I am just a mom.
A mom who looks at our blessed life and wants to give back.
A mom who wants to raise kids whose holidays are about more than gifts for themselves.
Holidays with a bigger meaning.
Holidays that have real impact.
Holidays that change lives.
Every holiday that comes and goes I tell Dominic I want to do something different, but I've never known what I wanted that to look like. It seems that I always get swept up into the whirlwind of our regular traditions without really giving them much thought. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the holidays, but ever since having kids, I've just been left yearning for more ...
Last November I read Ashley Ann's post about how they'd brought two boys from the local children's shelter home to spend Thanksgiving with their family. They also do this at Christmastime. I was inspired. I knew that I wanted to incorporate something like that into our family's holiday traditions. However, 38 weeks pregnant at the time I knew it would need to wait.
But the ideas haven't left my mind since.
So I sat a few weeks ago - a few months and a few holidays after reading Ashley Ann's post - wondering what I could do to make this Easter season different.
On a whim, I contacted our local DHS children's
shelter to see if they had any specific needs we could
help meet. I chose the shelter hoping that the girls would be able to grasp the project, i.e. the idea of giving to other kids like them.
The woman that responded said their needs are many, but the biggest priority for Easter is to provide a nice
outfit and shoes for all the children. They have done this in the past,
and the children all enjoyed receiving a "special" outfit to take home
with them.
There will be around 60 children ages birth to 17
staying at Tulsa's DHS children's shelter this Easter - arriving with
just the clothes on their back and spending the holiday without family.
My heart breaks for these kids.
I cannot tell you how deeply I desire to help ensure that ALL the
children are able to find a nice outfit and shoes in their size. That's 60 kids. I can't provide that many outfits my own. But I can spread the word to everyone I know and trust God to provide.
If you are interested, please help
by doing some spring cleaning and giving your clothes and shoes
to the shelter! Tell your family and friends too!
What to donate?
- New or gently used dress clothes
- For GIRLS - dresses, skirts, shirts, nice shoes
- For BOYS - button down shirts, ties, khakis, dress pants, nice shoes
- Gift cards to places these types of items can be purchased
- Examples: Target, Shoe Carnival, Ross, JCPenny, Walmart, Payless
Keep in mind that the shelter houses all sizes - from babies and
toddlers to young men and women. So, not just kids' clothes - think
men's dress shirts and pants and age appropriate women's clothing too :)
Contact
me at
dawn.schulte@gmail.com for
more specific donation information. Don’t worry about getting your donation to
the shelter. I will pick them up!
The DEADLINE for this
clothing drive is April 3rd, but the shelter would appreciate your
donation anytime! A list of other needed items can be found on the Tulsa Advocates
for the Protection of Children (TAPC) website at www.tapchelps.org.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
The King
will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of
these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40
