Holly House: Fall Update 2015

Volunteers at a prior event - will this be you this December?

We are starting to really ramp up our activities for our 3 day event in December. There has been a lot going on behind the scenes, and there will be a lot coming up! Stay tuned for volunteer requests and details about our shopping event the weekend of Dec 11th. Be sure you're on our email list so we can inform you of the site and volunteer details for the event by filling out our form on the volunteer profile page.

Here are some updates from Pam, our Executive Director:

• We are broadcasting our very first ever year-end plea for financial support for Holly House. Our operational funds are in the negative.
  
  Please consider giving a monthly donation of $10, $15, $20 or a one time donation (or partner up with your company!). We need to be able to keep our lights on so we can continue to help our children with gifts and necessities.Holly House cannot continue without your support - Our children need your help! 

• We are searching for an underwriter(s) for our 3 day event - this person or business would cover costs such as location rental fee, table rentals, chairs, etc. and in return their name(s) would be displayed at the event. Estimated costs are $2500. See our Sponsor page for more details. 



Homemade cookies needed!

• Our official website has been launched! Visit us at hollyhouseforkids.org. Thank you to Eric Cruthird and Jen Winckler for getting this up and running. 
• We are beginning to sign people up to bake homemade cookies for our clients waiting in line to enter Holly House to shop for free for their children. Please contact Karen at orstad4@frontier.com to help. 
• Donations are rolling in for our kids, including 30 pallets of new toys from one of our donors and 4 vanloads of toys from another donor. Thank you!!! 

Drives are under way

• We have begun pajama, sock, underwear, sports equipment, and stocking stuffer drives. If you, your business, or organization would like to host a drive or drop box, please contact us! Neighborhood schools have also begun organizing drives. Our teens historically are most under-served by Holly House, and we are pushing to get an abundance of items for them this year. If you can't host a drive but still want to donate items, we are collecting them now! 
• Our Macaroni Grill Fundraiser was a huge success, thank you to everyone who came out to support us. We don't have final numbers yet, but we do know that sales for their typical Tuesday increased greatly because of our event. 
• All of the paperwork has been submitted to the IRS and we are awaiting final approval for our 501(c)(3) status. This means we would no longer need a fiscal sponsor and will be our own entity. We are currently still interviewing for additional Board members.



We love your Trick or Treat leftovers 

• We will have a Volunteer Handbook for all volunteers helping with the 3 day event this year. Thank you to Dominic Aldridge for your offer to help with this huge task! 
• We accept Halloween candy to use in stockings! Donate any unwanted candy to the kids of Holly House. 

• We are so excited about our amazon.com wishlist - you can go to the wishlist, select gifts and necessities for our kids, and the items will be shipped directly to us. This link is also listed on our website. 

  

  click to visit our wishlist!

Thank you for your continued support of Holly House and our kids. We could not do Holly House without all of you!

Pam Martinez

Recipient of the playset gift announced

The Pacheco family - Edwin (dad), Taitus (6), Darius (8), Maddox (5), Lulu (mom)
Casey and Neil (volunteer builders in the back)

Earlier this month, we asked for nominations for a family to receive a Step 2 outdoor playset - we are pleased to share that we delivered the outdoor playset to a very deserving family.  The Pacheco family wrote the winning nomination, and the whole family was present to receive the gift. Casey (a Holly House volunteer), and Neil (a Board member), were there to assist with delivery and assembly.

Thank you to a generous donor for the playset that we were able to gift to one of our families.

Scroll down to see the photos that help tell this touching story!

Taitus studying the plans

The whole family anxious to help Neil begin assembly

Casey

Neil

Dad (Edwin) and Maddox getting ready to put in the screws

The boys (Taitus and Maddox) eagerly waiting for the guys to finish so they can play!

Volunteer Spotlight: Ingrid Adams

We would like to introduce you to one of our long time volunteers at Holly House: Ingrid Adams. Ingrid has been working with Holly House for the past 5 years and her outgoing personality are a true asset to us and the kids we serve. Her career experience is in property management and the skills she brings to Holly House benefit us in many ways.

Promoting Holly House at one of our community events

Ingrid is a procurement magician - she talks to anyone and everyone about Holly House and often they are surprised to hear about us. Ingrid says "It's amazing how many people want to help but just don't know how or where." She has arranged drop boxes at businesses she frequents, spreads the word to friends who may want to volunteer or donate items, found people who love to knit scarves/hats for us, as well as procured auction items for our recent Gala. She's also a whiz at selling raffle tickets at our events - maybe you've purchased a few from her! As our Director says, "Ingrid can sell ice to an Eskimo!"

Ingrid reminds me that we often don't realize the talents we have - for her, talking to anyone or approaching them about an opportunity to help is natural, but not everyone can do that. Her hope is that more people learn about Holly House and find ways to contribute in whichever way comes natural to them.

Busy at the Gala selling raffle tickets

She started with Holly House by procuring books from local businesses and managing the book booth at the Holly House event. She loves how the volunteers all come together and how some clients will volunteer out of appreciation for the help they receive.

It is rewarding to Ingrid knowing that all of the work being done benefits families right here in our own neighborhoods. "All of the parents are so appreciative and often many come back year after year and say they don't know what they would do without Holly House"; and that's something she is very proud to help with. Volunteering has been eye-opening for her, "to learn that these families don't have change to spare to buy things at Goodwill for a few dollars - everything they receive makes a big impact in their lives, and in turn makes a huge impact on the children. By helping the parents, we are helping the children".

Through family ties, Ingrid knew Holly House's Director, Pam Martinez, and heard about Holly House through her. Ingrid loves children (she has 5 grandchildren through marriage, and lots of nieces and nephews), and the fact that Holly House is local made it a good fit. Coincidentally, she has several good friends named Holly! She also is a volunteer usher at the 5th Avenue, Paramount, and Village theaters and has volunteered to help find sponsorship for community events for other organizations she works with. Currently on a career break to spend time with family, she's enjoying the Western Washington scenery and seasons.

Thank you, Ingrid, for your dedication and effort that you have given to Holly House over the past 5 years.

Help us find the right child in need of a NEW outdoor playset

Do you know that there is a group working to provide Christmas for poor and homeless children right here in the Edmonds School District? Holly House works with 15 schools in ESD, providing parents a chance to shop for free pajamas, socks, toys and other necessities.

This month, we have a new “Step Up” play set for 2 to 6 year olds, to give away. Do you know a child who could use a fun to play on, back yard play set?

To nominate a child or siblings you think needs a play set:
Please email pjkringle@comcast.net. (Limit submissions to 500 words.)

Include:

• The child’s/children’s first name/s only
• Their age/s
• Tell us why you think they should receive a new play set

Members of the Holly House team will select one recipient July 15, 2015, based on need, family situation, and/or other factors. Be sure to include your name and contact information so if your nominee is chosen we can reach you!

Interested in helping Holly House all year round? Visit our volunteer sign up page for more information.

The play set winner/s will be photographed and pictures will be used in Holly House materials*. Nominees must currently reside in the Edmonds School District.

We know that there are many children deserving of this gift and we will receive many submissions; please do your best to give a brief account of their story while still giving important details to help us understand their need.

Many children WANT a new play set, we are looking for kids who truly NEED one.

*The winner will require parent or guardian permission.

Congratulations Pam Martinez, KIRO's Hometown Hero June 2015

We are very pleased to announce that our Executive Director, Pam Martinez, was the recipient of the KIRO Radio 97.3FM Hometown Hero Award for June, 2015. Nominations are received from community members to recognize an exceptional citizen in the local community who has impacted and inspired others. We are so pleased for Pam to have received this recognition, it is well deserved! She puts 110% into everything she does for the kids supported by Holly House, often sacrificing her own needs.

Below is the story as shown on KIRO's Hometown Heroes Page:
"Pam Martinez of Lynnwood learned many children in her community were going to school without socks, coats and underwear, so she made it her mission to help those children. In 2006 she founded Holly House, a holiday gift program that provides children with gifts and necessities.

Pam dedicates her time fundraising and collecting donations to provide gifts for over 2,000 children in her school district.

Because of Pam's tenacity and care, KIRO Radio and your community credit union, WSECU are proud to honor Pam as a Hometown Hero and award her with $2,000 as a way to say thank you for all that you do."


Listen to the promotional segment that will be played on the radio announcing her as the June 2015 Hometown Hero!



Way to go Pam, we are so lucky to have you at the helm of Holly House.
~ Jen Winckler, Blog Manager

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! 

Holly House Fundraiser 5/27/14

We invite you to attend our first ever fundraiser for Holly House! As our charity has grown, so have our operational costs. We rely 100% on donations and grants to fund this program which reaches 2000 children in the local Edmonds School District. Please come learn more about our program, our goals, our needs, and ways that you can help. These children need a hero in their life - could it be YOU?

Join us Tuesday 5/27 from 7-9pm for appetizers, wine, and dessert at Madison Alderwood Park Apartments Clubhouse (18031 36th Ave W, Lynnwood). RSVP to Pam Martinez 425-435-1403 or pjkringle@comcast.net

Holly House's first board meeting!

Holly House had it's very first Board Meeting today. Another step in the journey to get our own 501(c)(3) non profit status instead of being under a fiscal sponsor.

We have the best, and I mean very best Board who's sole goal is the good of the kids. I am so blessed to take this journey with them.

~ Pam, Executive Director