Restoring Dignity Sunday, August 25th, 2013

“Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, defend orphans, plead for the widow.”

(Isaiah 1:16b)

******BEFORE & AFTER VIDEO IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE*****

Their Story

Five years ago, a family from Burma came to the United States after living in a refugee camp in Thailand for eight years. Shortly after their arrival, the mother developed brain and stomach cancer. While she is now in remission, she has difficulties performing every day tasks. The father works full-time six days a week, and the children, ages 5 (boy), 7 (boy), and 9 (girl) are in school. The family’s two oldest children: 13 and 17, are in Thailand, as they stayed behind to help their ailing grandmother. This family has faced immense difficulties over the years, and currently struggle with being able to obtaining basic household items.

The Pictures

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The Solution

We are taking action on Sunday, August 25th, 2013 from 10am-8pm, to provide this family with much needed household items, organization, and teaching them how to use cleaning supplies.  Come join us to help bring hope, encouragement, and blessings to this family!

Supplies Needed

Kitchen

• Dishes (plates, bowls, cups)
• Silverware
• Tupperware
• Large plastic container (to store rice in)
• Plastic storage bags (quart size bags, freezer gallon bags, sandwich bags)
• Garbage bags
• Saran wrap, aluminum foil
• Cutting board
• Mop bucket
• Drawer and cupboard liners

Bathroom

• Towels (full, hand, and face)
• (3)(5) Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Toilet paper
• Feminine pads
• Hand soap
• Shampoo
• Lotion
• Bath rug

Bedrooms

• (1) bunk bed frame
• (1) twin mattress
• Zippered plastic mattress covers to help with bed bugs, twin, full, queen sizes ($8 at Walmart for twin size mattresses) (4 twin, 1 full)
• (7) (10)new pillows ($3 at Target or Walmart)
• (10) Pillow cases (used or new)
• (3) dressers
• Hangers
• Organization containers
  
• Shelves
• (1) bookshelf
• (1) toy chest
• Curtains and curtain rods for all windows
• Pictures for the rooms/decorations
• Sheets (twin & full)
• (2) (5) Bedspreads
• children’s toys
• Children’s books
• Art supplies: crayons, markers, colored pencils, water colors, paper & easel
  

Living Room

• (1) small loveseat
• (2) Shoe organizers (hanging or floor)
• Decorations (pictures, figurines, picture frames)
• Hanging shelves
• (1) Book shelves
• (1) computer chair
• (1) paper organizer (for bills)
• Vacuum with attachment (bags are better, to contain bed bugs)
• Curtains & curtain rods
• Computer desk

Clothing

• Boys shirts & pants: small (5-6) & 3T-4T
• Girl shirts & pants: Medium girl’s size
• Mother: Small women’s (shoe size: 7.5-8)
• Father: Small men’s
• New underwear & socks for everyone (boys: 4T & small; they asked for super hero and Lightning McQueen designs) (girl, size medium girl’s size) (Mom, size small women’s)(Dad, size small, men’s)

Children’s Request:

• Skateboard
• Scooter
• Soccer ball
• Action figures/transformers
• Spider-man poster
• Dinosaur poster
• Barbies
• Doll house
• Nail polish
• Make-up
• Jewelry
• Video game systems with controllers
• 5 year old boy’s favorite color: green
• 7 year old boy’s favorite color: blue
• 9 year old girl’s favorite color: purple

Cleaning Supplies

• Degreaser
• Bathroom cleaner
• Bleach
• Chemical spray bottle
• Gloves
• Rags
• Sponges
• Paper towels
• Windex
• Dish soap
• Toilet bowl cleaner

Drop-Off:

All items can be dropped off at:

3505 Hawthorne Avenue, Omaha, NE 68131

If no one is home, please leave the items on the porch. We sort all of our donations here, and then transfer them to the family’s house on the weekend of action.

Schedule of the Weekend:

Sunday, August 25th, 2013

10:00am-8:00pm

There will be four shifts available:

• Shift one: 10am-1pm : This shift is for people who want to help with cleaning, organizing clothes, steaming, carpet cleaning, & fixing items.
• Shift two: 1pm-4pm: This shift is for people who want to help with cleaning, organizing clothes, steaming, carpet cleaning, and building items.
• Shift three: 4pm-7pm: This shift is for those who can help move furniture into the apartment, build, & decorate.
• Shift four: 7pm-end: This shift is for those who would like to help decorate, arrange furniture, hang pictures, etc.

Sign up for shifts can be found at the Restoring Dignity Sign-Up Page.

How to Get Involved:

• Donate items:

We couldn’t do these projects without our donors! They are the heart of these projects! Please let me know what you can donate, and I will take it off of the list above. If someone would like to “adopt” a member of this family or a room in the apartment, by fulfilling the donations needs for that area, let me know. Otherwise, if you have any items in your house that you no longer need or use, please consider donating it to these projects. Your donations truly do make a direct impact on families in need.

• Donate Gift Cards

On the day of our projects, we often run low on basic cleaning supplies, hardware for hanging curtains, light bulbs, paper towels, toilet paper, and plastic bed wraps to keep down bed bug populations, among other items. Gift cards to major home stores or hardware stores (Target, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc) are greatly appreciated and bridge the supply gap on project days. Contact Hannah (restoringdignity@live.com) or (402) 305-8139, if you are interested in donating a gift card.  If you would like to mail a giftcard, please address it to: Hannah Wyble, 3505 Hawthorne Avenue, Omaha, NE, 68131

• Volunteer:

For this project, we need a minimum of 25 volunteers, ideally 35 volunteers, spaced out over the course of the day. Our volunteers will clean, organize, steam bed bugs in mattresses and in corners, and decorate. The more volunteers, the faster we can accomplish our goals. We would love to have you join our team! Please visit our Restoring Dignity Sign Up Page to add yourself to one of our three hour shifts. If you would like to help for a half or full-day, that option is also available.

• Spread the word:

Tell your friends and family about this project! They might have an extra lamp or a bunk bed frame that is no longer used. Re-post this blog on your facebook, or email it. The more people that know about these projects, the more donations and volunteers.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK:

Restoring Dignity has a facebook Group that is regularly updated. Please join our group: Restoring Dignity Omaha Facebook Group.

Contact us:

BEFORE & AFTER VIDEO

Restoring Dignity August 2013