Share Your Blessings

giving hope and sharing love

Aug 18

Preparation for my Birthday Project 2013

by Kathleen

I’ve been thinking of my Birthday Project 2013 ever since I moved to Sydney. I felt bad that I can’t do it with my friend Coe whose been my partner in crime during these days. I know I can’t do the things I used to do in the Philippines since I’m new here. I don’t even know if charities exist here. Little did I know, the answer to my question is just around the corner.

Exactly 2 weeks ago, I started working in a company here in Australia. I got to learn new things, made new friends and just enjoying everyday of workday. On my first days, I was welcomed warmly by everyone, I got my own space and desktop. And then they set-up my email. I noticed then their email signatures have more lines than the usual signatures I had before. They’ve included a link to Starlight Children’s Foundation. That my friends caught my attention.

I’ve been reading about this foundation since then and felt that it was the Lord’s answer to my prayers. Now I had a charity institution as a beneficiary of my yearly Birthday Project 2013. It is so timely and it is also for children. You know how my heart is for the Youth of today, so this is the perfect match.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation provides positive distraction and entertainment for seriously, chronically or terminally ill and hospitalised children, to take their mind off the pain, stress & isolation caused by their illness and treatment. Starlight provides an opportunity for them to simply be kids, have fun and connect with other children. Starlight does this through entertainment programs within and outside the hospital environment.

Luckily, they had this page on how to fundraise, so I created one. I’ll still continue to research about this foundation and start to share the donation page in a couple of days. You can see my donation page here.

I hope you can support me again like you used to when I’m still in the Philippines. This would be a challenge for me since a lot of donors in the past gave goods instead of money. Well, I wouldn’t know unless I try, right?

 

Starlight Children’s Foundation Australia
Address: Level 3, 80 Chandos Street Naremburn NSW 2065
Postal Address: PO Box 101, St Leonards NSW 1590
T elephone: (02) 8425 5900 Facsimilie: (02) 9437 4634

Birthday Project 2013 Random Thoughts

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Oct 25

Birthday Project 2012: Preparations

by Kathleen

As a prelude to my Birthday Project 2012 post, I decided to break it down for readability purposes not to mention my chance to stall the next write ups. Hahaha! Kidding aside, here’s the first part of our Birthday Project 2012 write up.

To start off, we’ve started planning mid September 2012 already. I know it’s a bit late for this kind of event we’re eyeing on but still we managed to stay calm and brainstorm what we want to achieve. If you’ve been following my blog, you already know that we had our birthday project in Grace to Be Born shelter last year. This year, we wanted something new and  a bit extravagant so we decided to host a party for less fortunate kids.

Initially, we just wanted to have 30 kids considering the budget we had last year. However, my conscience was pushing me to expand and stretch the number to 50 kids. It was a really difficult to decide especially that it’s our first time to do this. We do attend outreach programs but this is different since we will be the ones planning and executing everything. Nevertheless, we agreed. 50 kids, GO! Hahaha!

I communicated with Sr. Ailyn Cayanan, FMA of Don Bosco School Sta. Mesa to coordinate our plans. Since she said her approval, we started to do “the work”.

First things first… SPONSORS! We definitely need donations in Cash and In Kind so we formulated and discussed how to do about it. Of course our friends and relatives were the first ones in the list. Sharing it with friends of friends would be a bonus. With no time to spare, we started sending emails, posting e-cards, word of mouth, etc. Everything we can think of to extend our network and give them the opportunity to share.

Since then, positive responses and overwhelming generosity were seen considering a short time frame. I would enumerate who took part of our endeavor at the end part of my Birthday Project post. 🙂

Fast forward….

Coe & Kath at National Bookstore doing last minute shopping holding Thank You cards made by Nico Orillano

A day before the event, I decided to take a day’s off and start preparing for stuffs needed for the next day’s event. We bought additional stuff and eco bags for them. We’ve gathered all donations in kind and packed them together for the kid’s loot bags. The food and cart suppliers were also coordinated accordingly to be able to have a smooth sailing event.

Packing Time

It was a really a team effort that we stayed in one house just to prepare for the event. With this, I sincerely thank the Abalos’ family for welcoming us and helped us from the beginning up to the end of our project.

There were challenges encountered during the preparations but thankfully we all surpassed that and was able to execute what we had in mind.

Birthday Project 2012: Preparations 
Birthday Project 2012: Event Proper
Birthday Project 2012: Sponsors

You can check Coe’s blog post: Just Be since she already published her side of the story. ^_^

Birthday Project 2012 Random Thoughts

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Sep 15

Birthday Project 2012

by Kathleen

Last year, I had my first birthday project for the benefit of Grace To Be Born foundation. It was a successful activity led by me and my friends. This project was also made possible by the kind donations of friends and family. And truly, I am very grateful.

This year, as much as I want to start early August to collate funds, I was caught up with life’s activities such as work and other extra curricular activities that made this update later than expected. I was hoping to start it on September 1st but unfortunately, I mistakenly deleted my birthday blog. I was trying to recover and fix everything but unfortunately I can’t deliver it as soon as possible. So, I temporary created a copy of my previous blog for me to be able to move on with this project. When I’m about to publish this post, I tried another tweak and poof! I was able to restore my Birthday blog! Yipee! ^_^

Anyway, I wanted to do something more than I did last year. With all the blessings that the Lord has given me, it’s just right to give back some love. With many charity institutions in the Philippines, listed in WikiPedia and not, I can’t decide what to pick. I narrowed down to somewhere close to my heart. In the end, I choose the Street Kids of DBS. Don Bosco School (DBS) is where I attended school half of my educational years (elementary & high school days) so these sisters are somehow responsible on who I am today.

Early this year, I was invited by DBS to give a talk/speech to the undergrads. That was such an honor for me and made me a little bit guilty not going back as often as I want. Because of this, I promise myself to return and be a blessing to them even in my own little ways. So this idea crossed my mind. I think, it’s time to give back. 🙂

The FMA sisters holds its oratory every Sunday. After the 7am mass, street kids are welcomed inside the campus and weekly catechism is held. Feeding program is also done from time to time but I’m not sure how often. I’ve been part of this Sunday activity when I was in high school. Maybe some of the kids I knew back then hopefully grew smarter and successful with the help of these kind sisters. Since every year, a lot of children are born and seen loitering around the streets, I’m sure I don’t know these kids anymore.

I’m still planning out what to do and when the celebration would be so at this point, there are no specific details yet. Most of them are just estimates. I still need to coordinate with DBS. It will probably held in mid October since I’m sharing this humble activity with a good friend Coe who will be celebrating her birthday on November. 🙂

Basically, our plan is to celebrate our birthday with the kids. It would be a fusion of a slight recollection that we normally do when we were in College and a children’s party. I hope we can pull off this plan of ours. A lot of brainstorming and planning is needed and I am already delayed in my target of starting this project last August 31. 🙂

For now, I need your generosity for our endeavor. Last year’s celebration was a success and everyone was happy. This year, I hope another fun filled day of sharing and joy to these kids will not only be a dream but a reality.

>(^_^)< Donate Now! >(^_^)<

 

To know more about the Salesian Sisters, you can check out this link: FMA Philippines
To know more about Don Bosco School Sta. Mesa, you can check out this link: DBS

Birthday Project 2012 Random Thoughts

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Aug 31

Grace to Be Born Basic Needs

by Kathleen

As I’ve mentioned, you can also send in kind donations. Currently, the ministry that we’re helping needs the following:

NEED LIST

  1. Diapers (Newborn, S, M and L)
  2. Bonna Formula Milk for 0-6 month-old babies
  3. Bonnamil Formula Milk for 6-12 month-old babies
  4. Feeding Bottles
  5. Old Maternity or Baby dresses
  6. Mittens and Booties
  7. Toiletries for MOTHERS – tissue paper, soap, shampoo, toothpastes, toothbrush, adult diapers, sanitary napkins
  8. Toiletries for BABIES – baby shampoo and soap, baby lotion, powder, baby oil, cotton, alcohol, etc.
  9. Food and other Household Items (i.e. rice, sugar, biscuits, canned goods, dish washing liquid, powdered or bar detergents, cleaning agents, etc.)

If you can think of anything they need that is not listed above, feel free to send it to. Rest assured, I’ll acknowledge you and the gifts that you’ll be sending will be given to them in person.

Remember, God loves a cheerful giver! ^_^

Birthday Project 2011 In Kind Random Thoughts

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Aug 31

Birthday Project 2011

by Kathleen

Welcome to my Birthday Project 2011!

This whole month of September 2011 will be for the benefit of Grace to Be Born ministry. All donations collected in kind, cash or thru paypal will be given to the person in charge of the ministry.

What is Grace to Be Born Ministry?
Grace To Be Born is a shelter for women in crisis. The name of the shelter expresses its philosophy: that to be born is a grace. Thus Grace To Be Born provides refuge to unwed pregnant mothers who do not want to resort to abortion. It also serves as an orphanage to abandoned babies.

I’ve always believed that children is the hope for our future. The values, the character and attitude of people today can be tracked back when they were young. It has always been a happy and wonderful experience being a child. Therefore, I strongly believe that abandoned children and innocent children in their mother’s womb should not suffer. They have a right to experience God’s gift to us: Life. My friend suggested me to reach out to this ministry and so I’m doing my part to help them.

This is not a scam or anything that sort. This is a pure act of sharing. With this, I will be posting all the donations I will be receiving from family, friends, readers and strangers. This is to be transparent of what I’m doing. Yes I know some will doubt my sincerity that’s why I placed an option to send items in kind. I also added an option to send donations thru Paypal for those living overseas.

You can check Donate Now page on how you can donate.

The solicitation will end on September 31, 2011. All donations and gifts will be given to Grace to be Born the next day, October 1, 2011 as completion of my project.

Thank you so much for those who believes in my project and will donate in any way they can. ^_^

Birthday Project 2011 Random Thoughts

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