Holly House: May update

You may or may not know that our Director, Pam, is busy as a bee all year long making sure everything is ready for the event in December. Several dedicated volunteers work alongside her and help when needed, but there is always need for more!

Here are some updates of what's been going on behind the scenes at Holly House:

Lots of dolls to dress still! 

• The event location used the past 3 years is no longer available to us, so a new one has been secured. A team of volunteers is going to look at it on June 15th to ponder logistics and new challenges with a new location. 

• Our new website is close to launching (it will link up to this blog).

• We are close to submitting all of the paperwork for becoming an official 501(c)(3) and will no longer need a fiscal sponsor. 

• We are scheduling another Dress the Cabbage Patch Doll party soon- we are still looking for doll accessories (see link for details)! 

• 3 grants have been submitted, with more in the works. GRANT WRITERS are needed! 

New toys ready for new homes

• Partnered with Clothes For Kids to maximize the influence of both of our organizations - we both serve the same student population in the Edmonds School District. 

• Mountlake Terrace Senior Center donation bin is half full. Thank you! Donations accepted year round here and at Armadillo Storage. 

• Conducting Board Member interviews. If you would like to interview for the Board or think you know someone who would be a great board member, please contact us! 

• Fall Fundraiser determined - Save the date! Dine at Macaroni Grill Alderwood - September 23rd.  More details to come. 

• Accepted an invitation to have a booth at the Mountlake Terrace National Night Out, Tuesday August 4th, 6-9pm. (See calendar here for more information). We will also be holding a sock and underwear drive at this event.

Many things still need YOUR help! Please contact Pam if there is something that fits your skill set. 

Donations for teens needed

• Grant writers - we rely 100% on donations and grants to fund our work. The more grants we can apply for and receive, the more we can help our kids. 
• Teen gift collection - our teens often do not have enough items at our event. We are putting a focus on seeking donations for this age group (art sets, cosmetics, sports equipment, headphones, gift cards, etc). Some of you pledged to purchase a new item for our teens every month as a New Year's Resolution - how is that going?
• Fall Fundraiser - a steady income is required to keep Holly House functioning. How can we meet our financial needs? Ideas and volunteer involvement are both still needed for this big task.
• Board Members - we are actively seeking Board Members who can bring experience, dedication, financial backers and planning, and enthusiasm to our team. Will you join us? 
• Warehouse space is still desperately needed - does anyone have a contact to introduce us to?

That's the update from last month. Whew! What a lot to cram in to one month. 

Thank you for your continued support. Our network of supporters has doubled over the last year!