General Donations

I am frequently asked why general funds are so important. This is such a great question because funds for specific programs are talked about often and are vital to any program. Donations designated for specific programs keep those programs running on a day to day basis, support specific children, and meet specific needs. So, why are general funds so important?

I recently received a long list of items that were purchased and services received at the Humble Hearts School for the Deaf in Kenya. All of these needs were met because of general donations to the school. Approximately $1,670 was sent to Humble Hearts for general needs in April. In addition, one sponsor generously sent socks for any child who needed them.

The list of needs that was met is extensive....latrines were drained, mattresses were purchased for the preschool class, charts and posters were purchased for classrooms, pads were purchased for the older girls, chairs were added to the library and staff room, textbooks were purchased for the high school kids, the electric bill was paid, and medication was purchased for children with malaria and colds.

Although vitally important, none of these items are covered by sponsorship fees. Who would ever want to sponsor the draining of a latrine? Yuck! But because general funds were available to Humble Hearts, this vital need was met and children are less likely to become ill.

So next time you wonder if general funds make a difference, please remember this list of what was provided for the children of Humble Hearts in April. Every single dollar makes a huge difference.

Friends Around The World

Since Angel Covers began, people around the world have offered their help and support for children around the world. Recently, individuals have been posting about the need for a new Angel Cottage on their blogs and posting our widgets so others have the opportunities to donate. Because of these efforts, funds continue to be raised for this project. With Father's Day rapidly approaching, please consider donating a brick in your dad's honor. http://www.angelcovers.org/angelcottage.html

Marcia, of Magnolia and Friends, is another perfect example of the generosity of others. Marcia has graciously decided to give Angel Covers 100% of the profits from the sale of her Friends Of Magnolia Dolls. http://www.magnoliaandfriends.com/ These dolls come in a wide variety of outfits and are adorable! Marcia's generosity is going to touch the lives of children around the world. This about all of the kids in your life who would love one of these!

Thank you to all of you who help each and every day. I don't know who all of you are, but I know your caring for children is truly making a difference.

Education

For years Angel Covers has worked from the basic belief that without education, no one is able to achieve all they are capable of becoming. We have children you can sponsor at schools around the world, donors have generously given to our general education fund, and our auction is a wonderful success each year.

Because of your support, children in China and Kenya have been able to go to school. They are now getting the education they need to succeed in the world. Classroom floors have been cemented, books have been purchased, posters are on the walls, and tuition is paid. Tommy is a perfect example. In the LWB Believe in Me school in Jingzhou, he is 2 years old and is learning to hold a pencil, count to 10, and is developing his social skills. Because of your donations through gift cards for education programs, Angel Covers was able to provide the needed funds for Tommy to stay in school for the next year. http://www.angelcovers.org/giftcards.html

Purchasing note cards made by children in Kenya has provided new roofs, floors, and books to children at the Humble Hearts School. Many of these children walk miles each morning to attend school. They are trying to beat the odds and your support of them through gift cards and the purchase of note cards is making their dream a reality. http://www.angelcovers.org/greetingcards.html

For my children and many others throughout the United States, school is coming to an end this year and it's time to think about gifts for teachers. Please consider an education gift card or a box of these beautiful note cards for your child's teacher. Your gift will not only show your gratitude toward your child's teacher, but will also help children around the world.

Field Trips

Last week my second graders went on a field trip with their classes to learn more about butterflies, various sea creatures, and insects. They sat in a very nice classroom and got to pick up Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (yuck), hold a tarantula, and try to coax butterflies into landing on their shirts. Most of the kids had been to this facility before, and although they had a great time, this was the third of four field trips this year and none of the kids found it surprising to be there.

Children at Humble Hearts on the other hand, took a field trip into downtown Nairobi. Completely different from the slums in which they live, these children might as well have traveled to a foreign country. Most of the kids had never been to the "City Centre" or had the opportunity to learn about their country's history. They toured the parliament buildings, took boat rides at the Uhuru gardens, visited the bomb blast area by the American Embassy, and had their faces painted. Everyone was exhausted by the end of the day.

Seeing pictures from this has yet again pointed out to me how easy it is to take something as simple as a field trip for granted. Learning it not only a classroom event. Seeing and touching real monuments, memorials, and ecosystems is a huge part of learning that these children generally don't get to experience. But because of a generous Christmas gift from a sponsor, the children of Humble Hearts were able to go visit real objects they had only heard about in books.

Thanks to those who made this memorable trip a reality for these kids. They will be talking about it for many months.

Holiday Blessings

The holiday season is in full swing and it just seems to keep getting busier. To be completely honest, in years past the holidays have been a little depressing for me. Watching our family spend lots of money on wonderful gifts, most of which we don't need, always seemed so sad. Sure, seeing my kids faces on Christmas morning is nothing but complete joy. But in my mind are always the children who don't have the amazingly joyful time each year of giggling over what Santa brought, or thanking countless relatives for their gifts.

This year is different though. This year I seem to be thinking about all of the blessings we have been able to provide to children around the world. I'm beyond words when I think about the grant Angel Covers recently received, which will provide all of the children at Humble Hearts lunch each and every school day of 2008 and 2009. I'm moved to tears by the nutrition report we recently received about the children of Huaibei. After only 3 months they have gained weight and look so much healthier.

Individuals have asked to be put on a waiting list for our next sponsorship program in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The last Mama's Wish college student was sponsored in full. Some of these children aren't even aware yet that they have so many people who love them. Can you imagine what a gift they will be given when they learn they will have the opportunity to reach for the stars?

I'm thrilled beyond belief that the holiday cards so lovingly organized by a wonderful volunteer are FLYING off the shelves. Ok, time for a shameless plug. :-) Get your cards fast! We only have about 60 boxes left and all of the funds raised from these cards will be used to benefit the Humble Hearts school. http://www.angelcovers.org/holidaycards.html We are overwhelmed (in a good way) that so many of you are ordering our products by the dozens for your holiday gifts, knowing that you are also helping so many children. We are printing gift cards for teachers, grandparents, friends, and so many others by those of you who want your gifts to be a donation in a loved ones honor.

Today I had the honor of packing yet another box of blankets to go to an orphanage in Ethiopia. We were blessed to be contacted by a woman whose family is adopting a beautiful little boy in January and they have agreed to find room in their suitcases for 83 of our blankets for their son's orphanage. Hats are soon going to Kazakhstan, additional blankets will be going to China, and countless supplies will be going to Kenya, all because of volunteers willing to make room in their suitcases. The volunteers who provided Christmas gifts to all of the children at Humble Hearts during the annual Christmas party showed those children they are loved and valued by strangers around the world.

Although there is still plenty of time to order, I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who already have provided lovely gifts to your loved ones, and have done so by helping so many beautiful children around the world. The need is great! But, with everyone's support more and more children will have a blessed holiday season.

Kari Fillmore

http://www.angelcovers.org/

Success

This past weekend I was asked to come speak at a church in Kansas as well as an open house. I was also fortunate enough to have the opportunity to be interviewed by a T.V. station and radio station. All weekend I met wonderful people who care deeply about the children we work with. At each talk I gave, children were sponsored, products were purchased, and people expressed great interest in getting more involved with Angel Covers.

While speaking at a church, I was asked if I consider Angel Covers to be successful or when we'll know that this organization is successful. My first instinct was to say, "Of course Angel Covers is successful. We have volunteers around the world who work hard and give their own financial resources to travel around the world. We care for thousands of children on a regular basis and they are healthier and have a better education because of it."

But, I also started thinking about success for the children we have the privilege to work with means to them. Sometimes success for these kids isn't measurable. Instead, it's in their attitudes about life and the hope for the future. Angel Covers is successful because it has given children around the world the confidence to dream of a different life, to hope for the future, to believe in themselves…you can see it in their eyes when you meet them. The kids I have meet, seem to believe that that I’m the one who has given them this sense of relief and joy in their lives. They don’t understand yet that this isn’t from me or any of our volunteers, but from themselves. Maybe the conduit is the programs we set up, or the food we provided, but they used those things and allowed themselves to believe they are capable of achieving more than they ever thought before.

AC will be successful when these girls graduate from high school or college. When the kids in Kenya graduate from high school or a trade school, and are able to support themselves and have a better life than they grew up with. When they don’t feel like they have to abandon their children as the only way to care for them, when they can work all day on a regular basis and afford to put food on the table each and every day, when they don’t contract AIDS or other diseases because they have the knowledge to prevent it….that’s also when AC will be successful. These kids look at us as if we are their hero’s, but what they don’t yet understand is that they are ours. If we can ever convey that message to them and have them truly understand it….well, I can’t think of a greater success than that. And when our first group of high school girls graduates, or the first group of Humble Hearts kids graduate, I’m going to be there tell them they are my hero’s. Because that’s what this is all about.

Kari Fillmore