Castle Ridge Humanitarian Helpers – November 2008 Newsletter

Attachments: Blessing Hands Newsletter - LV Humanitarian Room - October 2008.doc

Castle Ridge Humanitarian Helpers – November 2008 Newsletter

“….And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.” (1 Nephi 16:29)

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Local Charities Our Ward Will Be Helping in 2008-2009!

We will have a mix of charity work in and out of the church this year in our ward. I have been learning about our local charities in an effort to learn where our ward can lend the most help. There are so many in need, but I have narrowed it down to a few that really need us. Our Bishop, is a big humanitarian fan and has encouraged the ward members to give! So, please keep these charities in mind when you are cleaning out your homes or are out shopping.

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Child Haven – Child Haven is a part of the Clark County Department of Family Services (DFS) and provides temporary care and treatment for abused, neglected and abandoned children between 3 days to 17 years of age. Children are placed in protective custody in Child Haven by police or DFS workers. The Child Haven campus consists of eight cottages, and activity and school centers. The cottages have a capacity of housing 12 children each, except for the infants cottage, which has a capacity for 20 infants. I personally took a tour of their facility and they need our help in so many ways! This was a very hopeful facility and the people that worked there were wonderful.

What Child Haven needs most from you! –

Your gently used children’s clothing! They need children’s clothes for newborns to 17 year olds. When you are cleaning out your closets for Child Haven, they really need your winter clothes at this time. By donating your children’s clothing, you will help so many more children in need. So, when you clean out your children’s closets, please think of our ongoing ward donation drive to Child Haven. You can drop these donations to me (see how to below) and I will deliver them for you!

Spread the Word – Spread the Word is a literacy program that is also based out of Henderson. They have been going for 8 years and service 16 low income schools in Clark County. They have an amazing program of donating books directly to these children in the schools each month. They have just given away their 1,000,000^th book this year.

What Spread the Word needs most from you! –

New or gently used children’s books! This director was so passionate about their program and all of the good that it is doing in individual children’s lives. So, when you are cleaning out your children’s closets or are at the store, please consider donating books to our ongoing ward drive to Spread the Word! You can drop these donations to me (see how to below) and I will deliver them for you!

Safe House – Safe House is a domestic abuse shelter. Their offices are right around the corner from us on Gibson and American Pacific.

What Safe House needs most from you! –

Non-Perishable food items! Safe House services about 200 clients per week. When I spoke with the director, she said that they need so many things, but food was at the top of her list. So, when you are cleaning out your cupboards or are at the store, please think of our ongoing ward donation drive to Safe House. You can drop these donations to me (see how to below) and I will deliver them for you!

Monthly Mini Donation Challenges

We will have a small donation challenge each month in our ward. Together we will bless many people in need.

November 2008 Challenge – Purchase at least 2 knit beanie hats! These are sold in the men’s department at Wal-Mart for $1.00. (See picture below.) They come in a variety of colors. They also have a knit cuffed hat for $1.00. Either the knit beanie hat or the knit cuffed hat, is just fine to donate. These will work for men, women and children (the knit beanie will even fit a 4 & 2 year old as modeled below! J)

If this request depletes the supply at our Wal-Mart on Marks & Sunset, be sure to check the Wal-Mart on Lake Mead Blvd. & Boulder Hwy. They had lots!

Please deliver them by Tuesday, November 18^th. These donations will be taken to Safe House and/or Child Haven for the children and families that they help. Cold weather is coming for the next few months and this small donation will help out immensely!

December 2008 Challenge – Purchase at least 1 board game. (Wal-Mart & K-Mart always have inexpensive board games such as Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Cootie, UNO etc. during this holiday time!) Do not wrap them. Please deliver them by Tuesday, December 16^th. These donations will be taken to Child Haven. They let the children give these as gifts to their families or give them to the children as gifts. They also have a big birthday party each month for the children and can give the games to them as birthday gifts.

Humanitarian Calendar Events

SOS (Sisters of Service) Enrichment Group – Formerly Witty Wise Women

Date: Wednesday, November 5^th

Time: 1 p.m.

Place: Carla’s home.

Event: We will be tying a quilt for our ward humanitarian efforts. This quilt will be sent to LDS Humanitarian Services

Deadline: Tuesday, November 18^th for November challenge – Donate at least 2 knit hats from Wal-Mart for Safe House and/or Child Haven

Deadline: Tuesday, December 16^th for December challenge – Donate at least 1 inexpensive board game (unwrapped) for Child Haven

Two Ways to Drop off Any of Your Donations

(I will be making periodic donation runs to all of these worthy charities on behalf of our ward)

1. I will have the humanitarian donation box in the RS room for all 3 meetings most Sundays for any donations.

All donations can be dropped off on my handy-dandy porch or delivered to my door!

Blessing Hands Newsletter

Attached to this e-mail is the Blessing Hands Newsletter from our local LDS Humanitarian Room. The October 2008 issue is attached.

Any Questions? Please contact me at bridget@meridius.net. If you would like more information on how you can help with humanitarian efforts, please visit http://myldscallings.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for all of your humanitarian efforts! Blessings await!

Sincerely,

Bridget Pehrson

Castle Ridge Ward Humanitarian Specialist