Help Bags

The 275 Help Bags have finally made their way to the Men’s Shelter of Charlotte’s Statesville campus ( formerly known as the Charlotte Men’s Emergency Shelter). My contact  Kris Thorpe was so excited to receive them and is getting ready to distribute the bags when they pass out nightly bedding to each man. Her great personality and smile surely brings happiness to the men who call this place home on any night.

Now this year’s last goal is a month away.  The 700 fast approaches and I will be tallying up all the needed item counts over the weekend.  Please keep the Love Mercy ’09 700 Help Bag goal in your prayers – I would love for all the kids to have the opportunity to participate.

275 of the 700 Help Bags will be going immediately  to Kris and our new friends at the Men’s Shelter.  The others are going to be distributed to our contacts across 4 counties including our friends at neXus Church.  All this will take place on or around New Years weekend 2010!  Whoooo hoooo

Have a great holiday!!!

http://mensshelterofcharlotte.org/

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It took about half an hour for the CPM’s that came out to United Wesleyan tonite to pack 200 Help Bags!! That is quite impressive team work!

The Help Bags created tonite with an additional 75 are going to be headed to the Emergency Men’s Shelter very soon.  That is 275 people that will have snacks, socks, heat packs and the knowledge that someone out there cares!

Thanks so much for all the donations and support tonite ladies!!

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There is so much going on with Help Bags for the holidays and you can be involved!!

Near Thanksgiving Help Bags will distribute a total of 275 bags to the Emergency Men’s Shelter in Charlotte, NC. The shelter houses an average of 275 men per night but in the coldest winter months the number has gone above 300.  The shelter opens in the evening, provides a hot meal and shower to those calling it home that night and in the morning provides a breakfast at 7am as they leave to face the day.

Employees of Wachovia provided me an amazing opportunity to be able to get these Help Bags to those in need.  I am very grateful to the generous participants for keeping Help Bags in their hearts.  It was a surprise that left me filled with tears of joy and thankfulness from so many people I used to work side by side everyday! The most sincere thanks to all involved! You have no idea the number of lives you personally touched with your gift.

Monday November 9th Central Piedmont Mommies ( the coolest mommies around!) will be meeting at United Wesleyan Church at 7pm to begin assembling the first of the Emergency Shelter bags.  What an amazing gift to be given that many helpful hands!! Thanks Mommies!!!

On to December and Help Bags is participating in the biggest event to date!! Wesleyan teens from all over are going to pour into Charlotte to participate for Love Mercy ’09. December 28-30th 700 teenagers – yeah SEVEN HUNDRED are going to be emerged in “Three intense days of powerful speakers, artists and community focused on pursuing God’s call for their lives and expressing worship for our Savior Jesus Christ.”

The goal is for each teen to make 1 Help Bag before beginning their prayer walk around the city of Charlotte, no doubt seeing face to face some of the individuals that will be in receipt of their Help Bag they just created.  It promises to be an amazing experience!! I can’t wait!  http://mywycon.com/

At present time I am confident I can somehow come up with half of the products needed to meet the 700 goal – I am quite a bargain shopper : ) I am going to be relying on God, friends and supporters for the rest.  I don’t feel anxious over it as I feel this is something that is meant to be and I’m quite confident it will all be provided somehow – it’s too important to think it wont be.  It’s allllll about faith!! It’s taken me a while but I have finally figured it out…

The holidays are fast approaching and I wish you all happy, safe days with your family and friends!!

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Sometimes things are donated that don’t actually go in official Help Bags but are still a needed item. Items that are liquid especially I fear adding to the bags for fear they will open and a whole bag will go to waste.

Today at neXus 40 bonus bags will be distributed filled with these items- like rain ponchos, shampoo, lotion ( a big fav btw), soap, toothbrushes and small toothpastes just to name a few. and a lot of other… things. Nothing is ever wasted or not distributed.

Thank you for allllll the donations and your generous hearts!!

 

 

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Help Bags recognizes a person or group every month that made a huge difference in Helping us get out there and assist those in need.  Go to the red ‘about us‘ tab, click on ‘great contributors‘ and see who this month Gold Star is. Thanks so much to evvvvery one who has contributed items, funds, prayers and support! Together we really are Helping the homeless one Bag at a time!!! And a special thanks going out to those CPM’s – you mommies are the awesome!!

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I was reminded today by someone I barely know of why Help Bags is so important and why they were began.  I saw the anger and frustration in someone else’s eyes at the transparency those who are less fortunate than us somehow acquire too often when their needs are too inconvenient for us at that moment. It should be so basic – I have more than I need and you have nothing so I should give some of mine to you.  We all, me included, get wrapped up in material items and check book balances and not having the spare time to help someone in need. Lets be honest – stop right now and look around you.  You have a lot of material stuff you don’t need…. the bills will get paid sooner or later … and there is always a few minutes in the day to do just a little something for someone else.

I estimate 80 Help Bags will be assembled this weekend.  That is 80 lives that will be touched due totally to someone’s generosity. A Ziploc bag of 2 snacks, 2 Band-aids, a moist napkin, Tylenol and a pair of socks – would that make a difference in your life today if someone handed that to you? Probably not – but it will to 80 people in the coming days.

If you want a Help Bag to keep in your purse or backpack just contact me and I will get you one to have on hand. You’ll see first hand that one little bag can make a difference and that we really are Helping the homeless one Bag at a time.

Have a safe night everyone!!

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This Friday Help Bags is selected to be featured on Charlotte radio’s Matt and Ramona Show (107.9 The Link ) at 6:20!! Please tune in to hear the Link Leading Lady portion generously sponsored by the YMCA of greater Charlotte and Cambria Estate Winery.

If you miss the show just follow this link to …The Link.

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http://www.charlotteobserver.com/141/story/902462.html

There are 3,000 children in Mecklenburg County who don’t have homes.  This is just a look at one child in one county in one part of the country.  This sad story reaches every town in America, yes even yours.  Feel led to help in your town or the homeless population in general? There are many ideas throughout this site or feel free to contact us for more ideas.

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Help Bags $20 donation

240 band-aids and 120 individually wrapped snacks!

That is what a $20 donation to Help Bags looks like.  There is no such thing as too big or small a donation.  Every item is needed and neccesary.  130 Help Bags will be distributed this week in 2 different counties. Every moist towelette, every band aid, every item makes a difference in getting them out or needing to wait for supplies to come in to distribute.

Thank you everyone who has donated! This week we will break the 500 mark in Help Bag distribution!

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This Sunday 100 Help Bags will be passed out totally due to your donations and support!! This will bring the total to nearly 500 Help Bags distributed this summer in 3 counties!! When someone asks what you did this summer – tell them you Helped the homeless one Bag at a time Have a great day everyone!!

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