A Message (from Jody, adopted by Amanda)

So my friend Jody is quite a lady. A hero really. She is a great friend to me. Even though I have only met her once, but we’re blog buds. And I love it. Needless to say that Jody is a hero, and she has inspired me in many ways. Her latest project is to rid the world of the “orphan”, ever hear of ‘em? Needless to say, it’s a pretty big task, something I would like to help out with in my own special way. Go here to read her post about what she and her friends are doing to help.

Are you back? If you just kept reading, go to the link, and then come back and finish reading... (she’s bossy too, maybe that's why we get along.)

Okay... so how can we help out? I was thinking that as a local community in Denver we should adopt my cottage at work. Phoenix! So what do I mean by that... here’s what I mean. We have 17 girls in my cottage. On average each girl has been in 17 placements prior to being placed with Excelsior. With their median age at 16 that means each of them has been in over 1 placement per year for their entire lives! I see the girls move in with their trash bag full of clothes, their one beanie baby, etc. I see what Jody is talking about every day.  So here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna make Christmas in the Phoenix cottage the best it’s ever been for these girls! As a cottage we are budgeted $25 per girl for Christmas... Let’s make it $150 per girl for Christmas! And I want to have the best meal ever for them that night... and new pajamas for all of them, and new towels too! So here’s what I am asking for the local foster care girls of Denver. 

$2125- that’s $125/girl for us to buy presents for them

$325- for an amazing catered Christmas dinner (Whole Foods, Boston Market, who wants to donate this?)

$350 for a pair of new pajamas (x17)

$200 for new towels (that I will personalize with their initials)

= $3000

and that equals one amazing Christmas that these girls will never forget. 

A morning that is usually full of despair and hurt for these girls can be turned into a morning that they will truly feel loved and cared for- by a community of adults saying, “You’re worth it, you deserve this, you are special!

I put a donation bar on the side. All donations will go directly towards a Phoenix Christmas to remember. And if we go over, then I will give the rest to Excelsior for other cottages this Christmas. Think big with me. For the sake of a girl who has been told her whole life that she's not worth big. (And if you know any business owner or restaurant manager who wants to help, let me know!)