The difference you’re making—one family at a time

Before I tell you about our upcoming donation day on April 16 and some other Simple Needs GA news, I wanted to share a story that illustrates how your support is truly making a difference in the lives of families in need.

Last year, we helped a woman and her family by providing them with beds and furniture and also giving her daughter birthday gifts. Later, the mom told us about her super-sweet, 15-year-old son: He was about to go back to school, she explained, but was embarrassed because his clothes and shoes were so old. Our supporter Jody provided the funding, and Lauren did the shopping and delivery—and so this young man was able to go back to school with his head held high.

When it was time for his birthday in February, we provided him with the electronics and other gifts he wanted but, again, could not afford. (Thanks so much to Bobbi and Kim for buying those!) Later, we helped the young man get a uniform so that he could participate in the track and field team at his school (thanks to Melanie!).

What if we hadn’t been there? I typically try not to think too hard about all the tremendous need in our community. Here at Simple Needs GA, we always wish we could do more, but of course we can’t do it all. Still, it really is wonderful to think about the help we are able to provide to individuals and families in Cobb County. On a material level, yes, it’s about meeting specific, concrete needs. On a deeper level, though, it’s about showing love and kindness in ways that create lifelong memories for givers and receivers alike!

Thanks so much for all you do for Simple Needs GA!

Our next donation drive is Sat., April 16!

Simple Needs GA’s next monthly donation drive is Sat., April 16, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at our Marietta warehouse. We would love it if you could join us!

A great way to find out about specific needed items is to visit our new SignUp Genius page. So far we have posted items needed for several programs (plus some needs for agencies with which we collaborate). We’re using the page to coordinate specific gift purchases for our My Birthday Matters program, geared toward children and teenagers who are homeless.

For our Simple Household Needs program, we are seeking additional donations of gently used furniture with no damage. In particularly, we need full and queen mattresses; twin box springs; any size frames; dining tables (with or without chairs); couches and loveseats; nightstands; end tables; coffee tables, and desks. We can take other furniture as well, but we do have some storage space constraints. If you have a large piece of furniture you’d like to donate, please email brenda@simpleneedsga.org (include photos) so we can discuss the details.

Other needed items include pillows (new), silverware, queen and king sheets, blankets, microwaves, washers/dryers, vacuums, trashcans and computers.

You can see an updated list of all of our needed items here. More details on our Simple Household Needs program are available here.

Feel free to bring smaller items by our warehouse on April 16! If you have any questions or need the address of our warehouse, email brenda@simpleneedsga.org.

Kids’ birthdays can be a lesson in giving, too.

In parts of Cobb County that are blessed by prosperity, birthdays can be … well, a little much. The parents throw a party at someplace like Andretti’s or Monkey Joe’s and invite 10, 15 or even 20 kids to join the fun. Naturally, the parents of these invitees all feel obligated to buy presents—typically, brand-new toys—to bring to the party. But of course, the birthday boy or girl is already getting lots of stuff from Mom, Dad, the grandparents and other relatives. The result? Way too many presents. (Kids might argue with this idea, of course.)

Recognizing that this situation can be a bit imbalanced, some parents have chosen to work with their kids to use their birthdays as an opportunity for giving back. Check out our recent blog post about how six-year-old Bryce made a big contribution to Simple Needs GA. If you’d like to do the same with your child, email brenda@simpleneedsga.org.

Thanks!

Does your company give?

To increase our chances of winning the Cobb Community Foundation Impact Grant, we are asking for donations to match that amount. We need $ 6,000 more matched by September 30, preferably in the form of larger donations of $500 and up. If your company, or you personally, can help us out by donating (or pledging) funding that we can count toward that $10K, we would truly appreciate it. It’s really like doubling your gift!

 

Ways you can help: giving via Kroger and Amazon

Just by using their Kroger Plus Cards, a total of 15 households are now contributing to SNGA each time they shop for groceries. (This added up to $50 for the last quarter. Not bad.) The cool thing is that this costs Kroger shoppers nothing at all–the donation comes from Kroger. Click here for instructions on signing up for Kroger Community Rewards. What a great program!

Also, smile.amazon.com is a great way to support SNGA. Just sign up for the program and choose Simple Needs GA from the list. After that, AmazonSmile will donate to SNGA each time you make a purchase! Just remember to go to the smile.amazon.com portal before you do your shopping! BTW, check out our Twitter feed to see our recent contributions to AmazoneSmile’s #StartWithASmile campaign. It highlights the work of nonprofits from all across the country. Huge thanks to our dedicated volunteer Allison Sternberg, a social media specialist, for helping us become a more active voice on Twitter. Very cool!

Thanks so much for your support of people in need!