Christmas Charities 4: Warming Hearts Project

Allow me to introduce Bonnie Gano. Bonnie is an office assistant and a resident of Bradenton, FL. She is also a wife, mother of 3 and grandmother of 8 who loves being active in her grandchildren's lives. Last November she started an organization called Warming Hearts Project, which gives blankets to foster children and seniors in her community.

I asked her how she got started:

Have you ever asked God "What can I do to help?" I did and He answered.

A friend asked if I would like to help in a local outreach. They were collecting food, used goods etc. and handing it out each month. Christmas was coming and they were collecting toys for the children. Toys are expensive and with the economy the way it is, I thought it might be difficult for me to find a way to help. That is when God said "I gave you a talent, use it!" I love to crochet and what better gift than a cozy warm blanket to cover a needy child with LOVE.

So it started, one blanket then two and the need became greater than I expected. I needed help and the Lord provided me with people one by one. Some wanted to crochet, some sew, some gave financially. All help was welcome.

The blankets have become very important to mission to me I know there is a great need to spread Love and Comfort to others. I have observed this when giving the blankets out and the love and security it brings to those receiving them.

With the help of diligent crocheters, Bonnie has given out over 200 blankets since last November, and her ministry is growing. Last Christmas she gave out 40 blankets to foster kids and seniors, and this year she plans to give out about 135. She teaches a crochet class twice a month in her home to teach people how to make the edging for the blankets. Her future plans include retiring in order to have more time for her ministry.

She said that when the foster kids receive a blanket, it's a tangible reminder that someone cares. It acts as something that is "theirs," that goes with them everywhere even when their lives are unstable and changing. She thinks that kids need something physical to hang onto, and they love the soft fleece the blankets are made of.

Here is an example of some Warming Hearts fleece blankets with crochet edging:

Warming Hearts is always looking for 2 things:

1. People to make blankets. You can contact her through her website if you're interested. Don't worry about your skill level; the blankets are intentionally easy and require minimal crocheting and no sewing. They're very quick!
2. Funds to buy supplies, including fleece, yarn, crochet hooks and rotary hole punchers for the edging. Blankets are made in 3 sizes: Big kid (1 1/2 yds fleece), little kid (1 yd fleece), and baby crib/senior lap blanket (1/2 yd fleece). Fleece usually runs about $9.99/yd, plus the cost of yarn.

If you would like to help in any way (or if you would like blankets), you can email Bonnie Gano at warminghearts91@verizon.net.

Christmas Charities: Be A Foster Angel Sponsor

With Thanksgiving upon us and November coming to a close soon, it's time to start looking for Christmas charities to give to. There are scores of worthy organizations that help needy children at Christmas. Through the Angel Sponsor program, you can donate unwrapped toys to the 12th District's most vulnerable children who may not otherwise have toys under the tree.

Dear Community Member,

You may have been an Angel Sponsor in the past and if so, you are probably aware of the Sarasota Family YMCA's many contributions to improve the lives of children and families in need. One of our biggest programs is the Safe Children Coalition. Monthly, the Safe Children Coalition serves close to 1,300 children in Sarasota, Manatee and DeSoto Counties who have been abused or neglected.

Every holiday season we rely upon the generosity of members of our communities to help us make the holiday season special for these vulnerable children. You or members of your organization can help by becoming a Foster Angel Sponsor. This is a great opportunity to make a real difference one child at a time. Our children would be especially thankful!

Please follow this link to our sponsor letter.

Sincerely,

The Angels Team

The Foster Angels Team
The Sarasota Y / Safe Children Coalition

What a great thought, that a needy child will excitedly open your gift at Christmas and ask who it's from: "Your Angel Sponsor!" Isn't that a way to feel loved! Please consider sponsoring a child this Christmas by donating toys through the Angel Sponsor program. We'll check in and post about other charities you can donate to as well.

Big Foster Event: Need Volunteers!

On Saturday October 20th the Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association is hosting a Sarasota Mini-Conference/Quarterly Meeting. Foster and adoptive parents from around the Suncoast will attend, and an estimated 100-125 children will need childcare. We have two churches that have gathered some volunteers for that day, but we could really use some extra hands!

BAANK regularly hosts Operation Relaxation for up to 50-60 children, but we want to offer services to more so that all can attend this important conference. If you are interested, please call. No training is necessary, but there will be a couple of minor hoops to jump through to get ready for that day.

You can read more on our website about the fun things we do with the kids at Operation Relaxation: puppets, crafts, and games!

Contact Rod Myers: (941) 374-1818

Sending Parents Down the Righteous Path

BAANK's parenting program, the Righteous Path, is officially off the ground. Our class for single moms was approved last month by the state, and we have begun to find facilitators to teach the class in various locations in Sarasota. Faith-based parenting skills are arguably what is most needed in order to prevent and stop child abuse and neglect, and churches are often on the front lines in bringing the power of the gospel to parents and children in their communities. We are excited that God has thus far blessed these efforts. However, it's only a drop in the pail, and much more is needed.

Here is what is needed to get families started down the Righteous Path:

Churches that are willing to lend their facilities for parenting classes.

In these cases, a facilitator from outside the church will be brought in to teach the class using the church's building. This is extremely important because we would like the classes to be taught in various of parts of town so that people who have been court-mandated to take parenting classes can get to them easily.

Facilitators.

Do you or someone in your church have a keen interest in parenting? Can you think of someone from your church who has accreditation in the social services or social sciences field and meets our requirements for being a parenting class facilitator? Tell them about BAANK's parenting program. This is a volunteer position, so only an Associate's degree is needed. For all you know, this may be just the sort of thing they were looking for.

Churches that want to start a parenting ministry.

In these cases, a church can develop their own parenting classes with BAANK's help with the state approval process. In accordance with state standards, the church can also have their own facilitators. If this is the sort of program you would like to build in your church but don't know how, we can help.

Parents who can benefit from a parenting class.

That's every parent! Despite the stigma they have, parenting classes are not just for "bad" parents. They are for every parent who wants to interact and deal with their child(ren) in a way that is going to send them down a good path in life. Our classes are open to people who both have and have not been court mandated, and people are encouraged to attend regardless of religious preference.

If you have an interest in any of the above—or if you have any questions—please contact Rod Myers.

Needy Kids Go Back to School in Style

Seven hundred children in Manatee County returned to school this month with brand new school supplies donated to them by local Publix shoppers. Publix ran its School Tools for Cool Kids campaign for about a month leading up to the first day of school, which was August 20th.

The Safe Children Coalition (the 12th District's lead agency on the child welfare front), with the help of some members from BAANK, prepared the backpacks and supplies collected by Publix and delivered them. According to US Census data, about one in five children in Florida are living in poverty and are not able to afford the basic tools for going back to school.

According to the Safe Children Coalition,

Tampa Bay’s News Leader, “10 News” has kicked off their “2012 Publix Cool Tools for School Kids” campaign. The campaign began July 30th and will end on August 31st. The donations are made by Publix customers who want to show support to children who are in need of school supplies. There are fourteen Publix Stores in Manatee County who participate. Through this campaign the SCC has been able to stuff approximately 700 backpacks with needed school supplies.

We always appreciate the Safe Children Coalition's constant efforts in the community, and we also appreciate that Publix's values include charity and education. Publix organizes the donation of school supplies every school year, donates to other organizations doing the same thing, and gives college scholarships.

Want ways to help?

On your next trip to Publix, look for the School Tools for Cool Kids bins. Customers and associates can purchase pre-assembled school supply bags, purchase individual school supplies and/or drop off school supplies in the designated bins. Each Publix store works with community agencies to ensure the school supplies stay in the local communities where they were donated.

Check with local civic community groups, such as Rotary or Kiwanis Club, to see which service projects/efforts they may be supporting for back-to-school. 

In some communities, schools and teachers may post school supply lists for items that they are in need of for the school year.

The Back-to-School season has already passed, but schools are always looking for volunteers to help them throughout the year. Sometimes it's with jobs you might not think of! If you would like to give of your time and energy for a local school, visit these websites (or look your county's school system up on the web to find out how you can volunteer):

Sarasota County, FL: SarasotaCountySchools.net
Manatee County, FL: Manatee.k12.fl.us
DeSoto County, FL: DeSotoSchools.com

Education is so important for our children, especially children at risk, which is what makes these programs so great. They offer more than just pencils and backpacks; they offer education and empowerment.