow.  Our kiddos helped to get it all sorted to make it easier to distribute...

Some numbers for you:

Notebooks - 164

Pencils - 903

Boxes of crayons - 94

Boxes of markers - 64

Folders - 96

Glue sticks - 197

Pens - 342

Colored pencils - 61

Bookbags - 16

(and lots and lots of erasers, scissors, pencils cases, highlighters and other fun stuff)

When we started this project we, in our own minds, knew what we wanted to happen.  This is far beyond.  We are overwhelmed and more than thrilled.  Thank you for making this possible. We are very much looking forward to sharing our next project with you.



Project 1 Update

We are counting down the days of our collection of school supplies for Community Shelter Services.  We have one week left before we need to get everything into Mary's hands so that she can get them to the children waiting to use them.

The first Drop Off was yesterday.  We were all set to have a table at the park and greet you all in the sunshine.  The weather really decided not to cooperate, so Plan B went into effect and the Drop Off became mobile!


Claire and Lisa hanging out in Soul Purpose Mobile Headquarters!

 A big thank you to those of you who braved the rain with us. Watching everyone add to the totes we are keeping things in has been so exciting!

Our second Drop Off is scheduled for Sunday, August 19th.  We will be at Frontier Park, right across from the amazing Romolos, from 12:30 - 2:30.  Sing the "Rain, Rain Go Away" song with us, and maybe we will get some sunshine this week.
Seven days and counting!  Let's see how many more kids we can help start the school year with everything they need!

Supply List Update

Our contact, Mary, at Community Shelter Services has given us an updated list of the things their children need to start the school year.  Check off a few items the next time you go shopping.

backpacks
3 ring binders ~1 to 1 1/2 inches
pencils
glue sticks
crayons
facial tissue
erasers
scissors
two pocket folders
spiral notebooks
colored pencils
plastic pencil cases
rulers
loose leaf notebook paper
packaged notebook dividers
pens
highlighters
Trapper Keepers
black Sharpie markers
pencil sharpeners
small sticky notes
lined notecards
colored markers ~ thin or wide


We were also told that school clothes items are also needed, if you can pick up any of these items, they would be appreciated.

any size child/teen/adult white or navy polo shirts.
any size child/teen/adult khaki, navy, or black uniform pants.
white socks
new 3-6 pack underwear.

So Exciting!

We have received the first donation of school supplies.  YAY!

Thank you, Michelle, for getting the ball rolling!



Project 1 is Here!

Heading back to school is an exciting event for most children.  Getting to see friends that have been missed all summer, loved activities and sports, and even all those brand new school supplies can be so much fun and something to look forward to as a child.

As a parent, you sigh when you think about what your children need to start the school year. There are backpacks, notebooks, pencils and lots more to buy. But we do it, because we know those are the tools that children need to learn.

What if your budget didn’t have room for your bills, let alone school supplies?  What if your child had to go to school without them, or had to attempt to do her homework without them? How would that affect his ability to learn, to study, to succeed?

There are far too many children in our area in this exact position.

We can do something about it.

Project 1 for Soul Purpose is to support the Back to School Program of Community Shelter Services.  They are in need of school supplies to help the 100s of area children start the school year in the best way possible.

Purchase some extra items from the list the below when you shop for your own children. Get them to us (more info on how to do that is coming). We will deliver every item to Community Shelter Services, who will get them into the grateful hands of the children who need them most.

Then feel awesome, because your act of kindness will change the outlook of a child’s school year.

SHOPPING LIST:

Backpacks, pencils, notebooks, folders, 3 ring binders, crayons, markers, highlighters, scissors, glue bottles, glue sticks, loose leaf paper, erasers, pencil cases, and calculators.

Intro Post

We are just two girls that felt it was about time to look outside ourselves. Our concept is simple, find a need in the Erie community and invite all of you to help us fill it. Our first project will be coming soon. Make sure to follow us here, "like" us on facebook and join us on our mission.