Zero the zeros !!!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

You can't save them all.

How many times have you heard this -

"YOU CAN'T SAVE THEM ALL" ?

I read many blogs, forums, etc etc, where the children from Reece's Rainbow are featured. I see numerous faces, daily, of children who are desperate for families - older children, younger children, transferred children, in danger of transfer children, aging out children, sick children, neglected children...you get the picture. Who to help ? Who to advocate for ? Who to donate to ? Who is in the most need of being saved, of being adopted ? How to choose ?

Do I donate to the family soon to travel, who still need many thousands of dollars ?

Or the family who are just starting out on their adoption story, scraping together the cash for various fees ?

Do I advocate for the child who is almost too old to be adopted and in danger of being sent to an adult institution for the rest of their lives ?

Or the child who is so sick and neglected, they will surely die without medical care away from their own country ?

Or the child about to be transferred from their baby house to an institution where they'll have no chance of survival ?

Or a child already in an institution ?

Maybe I should advocate for the cutest child, surely if they are too incredibly adorable, someone will choose them ?

Or the child with a terrible photo, for they need all the advocates they can get ?

How about the child with a large grant - should I donate to them, get that grant fully funded so a family can adopt without a worry ?

Or the child with nothing, to give them a start toward that large grant ?

What to do ? Who to choose ? Who is most worthy of my time and energy ?

It's impossible.

Yes, there are certain children who tug at my heart strings more than others, but I find it impossible to choose just one child to help. I have every admiration for those people who do choose. Some pick a certain child or two who they advocate and donate to exclusively.

I just can't do it.

Somehow, back in September 2011, I came up with the idea of helping a huge group of children - those older kids, with zero in their newly formed individual grants.

Somehow, within 4 months, every single one of those children had a few dollars in their account.

BUT

That's not enough. They need more. Unfortunately, I can't give each child enough so that they are fully funded. I can't leap in and give my heart to one child.

I would, if I could, but I can't. I can't focus on one child, donating a few dollars to them as and when I can. I just can't choose. So - I take the easy way - I take baby steps.

Less than a month ago, I changed the goal - now, we want every child in the older age groups to get their grants up to $20. No, it isn't much in the grand scheme of things - but it's more. More than zero. Not much more - but more - a small step - but a step in the right direction.

Towards higher goals.

Less than a month ago, there were 123 older children with less than $20.

Today, there are 85. My goal - all older children have at least $20 in their grant by

Easter Sunday - April 8th.

It CAN be done.

These children all need your help. A few dollars is all it takes.

Click on their picture. Donate. Or share. Please.

And don't forget

Parker, Anderson, Dmitri and Victoria - I had trouble with their photos :(

All these children are deserving of so much more than $20 - but, for now, that's all I can help with.....baby steps, my friends, baby steps.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Love Notes !

Yet another eight children now have at least $20 on their account - things are moving fast !! Samuel #3-2, Jordan, Alexander G. 13G, McKenna, Alicia, Margit #16-4, Lynette #17-2 and Angelia - welcome to the $20 Club !!

There are now less than 100 children in the older age categories with less than $20 in their grants !! 94, to be precise. More than half of those - 50 - are in the "Other Angels" categories. This is GREAT !! This year, the wonderful people at Reece's Rainbow have a wonderful fundraiser for the children in the "Other Angels" categories - "VALENTINE LOVE NOTES" !! You can give Love Notes to your loved ones, and they can choose which Other Angel child to donate to !! How cool is that ? I know what I have asked for Valentines Day this year - I DEFINITELY don't need any chocolates ! My Love Notes will go toward helping those older Angels get over the $20 barrier - can't wait to get spending !!

I've said it before, and I'm sure I'll say it again - but I get such a kick out of going through the lists on Reece's Rainbow every few days, and seeing those grants grow. Knowing that somewhere out there, someone - or several someones - sees the profiles of the children, and deems them worthy. Worthy of a few more dollars. Worthy of a second glance. Worthy of sharing, on the chance that their family might see them. $20 isn't much - in the grand scheme of things, it is nothing compared to the thousands and thousands needed to adopt these kids. Yet - it's a start. Most of the kids had ZERO in their accounts - now they're creeping up to $20 or more. Next, there'll be a new goal. Baby steps :)

Of course - I also see the grants of the children who have more than $20 - and I do keep track of those, too. Some children have grants that get added to on a regular basis - some have fundraisers held for them, and all of a sudden their grant zooms up. Some children are is such bad situations, they get alot of publicity, their profile gets shared, and the money rolls in. There are so many stories behind the faces of the children on Reece's Rainbow. So many children unchosen. So many children with committed families working towards bringing them home. So many children living in misery, never seen by anyone other than their caregivers. So many children alone, seeing other children get adopted, and wondering "why not me?". SO much heartache. There's really not much I can do. I can't adopt. I don't have thousands of dollars to donate. But I DO have my voice, I can spread the word, I can blog, I can post on Facebook, I can donate a few dollars here and there. I CAN make a difference. How about you ?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

ELEVEN new members !!

I just wanted to write a quick post to thank those who helped eleven children join the $20 Club in the last couple of days !! Drew #6-1, Kaleb #6-5, Mabel, Danielle 2H, Vitaly, Jason, Samson, Allie-CH, Bernadette, Dawn #17-1 and Kate 26HA - welcome ! (I have to admit, some of my favorite kids are in this group).

I also have a request - I don't know about anyone else, but when I see a new child in the older age group who has a brand new donation button, with a big fat ZERO in it, I get a little upset. We spent 4 long months stamping out those zeros - I don't want to see ANY more !! I've stomped on a few the past couple of days - but if I miss one, feel free to get rid of it as quickly as possible - zeros have NO place in MY kids grants !! :)

Thanks again to all who have helped get these grants up to $20 - I'll keep updating every few days, as usual :)

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Two down, 109 to go !

We have two new members of the $20 Club - Matvey and Emilija !!! There are still SO many more children looking for those extra dollars, though - 109 of them to be precise. There have actually been many new children added to the older age group categories - most of them do not yet have donation buttons, though. I will add them in as they get their own grants, so the numbers with less than $20 will go up at some point, unfortunately. There are currently 80 children without donation buttons for one reason or another - but, they ARE listed, so at least have a chance at being found :)

In the meantime, we'll focus on the kids with next to nothing in their accounts. All 109 of them. I know it sounds like a daunting task - but look what we did to the 171 zeros !! For most of the children, all it will take is $5 or $10 to get them to the magic $20. In fact, all it would take to get ALL 109 of the children to $20 would be $1416.14. Less than $1500, and every child would be in the $20 Club, and ready to go for the next goal. How incredibly cool would that be ? I can only imagine what the goal for them will be by Christmas 2012 - other than finding a family for them, which is obviously the ultimate goal for all of them. Please - if you can - find $5 or $10, and let's whittle down that $1416.14 to ZERO. Yep, here I go with the zeros again.

Click on any of the links below, and look for a child with less than $20 - and get them over that hill and into the $20 club - please !!

Boys with Down Syndrome aged 6-9 (19 with less than $20)

Girls with Down Syndrome aged 6-9 (4 with less than $20)

Other Angel Boys aged 6-9 (31 with less than $20)

Other Angel Girls aged 6-9 (19 with less than $20)

Boys and Girls with HIV aged 6-9 (17 with less than $20)

Girls with Down Syndrome aged 10+ (7 with less than $20)

Other Angel Boys aged 10+ (3 with less than $20)

Other Angel Girls aged 10+ (3 with less than $20)

Boys and Girls with HIV aged 10+ (6 with less than $20)

I know you can do it !!!! Everyone in the $20 Club by Easter !!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The least with the least

THREE more children have now joined the $20 club !! Silas, Janna and Cindy - welcome !! The best thing about this club is that once you join, the only way is up !! Once all the children are over $20, we'll have a new goal, then another new goal - and ultimately, new families. That's all I really hope for - but in the mean time, we'll take those baby steps and just keep getting those names and faces out there.

Today, we will meet the oldest children - those who are over ten, and sadly the least likely to be adopted, despite their potential for being a wonderful son or daughter. There ARE parents out there for every single one of them, though - they just need to see their faces and take a leap of faith. Let's help them out just a teeny weeny bit, shall we ? A few dollars in their grants, share their names and faces on blogs and social media - and one day, their future parents will see them an fall in love.

It WILL happen !!

Margit $15