SimplyHelp

Christmas distribution for 900 families living below the poverty line

Tina and I have not been able to stop talking about how amazing the SimplyHelp volunteers are and how wonderful yesterday’s distribution was because of it.

 

How dedicated you all are was obvious early in the morning, as the majority of the volunteers arrived in high spirit at 8am.

For some the day started even earlier; Steve got up at the break of dawn to pick up all the donated goods at the warehouse at 6am.

 

As the day progressed people continued to help in any way they could; handing out donations, escorting people along the SimplyHelp tables, pushing peoples shopping cart and escorting them to their car, not to mention strapping hundreds of Christmas trees on the roofs of peoples cars.

Many volunteers stayed until it was dark and the last recipients had received their donations.

 

Thank you.

 

A special thanks to:

Frank who arranged 10+ wonderful CASA volunteers.

Steve who went through a lot of trouble to open the warehouse the week prior to the distribution, who got up at the break of dawn to pick up the supplies, helped the whole day, and when everyone went home at exhausted at 6pm, he drove the supplies back to the warehouse to store them.

Brenda and family, who have been wrapping 2500 toy bags every night of the week and whom bought extra toys when it turned out they did not have enough to fill every bag.

Alice whom also bought extra toys to fill the gift bags.

Weng, whom kept the energy high by buying food for all the volunteers.

And all the youth whom worked tirelessly the whole day – they guys carrying Christmas trees around and tying them to the roofs of cars, the girls escorting people along the SimplyHelp tables and handing out donations.

As Tina said: “If anyone thinks teenagers are lazy or selfish, they should come to a SimplyHelp distribution and observe.”

 

What a wonderful and rewarding day we had, helping thousands of our neighbors living in poverty and contributing to a Merry Christmas for all of them.

 

I personally was touched when I escorted a mother and her three little boys to their car. They had won a Playstation (!)  - the three boys were beyond themselves with excitement and the mom was a little bit emotional. She had been sick most of the year and had not been able to work. She had never dreamt to ever be able to give her children such a big gift and felt blessed by God.

 

If you’d like to share a story with Tina and me – we’d love to hear them!

 

Also if you know of any friends that would like to receive weekly SimplyHelp news, please forward their email address to me.

 

The warehouse will be open for 1 hour this Sunday, from 2pm-3pm.

 

Merry Christmas and may 2009 bring all of you health, happiness and many more fun SimplyHelp events.

 

Lotte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grand Opening Senior Center for Homeless elderly in Panama

October 16, 2008
TAGUA Mountain Vocation School for Girls.

Located in Alto de Cerres  Azul, supervised by Carmen Barrera Cordero, this location hosts 150 graduates a year from the local mountain community where opportunity to support oneself and one’s family is difficult if not impossible.  The girls learn skills to get jobs in the city as maids and service workers.  The hotel classes include cooking, laundry and computer classes.  25 girls three times a week attend lessons from volunteer teachers.

Fundador Vocational school for girls and women. 
Two years ago we visited this location where there was one room with women learning sewing.  Today with the assistance of Simply Help and Congresswoman Marilyn Vallarino, who runs the center, over 400 individuals are trained a year with 20% entering the job force and 80% working in their own local community.  Now it is a two story facility with rooms for computer classes, sewing classes, beauty school, crafts, and cooking and English language classes.  A future project in the planning stages is a day care center on to be added to the rooftop. Congresswoman Vallarino produced an excellent DVD which Simply Help will be including in its fundraising efforts.  The women at the center were preparing goods for sale for the Christmas Season and an exhibit displaying their products was a highpoint of the visit.

October 17, 2008
Los Santos Senior Center for Homeless Adults. 
The First Lady of Panama Vivian Fernandez de Torrijos, Bishop Monsenor Cedeno Jose Dimas and the winner of Latin American Idol, Margarita attended the grand opening with the Founder of Simply Help.  The center provides assisted living for the elderly living in the rural area of Los Santos who have outlived their own families and range in age from their late 80’s to late 90’s. A second phase to the $200,000 is currently underway at Simply Help. Seniors and staff members attended the event along with 700 members of the community and the press.  After the tour of the by the Bishop and the First Lady, a typical Panamanian lunch was served on the premises by local volunteers.

 

October 18, 2008
Ciudad Del Nin 40 ANOS
An orphanage for boys with homes on the premises with a family model for the boys to grow up in a normal environment.  The boys from the local community are invited to the meals during the week even though they are not orphans.  The founder, Director Fortunato Peioroten arrived thirty years ago in Panama planning on staying only five years and ended up spending his life taking care of orphan boys.  The farm is self sustainable with its own chickens and garden.  Simply Help distributed gifts of food, soap and personal supplies to the boys who enjoy scrubbing up and looking good.

St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage – This orphanage has youngsters as young as babies in high chairs who are left their by their underage mothers from minority communities.  The loving nuns nurture and raise these wonderful children who know nothing of their circumstances until they are older.  The little kids love playing in their garden playground and also enjoy cartoons on television.  Nuns supervise their activities, feed and clothe them and train them in daily living habits with a lot of love. Simply Help distributed food, soap and personal supplies and will provide for future needs of the home.