Thursday, February 28, 2008

Our Volunteers Make All The Difference


I realized today that this week has been full of getting items ready which will go to children because of volunteers. Blankets are being made so that a group traveling to Russia in May can provide all 60 children in one orphanage with a new, soft blanket. Two other volunteers are taking calcium tablets and Advil to an orphanage in Palestine. This orphanage recently lost all government funding and it unable to provide for the special needs children there without outside support.

A volunteer has recently been visiting Humble Hearts to weigh and measure all of the children, and is taking wonderful pictures of the kids, the school, and the progress on Angel Cottage. Other volunteers are working hard to order a nutritional supplement for the children of Humble Hearts, and are researching grants for many different program. Another finished making approximately 80 curtains for Angel Cottage.

We are in the process of appointing a Housing Director who will be in charge of just about everything you can think of that kids need to make an orphanage a home. Yes, it's a big job. We are looking for a financial coordinator for the Mama's Wish program, volunteers with website experience, and individuals with marketing experience.

As the week comes to an end, I'm being reminded yet again that the work we do is not only vital for the children, but that each and every volunteer is essential. There are few organizations in the world that are able to run solely because of volunteers. We are honored to be one of them.

Kari Fillmore

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Warmth

Here are few things in the world more wonderful than being warm. We've all been too cold and it's just miserable. You shake and shiver, and try everything you can to get warmer. Fortunately childen in an oprhanage in Anhui now will be warm the rest of the winter and cool this summer. Thanks so much many generous donors, Angel Covers was able to purchase 2 heating/air conditioning units for the Huaibei, Anhui SWI. Unforunately, it was about 40 degrees in the baby rooms! Now these kids will be warm and cozy all winter.

In Kenya, it's always warm...at least that's how it seems to me. The temperature rarely drops below 60 degrees and it certainly doesn't snow. In the summer, the temperature can reach well over 100 degrees and the humidity is horrible. Although the kids at Humble Hearts don't need heaters, they do need a home. Many are without families to care for them, or have families who don't understand all they are capable of regardless of their deafness. Angel Cottage was orginally built for 25 of these children. Now it's home to 36 and is frighteningly full. A new Angel Cottage is currently being built, but unfortunately construction costs are only going up. So many people have helped the construction continue. If you would like to do the same, please go to http://www.angelcovers.org/donation.html and help this project continue. Everyone who donates at least $10 will have his/her name put on a brick at Angel Cottage. Considering donating in honor of a loved one too. Everyone will recieved a picture of their brick. Please help us cover the walls with names, so the children of Angel Cottage will understand how many people around the world care about them.
Giving children a warm, safe place to live is vital. Thank you for all you are doing to be a part of this mission.
Kari Fillmore

Monday, February 4, 2008

Good News from January


First I want to thank all of you who helped LWB win the Facebook Challenge! They are overjoyed and now 10 babies will get the heart surgery they need. How perfect is that?!

Speaking of heart babies....Angel Covers had agreed to help raise funds for baby Cong before LWB won this challenge. Now she is fully funded! To those of you who donated....THANK YOU! We will be getting those funds to LWB this week and I'll keep you updated on her surgery.

Baby Hua's care was also fully funded in January. You may remember that he was the TINY baby born prematurely. He is doing better and better each day. The update I received yesterday is that he is eating on his own every 2 hours and weighs 3.6 lbs. up from 2.2 lbs. He will still be in the hospital for a while, but I was thrilled to hear about his improvements.

Angel Covers was also able to purchase 40 cribs for the Chuzhou orphanage. The director asked if they could have even more, so another 25 will be sent. If you'd like to help with this need, please go to http://www.angelcovers.org/donation.html. They really could use another 40, rather than 25. The director told us that the kids were so excited when the new cribs arrived they had a terrible time gong to sleep. :-) We have also ordered baby bouncers for them, which are expected to arrive next month.
Isn't this little girl adorable! That is from our nutrition program in Huaibei. Chuzhou has also asked for a nutrition program of baby formula and rice cereal. It came to our attention in January that the babies are being fed adult milk powder. If you or anyone you know would like to help start a nutrition program for these babies, please let me know! Right now we are looking for pledges to start this program, which will cost at least $1500 a month.

As you know, the violence in Kenya has been great throughout January. We were thrilled to hear that all of the 250 children attending Humble Hearts are safe. Although they have not all been able to return to school, they have called and we know they will return as soon as they can. We also know they will have lunch each day because of a grant received at the end of 2007. Food each day for us is considered normal....for them it's extraordinary.

We have also started a new problem to help raise funds for Angel Cottage. This is a home we are building for approximately 80 children. The current Angel cottage has 36 kids living in a home made for 25 originally. For just $10 you can put your first name on a brick. Those bricks will be huge throughout Angel Cottage and remind the kids of all of us around the world who love them. Please consider donating $10 for yourself and each person in your family! Let's give the kids a way to see each day how much they are loved by strangers around the world. http://www.angelcovers.org/donation.html

Our 2007 Annual Report is done and will be on the website by tomorrow. Everyone on out mailing list will also be getting an email with the link. Please check out all the amazing things you help accomplished in 2007.

There are still a few styles of shoes on sale, although they are going fast. The passenger pals and sweatshirts also on sale. Much of our income for our general funds comes from the sales of our products. Please keep this in mind with you need a gift. And, don't forget to shop Amazon.com or IGive.com through our website. You'll be making a huge difference in the lives of so many kids without any extra effort.

Thank you for all you do!!!