June 2022

Welcome to the June issue of IH2: All Hands Dispatch!

Since our March newsletter, so much has happened!  Many of you have reached out to ask, “What’s next?!”  The easy answer…A LOT!!  🙂

Thank YOU for an amazing Easter!

YOU provided 564 families with a nourishing Easter food box full of all the holiday meal components as well as several other essential meals for the weeks following!  Equally as wonderful was the celebration we were able to host for the Butler Homeless Community where we served fresh meals, distributed food boxes, and hosted games and prizes for these children and families.  Please accept our heartfelt gratitude for your generosity.

What’s been happening in May and early June?

We are growing and expanding!  If you were with us for the Fall/Winter campaigns, you are well aware of how much we need more space.  God absolutely provided and provided abundantly.  We will be doubling our footprint from 2500 to 5000 square feet at our current location.  We are adding additional shelving and other equipment that will make the volunteer experience safer, efficient, and more enjoyable.  Thank YOU for making this a reality for IH2.  This is entirely because of your generous hearts and hands.  While we’ve had to put our volunteer efforts on hold during the construction phase, it’s time to get to work!

What is planned for June, July, and August?

Our next big campaign, SummerFest 2022, is kicking off!  While 2021 was a great success for our first year, we are working to make 2022 even better!  This year’s event will take place at Broadstreet Elementary School on August 23.  Families from Emily Brittain, Broadstreet, and McQuistion Elementary Schools will be invited to attend as the majority of their enrollment includes families that are facing economic and circumstantial hardship. SummerFest is an opportunity for students and their families to get excited about and prepared for the coming school year!  We will have food, games, and activities, and a back-to-school shopping experience.

Here’s Our Plan and How You Can Help:

• Kickz 4 Kidz:  We hope to expand our SummerFest program this year by providing the 400+ students with a NEW pair of athletic shoes for the school year.  It’s a HUGE goal, but “Faith over Fear” is our mantra.
• Clothing Drive:  Like last year, we will host a clothing drive in hopes of outfitting children with confidence and excitement for the upcoming academic year.  Details are included below!
• Meal Box Sponsorship Drive:  We plan to provide essential meal boxes to interested families attending SummerFest.  Your financial support of this endeavor is greatly appreciated.
• Volunteer:  We need a lot of help both getting organized in our expanded facility as well as preparing for SummerFest.  Please visit the sign-up link below to get involved.

As always, thank you with all of my heart for your continued support, prayers, encouragement, and generosity.  We are doing so many amazing things in our community because of YOU.  God has big plans for us, and we are blessed to have each and every one of you as partners in this amazing journey.

Much Love,
Mindy
Executive Director
Inspired Hearts and Hands Inc.

SUPPORT KICKZ 4 KIDS

At Summerfest, our goal is to provide each child with a NEW pair of athletic shoes for the year.  A $25 donation will cover the cost of a pair of athletic shoes for a child in need.  As we’ve spent time with these students over the past several years, it is heartbreaking to realize just how many of these children are wearing ill-fitting and/or worn-out shoes.  Many children have developed painful calluses from wearing shoes that are too small while others have duct tape holding the soles to the tops of the shoes.  On many occasions, we’ve left an event to purchase shoes just so that the child would be able to confidently participate.  These families face serious challenges, many of which we aren’t able to solve, but we believe this is one issue we can certainly address!

SUMMERFEST CLOTHING DONATIONS

We are seeking new and very gently used clothing sizes 5T through adult large.  The clothing will be prepared on hangers and arranged in a store-like format and available for “shopping” during SummerFest.  We are humbly asking your help in making this a highly-dignified experience for families.  If clothing is outdated, stained, torn, and/or not in good condition, we ask that you instead direct your donation to another collection agency.  Please help us to make this a positive and exciting experience for these kiddos.

MEAL BOXES AT SUMMERFEST

At our SummerFest event, we will provide families with a box containing 5-6 essential meals, including cereal, pastas/sauce, fruit, vegetables, soup, peanut butter/Jelly, healthy snacks, and other similar easy-to-prepare meal options.  Additionally, we hope to include a $10 ALDI gift card to help cover the costs of fresh ingredients and proteins.  Please consider helping us with a meal box sponsorship.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

We need many hands to help us!  There are opportunities to help with our facility expansion, preparation for SummerFest, as well as event-day volunteering at SummerFest.  Details on each of these opportunities is available via the provided link.  If you have not yet completed your volunteer profile, please follow the steps detailed in our previous newsletter to get started.  Once completed, you will be able to view and sign-up!