Volume 34 No. 2
Sharing and Caring Hands
Summer / Fall 2018
FROM MY HEART My Dear Friends, Here at Sharing and Caring Hands and Mary’s Place, we had a beautiful spring and start of summer and I am excited to share with you some of the wonderful things we did and are doing to help those less fortunate. We had a beautiful May Crowning where we dedicated Mary’s Place to the Blessed Mother. To celebrate the end of the school year, we took the children on many field trips to the Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe, Sea Life, the zoos, the museums, the indoor playground, and the movies. And so far this summer we have taken the children to the pools and water parks! For most of these children, it was their first time going to these places. Your generous donations make it possible for us to take them – Thank You! I am also excited to share with you how we are helping the 100 families living at Mary’s Place. Every family has their own beautifully furnished apartment and works with a Family Advocate on goal planning, finding a job, budgeting, and saving money. With the help of our Job Seeker Program, many of our residents are finding jobs and saving money – helping our residents save their money is important – they do not have to pay anything to stay at Mary’s Place but instead can save their money to put towards moving out into a stable home. I am happy we can help put structure back into their lives so they can become self-sufficient. Every Thursday at Mary’s Place, I host a mandatory house meeting for our residents where I encourage them and bring them hope. I pray with them and tell them, “Do not let yesterday take too much of today!” I give out several awards to the families and they are so happy and proud when they receive the Clean Room Award, the Kindness is Cool Award, and the Student of the Week Award. This gives the families incentive to keep a clean room, to continue to do kind deeds, and for the kids to study hard. We play music, sing songs, and dance together as the children line up to see me for their weekly gift of two dollars. I ask them “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and I always hug them. I wish you could see how this special one-on-one time I spend with each child makes them joyful and smile. These children are going through such a hard time but you would not be able to tell because they are in a place full of hope, love, and peace. I want to continue giving the children a joyous and memorable summer. We have already had some great pizza parties, enjoyed lots of Dairy Queen ice cream, and are looking forward to taking the children to Valleyfair at the end of the summer. With your continued help, we are able to make this summer one they will not forget! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your donations, prayers, and support – know that I pray for each of you every day. May God’s blessings be upon all of you. In Christ, Mary Jo Copeland Founder & Director of Sharing and Caring Hands
MINNESOTA TWINS 2018 HOPE WEEK
A special thank you to the Minnesota Twins for again hosting the Mary’s Place children at their annual Hope Week, an entire week dedicated to giving back to the community. Mary’s Place children enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day playing on Target Field and eating a catered lunch. One child said that this was the best day of his life! We are so grateful for the Minnesota Twins hosting such a special opportunity for the Mary’s Place children!
9TH ANNUAL PIZZA PARTY SPONSORED BY A SLICE OF HOPE
Thanks to A Slice Of Hope (a New York non-profit organization that pays for pizza parties at homeless shelters across the country) 600 Mary’s Place residents enjoyed a summer pizza party – They enjoyed Dominoes pizza, Dairy Queen dilly bars, soda, and music! This is the 9th year A Slice Of Hope has treated our families. It was such a fun event to have everyone in the building get together to celebrate summer break!
“To each one of us, much has been given and much will be asked. Great leaders are great servants. Go serve your God, serve your family, & serve your community.” VEHICLES A vehicle donation can change a family’s life forever. If you have a car that would offer good, reliable transportation for a family in need, please consider donating it to Sharing & Caring Hands. We give your vehicle directly to a family in need so you can deduct the fair market value as a donation. Your donated car could be the answer to a family’s prayer. To donate, please call/email Jeremy Barthel at 612-328-1681 or
[email protected].
FIELD TRIP FUN Thank you to all of our generous donors – Your donations make it possible for our staff to take the Mary’s Place children on many fun field trips throughout the community!
We took several field trips to the Mall Of America, Nickelodeon Universe, & Sea Life – they loved riding the rides and touching/feeding the sea animals. We took several field trips to the St. Louis Park Rec Center where they have an outdoor pool, water slides, and water sprinklers.
We took several field trips to different movie theaters, letting the children pick out whatever food they wanted to eat.
We took several groups of teenagers to the malls – Mary Jo gave them spending money and they were able to buy whatever they wanted.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED We are still collecting school supplies for children in need. School supplies can be a very costly expense to lower-income parents struggling to make ends meet. Most children will start school the last week of August. Please help us by donating any of these much needed items: (We ask that all donations be brand new) *Notebooks (college & wide-rule) & Folders *3-Ring Binders (2 inch/3 inch size) *Loose Leaf Paper (college & wide-rule) *Pencils & Pens (black, blue, & red ink) *Crayons (24-pack) & Markers & Color Pencils *Scissors & Glue Bottles/Sticks & Rulers *Pencil Bags/Boxes *Pencil Sharpeners & Erasers *Highlighters & Index Cards *Backpacks (16+ inch size) Donations can be dropped off at Mary’s Place or shipped directly to Mary’s Place (401 North 7th Street, Minneapolis MN 55405) in care of “K.Klement.”
SHARING AND CARING HANDS SERVICE SPOTLIGHT- EYEGLASSES
Providing vouchers for eyeglasses continues to be a growing need for many in our community. Imagine being a homeless child in a classroom not able to read the whiteboard; imagine being someone desperately looking for a job and not able to read the application. Everyday local school social workers reach out to us because their students need eyeglasses but do not have access to necessary vision care. We also have a constant stream of people coming through our doors needing this help. We are grateful for your donations and continued support that help us fund this much needed service!
ACADEMIC-YEAR TUTORS NEEDED
“If you see something that needs to be changed, change it. If you see someone who needs to be helped, help them. If you see something that needs to be done, do it. Be Jesus’ hands, His heart, His feet, and His mouth.”
We are looking for volunteers able and willing to tutor Mary’s Place children with their schoolwork. This is a great way to share of your gifts and talents with at-risk children in need of extra support. Please consider spending two hours per week with students who need your encouragement, mentorship, and support to reach success in the classroom. No special teaching experience is required; we just ask for your weekly commitment through at least mid-December 2018. Volunteers must be age 14+. Academic-Year Schedule: Tutoring Program begins 2nd week in September Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 4-6pm Sign-Up Contact: Please call/email Kathy Klement at 612-596-3418 or kklement@sharingandcaringhands.
SHARING & CARING HANDS 2017 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2017 Revenue & Support For The Year Ended December 31 REVENUE & SUPPORT: Contributions $7,978,926 In-Kind Contributions $3,865,759 Investment & Other Income $ 533,105 Total Revenue & Support $12,377,790
91%
9%
2017 Expenses For The Year Ended December 31 EXPENSES: Program Services $8,486,714 Program Services – 91% $ 349,347 Management & Management & General Fund Raising $ 410,310 Fund Raising – 9% Total Expenses $9,246,371 OPERATING SURPLUS
$3,131,419
NET ASSETS – For the year Ended December 31 $36,908,611 Land, Property, & Equipment – Net $16,279,315 Cash Investments $20,629,296 91% of all the money spent goes to the needs of the poor only 9% is used for management and fund raising.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your generosity continues to ensure that Sharing & Caring Hands will be able to meet the needs of the poor. Sharing & Caring Hands does not charge any fees for services and does not receive Government or United Way funding. We rely solely on your donations to fund this unique community outreach to people in need. We like to think of Sharing & Caring Hands as your personal outreach to the poor and homeless. Again this year, God has blessed this outreach by providing the support needed to meet the ever-increasing needs. May God bless you all.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sharing and Caring Hands is a certified 501 (c)(3) charitable organization – All donations are tax deductible. ~Financial donation questions, please contact Jeff Langaard, Finance Manager, at
[email protected] or 612-596-3480. ~In Memory/Honor Donations, please contact Nina Wright at
[email protected].
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ONGOING NEEDS
Do you have any of the following items at home that you are not using? Would you be willing to purchase some items you find on a good deal? Could you sponsor a drive at your church, school, or business to collect some of these much-needed items? Current urgent needs are bolded. FOOD for those that access our Food Shelf- the items most needed are cereal, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, box dinners, soups, and juices. HYGIENE items such as soap, deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, feminine hygiene products, DIAPERS (Larger sizes : 4/5/6), and BABY WIPES. HOUSEHOLD items (new/gently used)- dishes, pots and pans, glasses, silverware, towels, sheets, blankets, pillows, and small appliances in good working condition. CLOTHING (new/gently used) for men, women, and kids. STROLLERS in good working condition.
Though these letters are directed to Mary Jo and the staff, we share them with you to show the impact your love, generosity and caring love have on the lives of others.
LETTERS FROM THE MAIL BAG Dear Mary Jo, We are so grateful and thankful that you let our large family live at Mary’s Place for 10 months. Mary’s Place is beautiful. It is very clean and made my family feel safe and secure. You gave us the opportunity to find jobs, get PCA set up for my wife’s sick mother who lives with us, save, and look for a place to call home. You are wonderful – so caring, loving, strong, and wise – you uplift the spirits of everyone you come into contact with. Your employees are also so kind and nice – they serve everyone regardless of gender, race, and religion. I owe you so much, I know I will never be able to repay you, but God Bless You. Thank You, Yakub, Muna, & Family (Room #246) Dear Mary Jo, I do not know if you remember me but my name is Gregory and I used to come to Sharing and Caring Hands a lot. I was down on my luck but knew I could come by for a warm breakfast, coffee, and bus tokens to look for a job. It took a long time, but I got a job and a small apartment. I am in a really good place, both mentally and physically. I love going to work every day, I love feeling like I am accomplishing something. I will never forget how you helped me all those years ago. God Bless You! Thank You, Gregory
Dear Mary Jo, You do not know me – I live in Tucson, Arizona – But you recently helped my daughter, Angie. She relocated to Minneapolis and did not have much support. I myself am disabled and not able to send much money to my daughter. But she worked hard and found a job at McDonalds. She came to you for help and you blessed her with a $50 Walmart gift card to buy work clothes and a bus card to get to work. She told me how amazing you are and how clean your facility is. I wish every city in America could have a place like yours. Thank you for helping my daughter. I am truly grateful.
God Bless You, Lisa
Dear Mary Jo, Thank you to the wonderful doctors and nurses at the Minute Clinic – they have been so helpful to me and my son! I do not know what we would do without them!
God Bless You All, Dee (Room #308)
Dear Mary Jo, Thank you for letting me and my sons stay at Mary’s Place. No one else would help us. But you took us in and gave us shelter, food, and clothes. We are so thankful. You are truly a woman of God and I pray He blesses you greatly.
Thank You, Tam (Room #205)
LETTERS FROM THE KIDS
Dear Mary Jo,
Dear Mary Jo,
Thank you for the $2. I buy an ice cream cone from the ice cream truck every week.
Thanks for bringing the clowns to Mary’s Place! They were so fun to watch. They did magic tricks and made us all laugh. I hope they can come back and do another show for us!
Love, Patrick (age 6)
Love, Dylaan (age 10)
ULTIMATE GIFT A special thank you to Dean Cotton, Ministry Director of the World Clown Association, for facilitating bringing clowns from all over the world to do a show for the Mary’s Place families! Dear Mary Jo, Thank you for letting us stay here! We love Mary’s Place so much. It is the best place in the whole world to live!
Love, Danikka (age 8)
Dear Mary Jo, My favorite part about Mary’s Place is you.
Love, Geneva (age 5)
Please consider a gift to Sharing & Caring Hands as part of your will or trust as you do your estate planning. Donations can be in the form of stocks, 401K’s, insurance policies, or charitable remainder trusts. Talk to your financial advisor or call Mary Jo Copeland at 612-328-4290. Regular donations are vital to our work, and many employers will match your donations, thus doubling its value. You can use your Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express for donations to Sharing & Caring Hands. A donation of stock is also welcome and can have great tax advantages. We are a 501(C)(3) charity so all donations are tax deductible. May God bless your generosity! Sharing and Caring Hands 525 North 7th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55405 612-338-4640 vvvvvvvvvv
Business Hours: M-Th: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. vvvvvvv
You can use your Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express for donations to Sharing & Caring Hands. vvvvvvvvv
We also have the option of Electronic Funds Transfer vvvv
Want to know more? Visit us on the Web!
www.sharingandcaringhands.org
[email protected]
YOU CAN DONATE TO SHARING & CARING HANDS ONLINE.
Sharing and Caring Hands P.O. Box 50657 Minneapolis, MN 55405-0657 address service requested
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 399 TWIN CITIES, MN
A Compassionate Response To The Needs Of The Poor
