Good Things Are Happening

december 2011: 22 new bikes for our kids

We were blessed to be the recipients once again of new bikes for our kids from a bike project organized by Pine Street Carpenters. This year we received and distributed 22 amazing new bikes of all sizes and colors to 22 very happy children. View more photos and a video of Pine Street's Annual Bike Build.

 

May 2010: Kids Who Really Care

Nancy Hiro, Outreach Coordinator at Goshen Friends School, started Kids Care, a youth service organization, seven years ago. About thirty students participate, preschoolers to fifth graders working together to help others in the community, their activities ranging from baking cookies for firemen or policemen to organizing school-wide service projects. Once a month Kids Care children visit the nearby Bellingham Retirement Community where they meet with residents in independent living, assisted living, nursing care and the dementia unit to socialize, play games and assist with tasks like planting patio pots.

In May, the Points of Light Institute, the national umbrella organization for Kids Care programs,asked Nancy and her students to host a Pampers Surprise Baby Shower to congratulate and support an expectant mother in the community. Nancy contacted Friends Association to find out if we had a new or expectant mother, currently in our Shelter or Homeless Prevention Program, who was in need of baby gear, diapers, and some pampering. We had not one, but three eligible moms, and although the Baby Shower program was intended for just one mom, Pampers agreed to support a triple baby shower.

With $1,000 and coupons from Pampers, the help of the caring staff at Toys "R" Us in Exton, a beautifully decorated cake donated by Genuardi's in West Chester, gifts for siblings and moms contributed by the Goshen Friends staff, and additional donations of money and gift cards, Kids Care planned and hosted a fabulous baby shower. Moms, families, students and staff celebrated the occasion, as three elated moms and their children opened gifts and found an office packed with Pampers and baby equipment too large to wrap, including strollers, pack-n-plays, and car seats. They enjoyed cake, fruit, cheese and soft pretzels, and best of all spent time getting to know one another.

The shower turned out to be a tremendous gift for all involved,
as Nancy Hiro observed:

Even though we gave an incredible number of gifts, we got much more in return—to see our our staff rally together so passionately, to have the children so excited to be a part of this event, to have local stores give so much, to be introduced to such an inspiring association and its staff, and to meet three ladies who are trying so hard to make ends meet while lovingly care for their children and those to-be.

Thank you Kids Care, Nancy and Goshen Friends for dedicating yourselves to this cause, gathering the resouces to make it possible, and devoting your time to make it a success! Our moms are not only better prepared for their babies, but also richer for experiencing your care. We also wish to thank Pampers, the Points of Light Institute, VocalPoint, and generationOn Kids Care Clubs, the organizations responsible for creating and backing the shower program.

    

Above: Three pleased and pampered moms.



Above, left to right: Pampers, Nancy and John (Goshen Friends) with Daniel, Gifts too large to wrap.