We are underway in our quest to create a more inviting space for the folks at the Family Stabilization Center.  “Operation Home” has transformed the apartments of 5 families so far.  The director of the program, asked me if this time I would work some magic on their tired offices.  Having  seen the transformations of the homes that we have done for the families in their program, they realized that they could really use some help in the center.  If they are to expect the families to take care of their homes, then they need to present a better example themselves.   The center is located in an apartment in the complex where the families live.  It has been furnished with left over donations from Greentree, some homemade paintings, and a whole loft of bulletin boards.  It was not the cheery, inspirational environment that is needed to inspire these young people to want to do more in their lives.   Nor was it a pleasant work environment for the  case workers that spend many exhausting hours counseling and nurturing, supporting and teaching their clients and hopefully successfully transitioning them into a productive, healthy lifestyle.

I had one condition…I had to paint to really make an impact.  Paint is the best way to spark some new life into a space.  Over the last 7 days a small herd of volunteers painted and moved furniture, put together new furniture, cleaned and organized.  I am completely exhausted, but no time to rest.  We still have pillows and window coverings to make, things to frame, pictures to hang and lighting to buy.  This is truly an example of “It Takes A Village”  because I couldn’t do this without the help of many people.  I have called in favors from just about everyone I know.  It is heart warming to me that so many people are willing to help (and it has taken a lot of help).    This project has required more money and energy than all the apartments combined.  And it’s not done yet.  If you would like to make a donation to our “Project Home” Project, you may make your donation to the National Center for Children and Families, earmarked for “Project Home”-Kathy Connelly.  Mail it to:  NCCF 6301 Greentree Rd. Bethesda, MD 20817.  You will know that 100% of your donation will go to help to create a better environment for the families in this program.  I mean 100% !

The before and afters will be coming next in the next blog…

Thanks volunteers!  You’re the best!

I just received a touching letter from the Executive Director at The National Center for Children and Families, Sheryl Brissett Chapman.  It appears that I have been nominated as their 2009 Maryland Volunteer of the Year.  Needless to say I am very touched and appreciate the honor of this award.

I wanted to share with you a few excerpts from her letter…

…you have given the families in the Family Stabilization Program a fresh start…

Your patience and kind-heartedness have brought several families to tears of joy.  Through your artistic and personal efforts, you have created a sense of optimism in the lives of each family.

You don’t just decorate each home; you scrub, clean, paint, hang pictures and move furniture.  You take the time to learn the personal tastes and character of each client, incorporating their likes into your designs…

I have had a lot of help, and want to thank all of you who have donated to this wonderful project, now named, “Project Home”.  Special thanks to Amy Hartman, volunteer extraordinaire, my expert shopping buddy and goods gatherer not to mention the painter of personal name signs for our kids rooms, (among her may talents).  Also Karen Murley, a fellow redesigner, who has sewn curtains, pillows and chair covers on site.  Karen has a gift of gathering “stuff” and has put together an impressive inventory for our future projects.  Both of these talented women have taken this project to heart and helped me immensely.  Their continued enthusiasm for this project keeps me going.  Many thanks also go to Deb Werner, Tricia Weidenmayer, Jill Kaufman, Denise Standen , Susan Perman, Ally Connelly, Tom Connelly and Richard Zdanis who have helped me haul, paint, scrub toilets, organize closets, whatever! I thank you all for your willingness to do anything needed and for allowing me to do whatever I wanted!

While reading the Mission statement of NCCF, I realized that what we are doing with “Project Home” is completely in line with their statement:

To create total, healthy living environments for vulnerable children, youth, and families, and the quality of life which empowers their ability to thrive and demonstrate responsibility.

We hope to  continue to support these families in the coming years and are now able to accept cash donations in the name of this project to help us with the costs involved in setting up these homes. Donations would be made to National Center for Children and Families, earmarked for “Project Home”.

Thanks again for your support and well wishes for “Project Home”.

It was a challenging holiday season to be sure.  My husband fell on the ice two days before Christmas and broke three ribs.  I’ve never heard a man scream so loud in my life!  We learned after a few excruciating days of trying to get him in and out of our bed that what we needed was a hospital bed. Thank goodness our bedroom is large enough to accommodate the ugly,  noisy,  monster!  Lovely isn’t it?

Anyway, 3.5 weeks later and he is back in our bed, thank goodness, and it’s time for that thing to go!

So while taking care of my husband, keeping our business going, dealing with Christmas,  saying goodbye to my older children as they flew home to California, my college age daughter needed me to drive a van full of furniture to North Carolina.  She was moving into her first house (off campus) with two girlfriends and they were starting with next to nothing.  I left my poor husband with a strap to pull himself out of bed and told all the neighbors to look in on him!  I had a house to decorate, for goodness sake!

The added challenge in the move was that my daughter and her roommates were of little to NO help.  As juniors in a sorority, they were busy with RUSH  responsibilities for about 18 hours a day.  They had been there for 3 days and still had NO refrigerator (apparently rental houses don’t have to provide a fridge in North Carolina!) hence NO food, which probably didn’t matter since they had no time to eat anyway.  So first things first. I blew up an air mattress to sleep on (she had no bed yet) and unpacked the van.  Her housemates had brought couches from home, rugs, lamps and lots of kitchen stuff so some of the basics were there.  They were certainly starting  off a lot better than the families I help with Greentree!  After a freezing night on that air mattress, (I didn’t know that the room air temperature became the temperature of the mattress and it felt like I slept on an ice cube all night), the next day I bought her a mattress and frame.   Turns out that buying an inexpensive mattress that she will use for 1.5 years is still expensive!  But after hearing stories of bed bugs from used mattresses, Craigs list was not considered.  I had that sucker delivered the same day–no more air mattress for me!

I spent the next two days going to Homegoods (accessories to the tune of $150), World Market (curtains for the living room-on sale, $80), Best Buy (for the fridge–$600–our share-$100), Steinmart (bedding and pillows $100), Target (curtains for bedroom/shower curtain and other misc household items ($200), The Goodwill Superstore (Desk and bookends ($40), furniture consignment shops (brand new dresser $250),Bed, Bath & Beyond (more bedding-another $100), Home Dept (adapter for the TV $2), and drove with my daughter (0n an unauthorized break from RUSH) to another town about 20 minutes away to buy a table and chairs from a family off of Craigs list ($140).  Don’t even try to add it up…it’s too depressing!

In between all the shopping, I had the bed delivered, set it up, ironed curtains and hung pictures, rolled out rugs and threw away boxes.  I drew the line at putting her clothes in the dresser…that was up to her!

Once the refrigerator was delivered–of course we were the last delivery of the day–I ran to the local Whole Foods and stocked them up with all the healthy basics that they could eat and then I bolted out as fast as I could, to spend some needed R & R with my good friends that live about an hour away in Durham.

This is what I know for sure, it takes A LOT of money to set up a household!  There is NO way that our families at NCCF could afford to do it.  That is why what we are doing is so IMPORTANT.  Just the basics cost a fortune.  When I preview the  apartments of these small families to see what they need I am astonished at how little they are living with.  Usually no dishes, one or two towels, sometimes no where to sit or a pillow for their head.  The saddest part for me is that they don’t have family to help them.  Where is their mother to fill up their cabinets with leftover dishes from her own kitchen?  I always wonder about that.

Our children are very fortunate… my friends and I say that over and over.  I feel blessed to be able to help someone else’s children live in a more comfortable environment.  Thank you for helping  me help other people’s children by donating to “Project Home” !

Check out these inspiring words about serving from Martin Luther King on his birthday…

http://bit.ly/74nGWt

I invite you to comment…

It was a challenge to pull off the latest Greentree apartment makeover before the holidays. It is such a busy time of year and I didn’t have Nick to deliver the furniture for me because he is  delivering toys to families for Christmas.   I couldn’t have accomplished this project without the amazing energy of a generous and talented friend, Karen, and my worker bee, Deb.  I enlisted my daughter, Ally and her friend ( home from college) to haul everything up to the third floor apartment. Ally ironed, and moved furniture and whatever else I asked of her all day (that was an amazing gift to me!) .  The before and afters don’t really convey how warm and wonderful this apartment turned out.

The mom and her bundled up 8 month old boy returned home from her new job this past Wednesday  and jumped for joy!  In her words, she “LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT” !  She told me her favorite color was purple, so we gave her a PURPLE bedroom, that she was thrilled with!  We gave her real pillows, to replace the bundled up blankets inside of pillowcases that she was using.  We created an inviting nursery for her son, with stimulating toys and his name proudly displayed on the wall (thanks to Amy).  “My baby won’t bump his head on the side of the crib anymore”, “I can have friends over, now”, “I wish I could take pictures and show my Mom, I have a real home”.  Hearing the joy in her voice is what makes these projects so much fun for me. Knowing that we have given someone a home they can be proud of and enjoy living in is priceless.  Hopefully they will build on this and never be homeless again.

Living Room Before:

Living Room After:

Mom’s  Bedroom Before:

Mom’s Bedroom After:

Baby’s room Before:

Baby Boy’s room After:

Dining Room Before:

Dining Room After:

Bathroom Before:

Bathroom After:

Her cupboards were bare:

and thanks to all my friends–who donated to this project in lieu of giving each other gifts at our annual Christmas parties– we filled her cabinets with dishes and glasses, pots and pans, silverware and even a new toaster!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR MAKING THIS A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS FOR THIS STRUGGLING FAMILY.  THEY ARE TRULY GRATEFUL.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL OF YOU !!!

Just a quick thought before we all share our Thanksgiving feast with our loved ones…

“It is better to give than to receive” is such a remarkable truth.

I feel truly blessed for the opportunity to give.  Decorating the apartments of the  NCCF families has been a gift to me in many ways.  I have experienced remarkable generosity from so many people that want to give to this project.  I have made new friends and strengthened my relationship with others.  I have received so many kinds words of encouragement and praise. Needless to say, it warms my heart knowing that the families are living more comfortably and that we may have made a difference that changes their life and breaks the cycle.  The best gift of all.

By giving these families an opportunity to thrive in their new home, I have unexpectedly received, and I hope you have too. Knowing that what you have contributed has gone directly to helping others is a wonderful gift.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!  Thank you for all your donations and efforts to this project.  We will be helping many more families in the future!  So keep checking the blog!

LOVE TO ALL OF YOU !

Kathy

It took a “Village” to transform this apartment !

Our latest  family needed a pick me up, that’s for sure., and we gave it to them!  The transformation was unbelievable, and they are so happy! On Tuesday, I had an fantastic team  that worked tirelessly to help whip this tired and depressing apartment into a place this family can be proud of.  We scrubbed and cleaned, organized closets and cabinets, hung pictures and curtains and moved furniture until we dropped.  The end result was an amazing place to call home for this family of four.  I just spoke with the mom and she said the kids love their rooms and spend all there time there now.  They are occupied with fun things to do and there isn’t anymore fighting and arguing!  Amazing what a bright, clean, pleasant atmosphere can do for children.  The mom is enjoying her peace, relaxing in her own tranquil, redecorated room.  It is so rewarding to know that we helped this family have a better quality of life, with just a few things–basic things really—that we all have in our own homes–and take for granted.  Things like pictures on our walls, curtains on our windows, pillows on our beds and dishes in our cabinets.  When we arrived they had donated TV’s in every room, but a television does not make a room inviting, it distracts you from focusing on what else is missing in the room or your life.

We gave the kids warm and inviting rooms, with toys to play with (game boys, balls,legos, books and dolls–all donated) and their names proudly displayed on the walls.  The boys got bunk beds and a room filled with spiderman and wrestlers, that they love.  The 8 year old girl was treated to a princess’s palace of pink and purple with her own vanity and personalized bulletin board.  The kitchen was transformed into a organized, bright sunny space where the family can share meals on their new dishes and the living room is comfy and cozy with a handsome leather chair with lighting–something that was sorely missing before.

So many people came forward with items for this home that it is hard to name them all, but you all know who you are! Friends made curtains and pillows-framed pictures and refinished furniture. My right hand assistant, Amy,-personalized everything for the kids and shopped till she dropped.  Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever been more exhausted in my life!

All of  you should be proud of your part in helping this family and I thank you for your help from the bottom of my heart, I couldn’t have done this without you!

Many more people want to help families in the future and there will be other opportunities, so keep checking in with me, and watch for the next challenge!

Okay, here are the BEFORE AND AFTERS THAT YOU ARE ALL WAITING FOR…

Living room before…

and After…

after…

kitchen before…

and after…

boys room before…

and after…

Girls room before…

and after…

Mom’s room before…

and After…

Bathrooms before

Bathrooms After…

All the items were gathered, furniture was refinished, and painted, loaded into the cars and trucks…ready for D-day (as in delivery day).  Before and afters to follow in the next blog…

Amy and I spent the last few days gathering items, measuring and organizing the donations for the next family.  Thank you to those of you who have answered my latest plea.  Special thanks to Karen Murley and to Jill Kaufman for pulling together alot of framed pictures to fill the walls with art.  We aren’t done yet, so keep checking with your friends…

Here’s what we still need:

• pink curtains
• floor lamp
• cookie sheet(s)
• area rugs
• anything spiderman or wrestling
• a working computer for the kids
• solid color throw pillows

I know the family is very excited and looks forward to seeing there new home next week.  We will be working hard on Tuesday and Wednesday…so look for the after photos…coming soon…THANKS EVERYONE!

HELP THIS FAMILY !

Each time I visit one of these apartments in “need”,  I am reminded how fortunate I am that I have a warm, lovely, comfortable place to call home.  When you step through your door after a long day at work, you want to feel good about being “home”.  That is what we are trying to accomplish, with your help and donations.  The newest family that needs us is a hard working Mom with three children, (two sons- ages 4 &8, one daughter age 8).  Life is tough for anyone with kids that age, and their apartment shows it.  The carpets are stained, the walls dirty and the furniture is beat.  This is gonna take an army, folks.  I enlisted the help of Richard of Father & Son Carpet Cleaning (who did an excellent job on my carpets).  He is graciously donating his time to clean the carpets next week.  This will go a long way in sprucing up the place!

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are in need of a few things to make this apartment more livable.  So I am reaching out to all of you again.

NEEDED:  A LIVING ROOM CHAIR, BED PILLOWS, CURTAINS, LAMPS, A NEW TOASTER, AREA RUG, ANYTHING SPIDERMAN OR WRESTLING, A SMALL DESK, BOOKCASE

If you have any of these things to donate,  please let me know, I will arrange pick up from Greentree Shelter.  It would be great to widen our web, so if you have friends that you would like to include in this outreach, please add them to the e-mail list.

I couldn’t do it without you !!

It was a whirlwind! On Monday, I went to see the apartments of two families from NCCF that were in desperate need of some help.  Both are single moms sharing a one bedroom apartment with their young child.  One mom has another child due in two weeks,  creating an added challenge of fitting three into a tiny bedroom.  I spoke with the moms about what they needed and they came up with a list of must haves: a toaster, a bassinet , a table for the lamps and a few educational toys would be nice.  Of course I thought they needed much more than that.

Tuesday, I searched the donation storage at Greentree Shelter and chose the pieces that I thought would work best for each family.  Then I was off to a local thrift store and Homegoods to gather the bed linens, towels, curtains and accessories needed to brighten up the spaces.  I painted furniture, recovered chairs and fell into bed.

Wednesday, Nick (the  saint from Greentree that picks up and delivers the donated furniture) filled up his truck with the items I chose and moved them into the apartments–(we also filled two vans). After sorting what went to which apartment and I went to work.  I couldn’t have done it with out the help of  my dear friends, Amy, Debbie and Tricia–and my husband, Tom.  They volunteered to do whatever I needed–iron, scrub floors, hang pictures, put up curtains,  run to the store for more sheets, anything!  The result was a real  “home” that these two young families can now enjoy.  I  carved out a play area in the living room in each of the apartments so that the children could have a space to call their own.  The moms got a desk area of their own.  The bedrooms got new dressers and brighter linens and curtains.  Pictures were hung on the once bare walls and new shower curtains and towels filled their bathrooms.

The mothers and their young children are very happy and appreciative, “it feels like a home”.  NOW,  I can rest  because I know that two more families have a real HOME.  Stay tuned for more…

Apartment 1 living room before…

Living room after…

Bedroom for Mom and Son Before…

And after…

‘

bathroom before…

and after…

Play area in living room before…

and after…

Dining room before …

and after…

Apartment 2 living room before…

and after…

Bedroom for mom and daughter (and soon to be baby)…before…

and after…