Thank You!!

Global Hope supporters, give yourselves a pat on the back!
Our fund raiser in partnership with
Willowbrook Whole Foods
exceeded our expectations!

We appreciate all the support we received from Whole Foods, their customers, and the many friends of Global Hope who participated.  As the recipients of  the Willowbrook Whole Food’s One-Dime-At-A-Time Program for the first quarter 2010, we raised $2,016. The Global Hope Board has earmarked this for a specific relief project in Haiti — we added these funds to individual donations received for Haiti Relief and used them to help fund staff salaries during the reopening of IMN School, Darbonne, Haiti.  Read the details in our Blog on IMN School in Haiti.

So, because of such generosity, we are shouting out to all of you:

THANK YOU!!

Hands-On Day for Haiti

Thank you so much for making Sunday such a SUCCESS!!

The “Goodwill in Motion” this past Sunday at our “Hands-On Day for our Neighbors in Haiti” event was a sight to behold!!  The fervor of volunteers working together in one large room was an experience to behold.  Words fall short in an attempt to describe 66 volunteers, working side-by-side, heart-to-heart and hand-to-hand – each moved by the desire to help the sick and wounded by supplying hospital sheets and tourniquets – each connected by the wish to add dignity to the multitude of burials by decorating sheets for palls.

The morning began with a moment of reflection – our intention was to make a difference in the wake of this earthquake disaster.  For the next five hours a crescendo of love and compassion directed busy hands to sort, cut, design, paint, glue, iron, fold, pack and label hundreds of sheets and pillowcases for a total of 43 boxes packed, sealed and ready for delivery by days end:

- 167 decorated palls,
- 1,109 nondecorated palls and sheets,
-  5 boxfuls of tourniquet fabrics and
-  40 sets of new packaged sheets, at final count
Outstanding!!

Our “gifts of love” were carefully packed and sealed and transported to Munster, Indiana where John Shattuck, a member of Friends of the Orphans, will ensure safe delivery to Haiti. Some sheets will go to St. Damien’s Hospital in Port au Prince and will be used for bedding – some for tourniquets.  Many will be used to bury the dead.

We were moved by the volunteers who turned out this past Sunday.  We are inspired by their willingness to help and we are thrilled to have such a long list of people and businesses to thank.  We Give Many Thanks to these Many Heroes:

• Perma-Seal Basement Systems
• Jennifer Wolfe Photography
• Keith Kelly/ Innovative Communications
• Berto’s Deli
• Prairie Yoga
• The Yoga Place
• Yoga Among Friends
• 2HotYoga & Pilates
• Shala Yoga
• Conrady School Adventure Club
• Students at Sutherland School
• The Quilt Basket in Downers Grove

Plus, all the many more generous folks who donated the bed sheets and pillowcases, money, food, supplies and time!

For us, this event – this roomful of neighbors helping neighbors – brought into focus how small this world truly is.  “Who isn’t our neighbor?” becomes the better question.  People reaching out to people is where Global Hope comes in. A hand in need reaching to a hand extended in service is where our volunteers come in.  We applaud our community of volunteers – they performed magic at this event – magic that will be felt all the way to Haiti.  Enjoy a special view of that magic with this video of the event from our friend Keith at Innovative Communications:

Hands-On Day for Haiti: Global Hope from Keith Kelly on Vimeo.

We thank everyone who gave so generously!

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Hands-on Day for Our Neighbors in Haiti

Sunday, February 7th
9:00am-2:00pm
Perma Seal, 513 Rogers, Downers Grove

Thank you to all who RSVP’d – all our Volunteer spots all filled!

We called out to all of you for sheets and pillowcases – and your loving donations are flowing in.  Thank you and keep them coming!  This project is in support of our neighbor, John Shattuck, who serves on the board for Friends of the Orphans and travels to Haiti regularly to personally transport much needed supplies.  Because many of the sheets must be cut down to various sizes before he can deliver them to St. Damien’s Hospital outside of Port au Prince, Haiti, we call out to you once more.  This time we need your hands.

We will cut sheets down to specific sizes for tourniquets needed in the hospital.

We will also cut sheets down to specific sizes for palls needed for burials and we will adorn these with religious and inspirational markings and glued on “fabric art”.

We will press and reverently fold our “hands-on” work and pack them according to shipping guidelines to ensure safe delivery to Haiti.

Please bring your own scissors, permanent markers (Sharpies work well – and they come in assorted colors), craft glue, craft paints, craft trim, and appropriate embellishments.

We will supply additional craft glue, paints, fabric scraps for “glue on art”, markers and various embellishments.  Water and snacks will be provided.

Bedsheets and Pillowcases for Haiti in partnership with “Friends of the Orphans”

Your part:

Collect new or slightly used sheets and pillowcases (any size) and drop them off by Feb 7 to:

Yoga Among Friends, 4949 Forest Ave., Downers Grove

John Shattuck, a board member for Chicago-based, Friends of the Orphans, will deliver the sheets to a hospital/orphanage in Tabarre for desperately needed bedding to accommodate the huge influx of patients, and for transporting patients to and from the hospital.  Shifting from the more familiar focus of “rescue”, these sheets and pillowcases may also be used as palls for burial.  Your donations will be respectfully and lovingly decorated in order to use them for this purpose.  In an effort to improve the severely inadequate burial conditions for earthquake victims, Mr. Shattuck assures us that our donations will insure that as many victims as possible be “buried with dignity”.  Take a minute to learn more about Frankfort resident, John Shattuck, and his work to help Haiti in this newspaper article.

Global Hope’s part:

Coordinate expedient delivery of sheets and pillowcases to the appropriate destination.

More Ways You Can Help –

In Partnership with One-Dime-At-A-Time Program at Whole Foods, January 1 to March 31, 2010

We are directing all proceeds from the Willowbrook Whole Foods “One-Dime-at-a-Time” Program toward relief efforts in Haiti in the most efficient manner possible.  So spread the word – the more who shop and bring their own bags to this location – the greater the difference we can make.

Monetary Donations

Monetary donations are always appreciated and presently all will be used to fund relief efforts in Haiti.   Click here to contact Global Hope to ask a question or make a donation.

Global Hope holds the vision of

“helping those in need who dwell amidst the effects of this  “inconceivable disaster”.

“an overwhelming public response to any and all means for helping Haiti”.

“thousands upon thousands of people in Haiti finding relief from any and all efforts to help”

You love Whole Foods!

You love Global Hope!

Put them together and what do you have?

One spectacular “One Dime at a Time Program“, that’s what!

Here’s a super easy way you can celebrate the spirit of giving and help Global Hope to “keep the giving going”.

We will be directing all proceeds from the One-Dime-at-a-Time Program toward relief efforts in Haiti in the most efficient manner possible.  (so spread the word – the more who shop at this location – the greater the difference we can make!)

Where: Whole Foods Market, 63rd St. & Rte 83, Willowbrook
When: January 1 – March 31 2010
How: Bring in your own reusable bag/bags. Ask that the dime per bag
refund that Whole Foods offers be donated to Global Hope, Inc.

Do remember to bring your own reusable bag each time you shop.
Do be sure to mention the dime donation to Global Hope at check-out.
Do be sure to pat yourself on the back for saving a bag
and helping Haitians “one dime at a time”.

Those dimes will add up quickly and allow us to
“put goodwill in motion” in a big way!

Thank you, Thank you Margie Sydello
for opening the door for us!!

Click here for more information

WOW!!!

Sorting through some of the many donations are Global Hope Elves Mary, Laura Jane, and Anna

We’re practically speechless!  The response to our Food and Gift drive was outstanding – all you elves out there rock!!!!!

Lesson # 1:  Give a Global Hope Elf a project and move out of the way!  Thank you just doesn’t cover the extent of our gratitude – YOU ELVES spread a lot of cheer this holiday season – A Lot of Cheer!!

And What A Food Drive It Was! – Global Hope and Yoga Among Friends are one dynamic duo.  How does 45 sound?  That’s the number of families that received 2-3 weeks worth of groceries through your generous donations.  20 lbs. of beautiful produce from Caputo’s Market, 7 lbs of quality frozen meat, a turkey and a large box of non-perishables for each family = lots of smiling faces!

Toys & Gifts Galore! – Thanks to Global Hope Shopping Elves, Marjie Kremer and Anna Rossignuolo, lots of children will find Ripstick skateboards, Mp3 players, makeup bags filled with girlie goodies, and many Target, Kohl’s and Wal-Mart gift cards under their trees this year.   Marjie and Anna shopped til they dropped – dropping a whopping total of $1,875 for those lovingly chosen toys and gifts, that is.  And that doesn’t include toys and gifts dropped off by the rest of you elves (that, by the way, amounted to an “SUV-ful”. plus the giant stack of gift cards).   GH & YAF made a significant dent in the 350 kids on Humanitarian Service Project’s waiting list.  Smiles all around!  Marjie and Anna, we applaud you.

Mary and Anna of Global Hope, with Karole Kettering, founder of HSP & Sheila Noblitt of HSP

THANK YOU ALL for your joyful donations, giving hearts, and abundant generosity.  You make us all so proud.

Global Hope is joining Yoga Among Friend’s efforts to support the Humanitarian Service Project’s (HSP) Christmas Offering.   HSP has put food on the table and gifts beneath the tree for hundreds of families in need in Dupage County.

We are responding to their biggest needs this year which are:

Sponsor Groceries for a Family – Global Hope has donated $600 to sponsor 10 families! Our goal is to raise another $600 to sponsor 10 more families with your help. $60 will supply a family with 3 weeks worth of meat, fresh produce and non-perishables. We welcome any size donation.

How You Can Help:
Make a check out to Humanitarian Service Project, and
mail it to: Global Hope, Inc., P. O. Box 863, Downers Grove, IL 60516
or
drop it off: Yoga Among Friends, 4949 Forest Ave., Downers Grove

Buy Gifts for Kids Ages 8-15 – Choose from a detailed list of gift suggestions for children and put a smile on the face of a child Christmas morning. Please drop off your gift/toy donation to Yoga Among Friends 4949 Forest Ave in Downers Grove, IL

To make it under the tree in time, all donations and gifts must be received by December 17!

For volunteer opportunities and additional ways to help with HSP’s Christmas 2009 or to visit the HSP website here.

Wow.  We did so much in so little time – again.

Service trip #4 was everything we hoped for and more –There was a lot of sweat and, more importantly, a lot of heart – and we’ve proven that that combined with our Global Hope Spirit can accomplish anything and everything – and we are proud to say that we did just that!

Here’s the list:

• Transformed a filled-to-the-brim storage room into a functional resource/tutoring center and revived some precious educational materials.
• Built 5 large custom wood bookshelf units for the storage room
• Painted the interior and exterior of the school’s grand two-story, multi-room entryway.
• Painted 7 sets of exterior playground doors (removing all wooden screens from windows first)
• Repaired and patched various windows, doors and trim around the school.
• Painted over graffiti around school
• Purchased and installed 12 bulletin boards to hang outside each classroom and re-located a chalkboard and bulletin board.
• Cleaned out all storm sewers to eliminate flooding in the parking lot and playground.
• Donated a professional pitching machine to Cohen High School’s baseball team
• Donated and hung an original art mural to grace the school’s entry hallway.
• Designed, created and hung a new sign on the school entrance.
• Donated a truckload full of books, educational materials, and athletic equipment
• Donated school uniforms and beginning of the year school supplies for 550 students

Over the weekend, many volunteers continued to show up – 39 in total.

17 Global Hope volunteers from Chicago

2 employees of the Louisiana Recovery School District in New Orleans working on their holiday

3 volunteers from Georgia – They said they came down to “help out their brothers and sisters.”  An hour after their arrival in New Orleans, they just showed up offering to help paint.  A good cause can give you unbelievable energy.

10 long-term volunteers from Common Ground Relief – These young volunteers were enthusiastic and enjoyable to work with.  We learned about each other’s lives as we worked and chatted.  Nick had his family from Minnesota come visit the work site and got his brother to help.

6 students from New College in Sarasota, FL, 2 of whom (Britney & Wynn) designed and painted the school’s new sign

1 student from Tulane University (Nick’s brother, Sam)

We ALSO thank all of you at home for your donations, checks, gift cards, good wishes and blessings.   We could not do this without you

AND . . . we thank Thom Pepper from Common Ground Relief for his continued support of Global Hope, the Ninth Ward and all of New Orleans.

We thank them all!

As shared by Michael Taylor, “Our lives have become so insular in the hectic, modern world that it is hard to make connections and to see that there is this common humanity, this goodness in all of us looking for some place to manifest this love.  Working with all these people gave me great hope for the future generation believing that their experience down here might help ignite fires in the hearts of their contemporaries.  You can blow out the candle but you can’t put out the fire.”

Drew Elementary has been transformed and will never be quite the same – and we are proud of that.  Working and sharing – heart to heart- in this unique experience of service has transformed each and every one of us.  We will never be quite the same either – and we are grateful for that.

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It rained and rained some more.  Last night at 2:00 am, the truck was packed and Dickie and Ted hopped in to start the trip back home.  The rest of the volunteers left for the airport several hours later.

Happy news met us at O’Hare.  It was a text from Troy; “The playground and the parking lot are dry!”  It was music to our ears and we thank Teddy and Troy and all who tirelessly made it possible!!

We also arrived home to a beautiful blog summary and thank you from our friends Troy and Jillian at the Recovery School District.   Click here to read it.

This morning, it was back home and back to their jobs for most of our Global Hope Crew.  The rest of us arrived to the site only to find our young volunteers, already setting up for the workday.  John Ernst left, expressing his confidence in his young apprentices, Kyle and Myckal, to use their newly acquired carpentry skills to finish the custom bookcase project.

We had lots of visitors today.  Three teachers stopped by with hot beignets and an assortment of juices from Café Du Monde.  It was amazing to see how fast one can descend a ladder once the word got out – all of us took a much needed break to enjoy these local treasures.  More teachers came by admiring our work and expressed their excitement about the positive impact all the improvement would have on the students.

Our lunch was graced today by a visit from the Reverend and Julia Adams.  The warmth and wisdom that these two honored guests add to a room can’t be described.  They were touched by the sense of community throughout the halls of this school – so many groups working together – so were we.

Teri Niedospial directed a group of CGR volunteers up and down ladders, touching up walls, scraping and cleaning windows – preparing to “let the sun shine in”.

With the help of our brilliant young students from New College in Sarasota, Mike, Dickie, Ted, Teri and Mary met the challenge of permanently affixing the six piece mural, including a portrait of the school (painted and donated by Global Hope artist, Nancy Gelband).  The principal was so touched by this original art that he cleared a place of honor for its display.   Nancy’s work has touched so many of our projects; the Community Garden, the Sacred Spaces Fundraiser.  She so generously expresses the spirit of Global Hope we now can’t imagine a project without her artistic blessing.

A permanent school sign to replace the vinyl sign that currently hangs over the school’s front door was next on the list.  Teri, Jill and Mary devised a plan for production – it was quickly off to the carpenters for cutting and then placed in the hands of a group of volunteer art students for design.  A few suggestions and a lot of empowerment set the project into motion.  In two days, these young volunteers will present their completed sign to Troy.  With a permanent new hand painted sign to replace the flimsy post-Katrina vinyl version – these art students can be proud of their part in helping this school to put the past behind them.

One more thing on this busy Monday.  It was Dickie, Teddy, John and Troy’s honor to deliver a professional pitching machine, generously donated by Roy Spencer, to the Cohen High School’s baseball team. With plans to compete at the state level this year and recently faced with the breakdown of their own machine – the timing was perfect.  Excitement was in the air as the entire team came out to meet our delivery crew.  Roy, your gift touched many – thank you!

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