Well, today is my birthday and I celebrate the big "Double Nickel!" Now I am eligible for the Senior Menu at Denny’s! Woo Hoo! Seriously, on my birthday, I would like to give you a gift! I want to tell you about an organization that is very dear to my heart. Please read on and enjoy! Happy my birthday to you!
One of the most devastating "mean times" that life dishes out is experiencing the death of a loved one or friend! Learning to live in the aftermath of such experiences creates challenges few of us are equipped to handle alone. None of us are immune to this experience. Finding and accessing appropriate support throughout the process of mourning the death of loved ones is crucial to healthy reconciliation of our death losses.
Please allow me to introduce you to one of the most wonderful non-profit organizations around! The Journey of Hope Grief Support Center serves children and families who have experienced the death or impending death of a loved one or friend. This year marks the tenth anniversary of this organization! There is no other organization of which I am aware that works as diligently to support families who find themselves living in "mean times" than this one.
The mission of the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center is to provide support at no cost for children, teens, young adults and their families as they learn to mourn the death or impending death of their loved one in a safe, caring and nurturing environment.
I along with six other counselors and one nurse in Plano, TX, had the honor of founding this organization in an effort to address the needs of children and families facing the aftermath of the death of a loved one.
Did you know: (1) that by the age of ten one out of seven children will experience the death of a loved one? (2) that 1.5 million children will lose one or both parents to death by the age of 15? (3) that 90+% of adolescents in drug or alcohol rehab programs have suffered a significant loss in their family?
Pertinent facts about the Journey of Hope:
* 88% of every dollar raised by the organization goes directly to services for families!
* Families from 48 communities and 14 counties in North Texas have been served since its inception.
* In 2007, 498 family members participated in support meetings.
* An average of 140 family members participate in 52 support groups per month.
* The Journey of Hope operates with 2 full-time staff members and one part-time administrative assistant and on the strength of almost 500 volunteers donating 6000 hours to help our families.
What is the purpose of sharing this information with you? I have a special project for which I would deeply appreciate your consideration and support.
You Can Be One in a Million — Special Project to Raise Funds for the Journey of Hope!
One million dollars is a LOT of money! I hear every day about people raising large amounts of money for causes that help people live better lives and I am always excited and challenged by those stories! However, I often walk away thinking that in order for ME to raise funds of that magnitude, I would need mega money in my pocket to do so. One day back in October of 2007, I had an idea while on my morning run. "Why not raise one million dollars one dollar at a time?" Crazy? Maybe!
What can YOU do? I’m glad you asked! I want to raise one million dollars, one dollar at a time, by Thanksgiving 2008 for the Journey of Hope! Why? I want to see the Journey of Hope have the necessary funds to expand services by hiring an additional staff member to focus on fund raising, strengthen the services currently offered by guaranteeing continuation of the organization with a solid financial foundation, and by building its own stand alone facility that will house all components of the organization — administrative offices; kitchen & dining areas; support group rooms; facilitator training room; intake offices; conference room.
I invite you to visit the the Journey of Hope website at www.johgriefsupport.org, find the "giving opportunities" link, follow the instructions and donate a dollar (maybe more?) then encourage everyone on your email list to do the same thing.
You may also donate directly from this blog by visiting my "Tip Jar" where all donations are dedicated directly to the Journey of Hope!
I know you receive stuff like this frequently, BUT I think this one is different! YOU truly can make a difference . Next Thanksgiving, I anticipate celebrating victory! Thanks so much for considering being "ONE IN A MILLION!"
Peace!
Mark Hundley
Copyright 2008 Mark E. Hundley
