I know it has seemed as if I have been hiding or MIA, but I haven't. In fact, the donations have been coming in slowly but surly, and now that school is done. I have SOOOO much more time to dedicate to raising funds. I have a potential fundraiser opportunity coming up. Maybe not exactly a fundraiser, but an awareness opportunity. A friend from one of my classes wants me to come and talk to her sorority. Supposedly they have a whole season of "giving" and outreach in the Spring quarter. She wants me to speak and her and her sorority sisters are going to do an item drive on campus for Roses from Rosalynn. This is still a POTENTIAL fundraiser as of right now, and will be updating as I get more info in the coming weeks. Also, my church wants to do a birthday drive for Rosalynn. Since her birthday falls on Holy Week, my church wants to post in the bulletin and have me make an announcement the week before Holy Week so that people can bring items during Holy week. I was honored that they wanted to do this, I just have to run it by the PSP board first. I will be making a small speech at each mass leading up to Palm Sunday and collect from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.
I have a delivery appointment for April 18th. I have about 20 bags as of right now to drop off. I am ecstatic!! I am ready to deliver NOW, but unfortunately the chaplain @ OSU has been out for a hip injury this past month, so won't be able to meet with me till April, so we just decided to do it for Rosalynn's Birthday. I will be posting pictures of the finished bags and all the generous items everyone has donated!!!
My dearest Sister in law and one of my best friends, and Holly from "Caring for Carleigh" donated 16 "Mommy Please Don't Cry" Books between the 3 of them!!! AMAZING considering this is the most expensive item in the bag, and probably the most personal item from me.
Thank you all for you continued support!!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
TAX EXEMPT STATUS!!!
I would like to announce that it is official. After waiting and much hard work from our Project Sweet Peas board members, Project Sweet Peas is officially a501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organization! I have mentioned before that PSP is a non-profit, but we finally have our tex exempt status now! what does this mean? Anyone who sends a donation to Roses From Rosalynn (or any other ocal PSP project for that matter) will be mailed the paper work to apply it to their taxes at the end of the year. It gets better! If you donated since I got Roses From Rosalynn up and running (around OCT/NOV) and you have not filed your 2010 taxes, you can message me and I will send you the form for last year. I am thrilled to be a part of this amazing group of women who are so dedicated to helping other families in time of need.
This tax exempt status will hopefully open doors wide for more donations from bigger companies, along with grants. Let's get Roses from Rosalynn all through Ohio, and Project Sweet Peas in all 50 states! If you are interested in starting your own local project, email me, or log onto Projectsweetpeas.com and send an email their way and express your interest.
Thank you everyone for your continued support and generosity!
This tax exempt status will hopefully open doors wide for more donations from bigger companies, along with grants. Let's get Roses from Rosalynn all through Ohio, and Project Sweet Peas in all 50 states! If you are interested in starting your own local project, email me, or log onto Projectsweetpeas.com and send an email their way and express your interest.
Thank you everyone for your continued support and generosity!
Monday, January 31, 2011
What Goes in The Bags?
A lot of people have been asking me for lists of what will be going into each Angel bag so that they can donate to the cause. I am sorry it has taken so long, but it was because we have tweeked them more than I expected. After talking to my sister, "Bug", and determining what the hospital we will be delivering to already provides the baby loss parents, we have made our list finalized, and this is what ill be going into each bag:
~Hand and Foot print molds- these can be picked up a your local Walmart for about $7, or I am sure there are some online ordering places.
~ Journals and pen so that mom and dad can write down memories of their baby and their feelings over the next few months/years. Some people aren't as vocal as I am, and don't want to pour their heart out on the internet.
~A receiving blanket
~an outfit. I prefer a outfit that is proper for burial, because I could not have brought myself to go into a Baby's R Us to pick one out myself. I know some parents want to do it themselves, but if the outfit is already beautiful, then they don't have to if they don't want to.
~Booties and little hats to put on the baby.
~A teddy bear, small, for baby- there was a comfort in my heart knowing that Rosie's little bear was with her from the time she was born, and now resides with her in the casket. I have been looking specifically for the angel TY bears, but they are harder to find than I thought.
~A large teddy bear for mom- this is to ease a little of the pain from the "empty arm syndrome". I carried my bear around for weeks!
~A disposable camera. Although I did not think of it at the time, I regret now not getting more photos of my beautiful daughter. I think that if the camera is in the bag, parents may be inclined to take pictures. Then, they don't even have to develop the film until they are ready (It took me at least 2 months to finally look at the pictures that the hospital took).
~Gift cards. I will be giving gift cards to Joan (the bereavement director) to be given to the dads. For most women, they are in and out of the hospital within 48 of giving birth. However, under some circumstances like mine, I was there for 4 days. Foster didn't eat much. He didn't want to leave my side. I feel like if the dad has a $10 gift card to Chipotle or Tim Hortons or somewhere close to the hospital, he may be more inclined to eat. Also, the hospital food is not always appetizing, so maybe the mom will partake in the GC.
~ Last but not least, a specific book, "Mommy Please Don't Cry, There are No tears in Heaven" I am including in every bag. If you are a BLM, and would like to donate a different book to help the mom and dad in their grief, feel free!
~Any monetary donation is great also. There are a lot of expenses that go into this that you don't physically see (like the canvas bags, printer ink for the letters, thank you cards and stamps, etc.). To do this securely, feel free to use the paypal donation button on the right, or send it to me in the mail.
As we get more donations and are able to expand to other hospitals, more items will be added to this list. For instance, memory boxes. OSU has them already. They give them to each angle mom, however, other hospitals may not, so if you want to donate memory boxes because you are crafty and make them, or just find a nice one at a store and buy one, we will NOT turn down any donation! We will eventually use everything!
I hope this helps, I thank you all ahead of time for your generosity, and God Bless!
To send donations directly to me, please email me for my address: erinkfinneran@gmail.com
~Hand and Foot print molds- these can be picked up a your local Walmart for about $7, or I am sure there are some online ordering places.
~ Journals and pen so that mom and dad can write down memories of their baby and their feelings over the next few months/years. Some people aren't as vocal as I am, and don't want to pour their heart out on the internet.
~A receiving blanket
~an outfit. I prefer a outfit that is proper for burial, because I could not have brought myself to go into a Baby's R Us to pick one out myself. I know some parents want to do it themselves, but if the outfit is already beautiful, then they don't have to if they don't want to.
~Booties and little hats to put on the baby.
~A teddy bear, small, for baby- there was a comfort in my heart knowing that Rosie's little bear was with her from the time she was born, and now resides with her in the casket. I have been looking specifically for the angel TY bears, but they are harder to find than I thought.
~A large teddy bear for mom- this is to ease a little of the pain from the "empty arm syndrome". I carried my bear around for weeks!
~A disposable camera. Although I did not think of it at the time, I regret now not getting more photos of my beautiful daughter. I think that if the camera is in the bag, parents may be inclined to take pictures. Then, they don't even have to develop the film until they are ready (It took me at least 2 months to finally look at the pictures that the hospital took).
~Gift cards. I will be giving gift cards to Joan (the bereavement director) to be given to the dads. For most women, they are in and out of the hospital within 48 of giving birth. However, under some circumstances like mine, I was there for 4 days. Foster didn't eat much. He didn't want to leave my side. I feel like if the dad has a $10 gift card to Chipotle or Tim Hortons or somewhere close to the hospital, he may be more inclined to eat. Also, the hospital food is not always appetizing, so maybe the mom will partake in the GC.
~ Last but not least, a specific book, "Mommy Please Don't Cry, There are No tears in Heaven" I am including in every bag. If you are a BLM, and would like to donate a different book to help the mom and dad in their grief, feel free!
~Any monetary donation is great also. There are a lot of expenses that go into this that you don't physically see (like the canvas bags, printer ink for the letters, thank you cards and stamps, etc.). To do this securely, feel free to use the paypal donation button on the right, or send it to me in the mail.
As we get more donations and are able to expand to other hospitals, more items will be added to this list. For instance, memory boxes. OSU has them already. They give them to each angle mom, however, other hospitals may not, so if you want to donate memory boxes because you are crafty and make them, or just find a nice one at a store and buy one, we will NOT turn down any donation! We will eventually use everything!
I hope this helps, I thank you all ahead of time for your generosity, and God Bless!
To send donations directly to me, please email me for my address: erinkfinneran@gmail.com
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Merry Christmas Rosalynn!
Here are some pictures of the amazing donations we received from St. Vincent de Paul parents! I am sooooo blessed. Rosie has definitely made an impact on people! Also, I had my very first online donation! So I am glad to say that the paypal donation button works!!
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| Project Sweet Pea's logo |
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| Shelf stocked full with items ready to be added to bags!! |
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| beautiful outfits and onsies...the ones my mom picked out have roses embroidered on the outfit!! How sweet!! |
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| Notice the boxes to the left...notice a theme?!?! LOL. These are beautiful memory boxes |
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| My amazing Auntie Chris Embroidered these bags! BEAUTIFUL!!! |
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| Boxes of matching outfits, blankets, booties, and caps...with a few angel bears thrown in. Donated by Back in His Arms Again. |
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Google and Roses from Rosalynn!
I know unless people are aware of "Roses from Rosalynn" they would probably never have a reason to Google it, but I think it is great that if you DO google it, it is the FIRST like that pops up!! I LOVE it!!! Now I just need inexpensive ideas to market my project. I would like to have it reach all the corners of Ohio. I know this is a big dream, but that is my ultimate goal, to have as many hospitals and Baby loss families benifit from these beautiful bags. Stay tuned, because tomorrow I will be posting the pictures from all of the Christmas donations. I hope to get the first delivery made before school starts back up on Jan 3rd!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Donation Buttion Up and Running!!!
If you will look to your right, you will see my all new donation button! I am so excited about this, because so many people have expressed interest in donating to Roses from Rosalynn with Project SweetPeas, and now they can!
The button will take you to Pay pal, and every cent (minus a small paypal fee that will be taken out of my account once a month) will go to my bags. I am working on adding up approximately how much each bag costs, so that if someone actually wants to donate a "full bag", they can! Until then, every little bit helps, even one dollar!! Thank you all so much for your love and support! I could not have done this without you!
The button will take you to Pay pal, and every cent (minus a small paypal fee that will be taken out of my account once a month) will go to my bags. I am working on adding up approximately how much each bag costs, so that if someone actually wants to donate a "full bag", they can! Until then, every little bit helps, even one dollar!! Thank you all so much for your love and support! I could not have done this without you!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Kindness of Others
The Christmas season brings out a lot of different emotions and mindsets in people. Some get greedy, and all they can focus on is what they want under the tree. Some feel guilty because they cannot afford to buy the kinds of presents they want for their family members. Others, including myself and other baby loss parents are just praying they get through the holidays without more heartbreak and pain. However, it is those that exhibit the true meaning of Christmas that warm my heart and give me hope for the new year.
I have officially received my first donations to Roses from Rosalynn. I have mentioned before the wonderful people I work with, and how much I enjoy my job because of them. I also mentioned how one of the nurses commended me on how I have turned my loss into something worthy of praise and respect. This strong minded, funny and beautiful woman donated a bag full of goodies to my project, my ministry. She handed me a bag with an array of different items. There were adorable onesies, hats, and socks. She included lotions and powders that I am sure it did not go unnoticed by her that the brand name of the bathing supplies is "Angel of Mine". I was ecstatic as I peered into the bag and thought of the smiles the parents would have when they too realized what they would be giving their first bath with. This generous woman is quiet compared to a lot of the women I work with, she has had her own struggles in life, and has become and amazingly strong woman because of them. This is just another example of how when she does do or say something, there is substance behind it, and this simple act of kindness warmed me to the core.
Today I was handed a envelope by another angel in scrubs. This particular nurse has been an inspiration to me since the day I joined the ER team. Her and one other young nurse were two of the most compassionate, loving, Christian-like women I have ever known. The second nurse joined mission work and has been traveling for the past 2 years, however, the first stayed behind and has brightened our sometimes dark, stressful workplace. Her smile and laugh is contagious and she never has an ill word to say about anyone, including some of the shady people that come through our doors. Her faith in God inspired me, and for 3 years I have enjoyed listening and talking to her about Christ and scripture, friendship and love.
When I read the outside of the envelope that she handed me, it said that I inspired HER! I uttered an ironic laugh in my head, because if she only knew..... (well, she knows now if she or someone at work figures out who I am talking about). In a time of year where people are scraping together money for gifts for their loved ones, and still trying to pay bills, her and her husband wanted to make a donation to my ministry. To say I was appreciative was an understatement. Had she handed me the envelope in a more private place, there would have been tears, but I have learned how to hide them and unfortunately all she got was the generic "Thank You", a hug, and a smile, because if she could see how I was truly feeling on the inside, I was bursting, and the thank you would probably have been a lot more emotional. However, she was close to tears herself, so maybe it was good I held back in front of everyone.
The Kindness of others is what has made me feel completely full filled this season. I could go to Christmas with my family this year, and if there isn't a single present under that tree for me, I will still be satisfied, because what these women have done. I am so happy that with these items and money, I will be able to contribute more to families who are suffering in their hearts and whose world has been flipped upside down this Christmas Season.
Thank You Thank You Thank You ladies, from the bottom of my heart!!!
(Oh, and Mom, don't think I have forgotten your donations, that is a whole separate post! I promise:-)
I have officially received my first donations to Roses from Rosalynn. I have mentioned before the wonderful people I work with, and how much I enjoy my job because of them. I also mentioned how one of the nurses commended me on how I have turned my loss into something worthy of praise and respect. This strong minded, funny and beautiful woman donated a bag full of goodies to my project, my ministry. She handed me a bag with an array of different items. There were adorable onesies, hats, and socks. She included lotions and powders that I am sure it did not go unnoticed by her that the brand name of the bathing supplies is "Angel of Mine". I was ecstatic as I peered into the bag and thought of the smiles the parents would have when they too realized what they would be giving their first bath with. This generous woman is quiet compared to a lot of the women I work with, she has had her own struggles in life, and has become and amazingly strong woman because of them. This is just another example of how when she does do or say something, there is substance behind it, and this simple act of kindness warmed me to the core.
Today I was handed a envelope by another angel in scrubs. This particular nurse has been an inspiration to me since the day I joined the ER team. Her and one other young nurse were two of the most compassionate, loving, Christian-like women I have ever known. The second nurse joined mission work and has been traveling for the past 2 years, however, the first stayed behind and has brightened our sometimes dark, stressful workplace. Her smile and laugh is contagious and she never has an ill word to say about anyone, including some of the shady people that come through our doors. Her faith in God inspired me, and for 3 years I have enjoyed listening and talking to her about Christ and scripture, friendship and love.
When I read the outside of the envelope that she handed me, it said that I inspired HER! I uttered an ironic laugh in my head, because if she only knew..... (well, she knows now if she or someone at work figures out who I am talking about). In a time of year where people are scraping together money for gifts for their loved ones, and still trying to pay bills, her and her husband wanted to make a donation to my ministry. To say I was appreciative was an understatement. Had she handed me the envelope in a more private place, there would have been tears, but I have learned how to hide them and unfortunately all she got was the generic "Thank You", a hug, and a smile, because if she could see how I was truly feeling on the inside, I was bursting, and the thank you would probably have been a lot more emotional. However, she was close to tears herself, so maybe it was good I held back in front of everyone.
The Kindness of others is what has made me feel completely full filled this season. I could go to Christmas with my family this year, and if there isn't a single present under that tree for me, I will still be satisfied, because what these women have done. I am so happy that with these items and money, I will be able to contribute more to families who are suffering in their hearts and whose world has been flipped upside down this Christmas Season.
Thank You Thank You Thank You ladies, from the bottom of my heart!!!
(Oh, and Mom, don't think I have forgotten your donations, that is a whole separate post! I promise:-)
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