My Dear Family,
Although Christmas is far behind us, this is my first opportunity to share with you some of the glorious stories from Heartfelt’s Global Week of Service in December. I hope your hearts are warmed by the planetary circle of light and service created by this project. We thank all those who participated in easing the loneliness, the suffering, and the great need of many of our brothers and sisters around God’s world.
Los Angeles, CA – A special Christmas party with Santa and Mrs. Claus for 2,500 disadvantaged children and their families – Coordinators: Elaine Baran, Michelle Darrow; and an abundant gift/food distribution to 300 homeless men and women – Coordinator: Bob Kealing. More than 125 volunteers helped bring the holiday Spirit to these forgotten residents of the most depressed area of the city.
Seattle, WA – An uplifting Christmas Eve musicale and entertainment event for 40-50 seniors – Coordinator: Miriam Reiss.
Itatiba, Brazil – A heart-warming Christmas Eve visitation to children in a hospital with Santa, toys and caroling – Coordinator: Carmen Vera.
Upstate NY/CT – The community collected and overwhelmed a shelter for battered women and their children with an abundance of gifts, toys, household items and toiletries – Coordinators: Karen Faherty Rosen, Michelle Dinsmore.
McMurdo Station, Antartica – A lovingly blessed Peace Pole was planted deep into the earth/snow in Heartfelt’s name and in the name of planetary peace. This dream took a year to manifest – Coordinators: Patti Rayner, Moreah Fritz, Liz Beyer.
Fairbanks, AK – Beautiful gift bags filled with toiletries, cosmetics and perfumes were prepared and donated to the Women in Crisis Center for their Christmas bingo game – Coordinator: Moreah Fritz.
Houston, TX – John & Mary Randall, Amanda Randall, Theresa & Guy Hocking and Babalola Chris-Rotimi joyfully served and worked at the Houston Food Bank in the morning; and planted Light columns around the city of Houston in the afternoon.
Santiago, Chile – A group (Pauline Castillo, Fresia Ceron, Ana Maria Maruri, Olga Sapiains, Rebeca Soto, Reymi Urrich, Veronica Zarate) visited a Catholic home for women released from jail and being reincorporated into society; and brought upliftment, Spirit, Light, loving, caring and sharing to each of them – Coordinator: Veronica Zarate.
Northern California – The community adopted two very in-need single mothers with children, and created a full Christmas for them with Christmas trees, bicycles, scooters, toys, movie tickets, clothes and Christmas dinners. One family with a severely disabled and ill child was homeless due to a fire; the other family has recently taken in two neglected teens of a brother – Coordinator: Jeanne Litt.
Jacksonville, FL – A celebration with refreshments and caroling for the residents of a nursing home and presenting them with a new VCR and videos; and donating baskets of gifts for the homeless at a local shelter along with cooking and serving them a lovely Christmas morning breakfast – Coordinator: Judy Jackson.
Itatiba, Brazil – In early December, the group decorated the Santa Casa de Misericordia Hospital with angels and paper Christmas trees; then returned to the hospital on Christmas Eve with singers and Santa to distribute gifts and books to the children, roses to the adult visitors, and golden hearts to the hospital workers. They then went to a home for 50 seniors, and a Rescue Team facility to pass out more joy and upliftment – Coordinators: Zeni Peron, Carmen Vera Rodrigues de Souza.
Abuja, Nigeria – A Christmas party with live music and hot meal was provided for hundreds of homeless, sightless, disabled and hungry people of the area. No one was turned away and a wonderful time was experienced by all – Coordinator: Ola Olanrewaju
Philadelphia, PA – The community purchased and sponsored an ARK of 30 animals and various plants from the Heifer Project to give to an impoverished family in a 3rd world country – Coordinator: Marion Brodsky.
South Florida – Volunteers adopted in-need families and children from the Family Resource Center, a child abuse prevention and treatment facility; and donated canned goods, market gift certificates, toys, books to them. They also assisted a local youth group to give a Christmas party for the children of the center – Coordinator: Teri Wunderman.
Chicago, IL – The group sang Christmas carols at a family shelter for homeless women and children and assisted with gift distribution – Coordinator: Teri Breier-Tieman.
Nice, France – Coordinator Anne Naylor, with Pete Williams, Vi and Roy Matthewson and Jennie Peatfield lovingly planted six Light columns for the planet around the area of Nice and throughout the Nice airport.
Some of our Project Donors around the US:
University of Santa Monica
Corinne Burchet and the San Diego MSIA community
Joel Finch and Vie De France Bakery
The Souplantation
Play Hut
Imperial Toys
A&A Plush Toys
The Los Angeles Fire Department
Kevin Masterson and Susan Lucci Cosmetics
The International Toy Bank
Chiswick Bags N Bows
Richard Klein and Red River Foods
MSIA
Flourish & Garlande
Prancing Ponies
Don Ward and Reflections Blue
Garvey Nut & Candy
Michael Lawrence and Pacific Atlantic Crop Exchange
Richard and Jodi Improta
I. Yellin Company
The Traveler’s Foundation
Walmart Stores
Boy Scouts of America
U-Haul Trucks
Starbucks
Trader Joe’s
Please support those who support the Foundation. We are grateful for all who make our service work possible through sharing and extending their resources to us, and trusting that we will guardian and distribute those resources well.
Heartfelt is now established with greatergood.com. Please consider shopping online with greatergood.com and selecting Heartfelt as the beneficiary. We will receive a percentage of the sale. Thank you.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little journey around the planet made in loving service. Have a blessed year.
In loving service,
Patti Rayner
