Backpacks of Hope

If you fallow my mom's blog than you probable know that last year our entire family went to Utah to visit our mom and Mr. Victor (my brother) in the nicu and when my sister was haeing her turn to meet Victor the lady at thedesk gave me a bag and said that one day people droped these of here and said "Give the bags to the children who have sibling in the nicu." the bags had coloring books, games, puzzles, and stickers. they were really fun to play with. this morning I thought about that, and how it was so fun and helped me to realacks a little bit and I said to myself "What if I made bags like that for children in foster care becouse most of them have hardly anything. and I told my mom about that and she said "that is a perfect summer project. So that is what I am going to be doing this year. if you want to help, the help will be needed. So you can donate money to us to be able to buy everything for the bags. than k you everything is helpfull you can contact my mom by email or her phone number. thank you.  Eden

Eden wrote this note in the spring at the ripe old age of 9 and gave it to me with a request to post it on my blog and on Facebook.  I just love her heart and compassion for others and her desire to make a difference. She's not going to "let others look down on her because she is young" but instead wants to see wheels turning toward justice right now.

Right or wrong, I held on to her note for a time. Would people want to help a 9 year old? Was there a need? 

So I contacted our county's Children and Youth services and asked them if there was interest in a "backpack" drive. They very quickly agreed. They try to send each child into foster care with a backpack or bag, pajamas, and a stuffed animal or book. This project fit perfectly with their need for these items to be readily available. With their approval, I approached the members of Victorious Hope, a newly formed missional community of which we are a part. This project seemed like a good fit for our mission which is to care for orphans and those who love them.

Eden designed a brochure and we announced the project at the beginning of the month. What an excellent response. She already has more than a dozen backpacks and bags, about the same number of pajamas as well as various other items to place in bags to bless children.  If we end up with more than our county can use, we will contact other counties and private agencies as well.  Every child deserves something to call her own.

This project is on-going and we will deliver to Children and Youth as often as we have items to give them.  If interested, there is more information below.

Backpacks of Hope Project

Items to be collected:
1. Backpacks and bags - they can be used if in like-new condition
2. Pajamas - any size from infants through juniors but they are more in need of larger sizes
3. Stuffed animals
4. Children's and teen's books
5. Misc. items to bless a child - school supplies, lunch bag, clothing, toy or game, coloring book, etc.

Please contact any member of the King family if you would like to donate, kingzoo@comcast.net