Fall / Winter 2016Volume 32 No. 3

FROM MY HEARTMy dear friends,As I write this letter, summer has come to an end, we are well into the fall season, and are busily preparing for one of the most joyous times of the year: Thanksgiving and Christmas. We had a wonderful summer here- so many of you remembered us and either donated financially or came to volunteer your talents and time at our drop-in-center Sharing and Caring Hands and our transitional housing Mary’s Place. Because of your most generous donations, we were able to feed and clothe thousands, provide free dental and medical services to those with no income/insurance, and help with countless emergency needs. We were able to take the children living at Mary’s Place to the pools and water parks and zoos. We also continued to help the families living at Mary’s Place secure permanent housing. So many come to us with fear and tears yet leave out of our doors feeling hope, love, and peace. Thank you! Right now, we are hastily preparing to give thousands in need a beautiful holiday. Please remember that those we will serve are alone and have very little to nothing. This time of year is especially difficult and hard on low-income families with children- parents are desperately try-ing to figure out how they will clothe their children in warm clothing and outer winter wear, how they will pay more expensive utility bills, and are wondering if there will be any money left over for Christmas gifts. I would very much like to be able to make this holiday season one that they will remember forever. I have always counted on you and your most generous hearts and sup-port to make Christmas one of the happiest times of their lives. We are in need of winter coats, toys, and gift cards to give to everyone who comes to us for help. Please, I pray that not even one needy family has to go without:

“Dear Lord, as the Christmas star led the Magi to worship the newborn King, we pray that your perfect light will guide us to love and serve one another. Amen.” ~A Christmas PrayerFrom the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your continued and generous support of Sharing and Caring Hands. You are all always in my daily prayers. May you all have a most blessed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year and may God bless you now and in eternity.

Yours in Christ,Mary Jo CopelandFounder & Director of Sharing and Caring Hands

“To the world you may be one person, but to that one person you may be the world.”

We would also like to specially thank Culvers for their continued and faithful support in remembering those hungry- four times every year they also prepare and

serve a wonderful meal at Sharing and Caring Hands.

We would also like to specially thank Target for their continued and faithful support of our organization and programs- every year they also award us financial as-

sistance through a general operating grant.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM &VALLEYFAIR FIELD TRIP HIGHLIGHTOver 50 volunteers dedicated their talents and time each week to work one-on-one with over 185 chil-dren in our 2016 Summer Reading Program. The children worked on abc/phonics, sight words, and reading picture and chapter books. The 185 children read a total of 27,990 minutes and 1,641 books! The children were rewarded with weekly prizes and toys, field trips, Reader of the Week Awards, and an end-of-summer field trip to Valleyfair Amusement Park. We could not be prouder of these amazing and hard-working students!

VEHICLESA vehicle donation can change a family’s life for-ever. If you have a car that would offer good, reliable transportation for a family in need, please consider donating it to Sharing & Caring Hands. We give your vehicle directly to a family in need so you can deduct the fair market value as a donation. Your donated car could be the answer to a family’s prayers. To donate, please call/email Jeremy Barthel at 612-328-1681 or bartheljeremy@gmail.com.

REGARDING DONATION DROP-OFFS To avoid donations getting damaged/wet by outside weather conditions, please only drop-off donations during the Sharing and Caring Hands open hours of Monday-Thursday 8:00AM-4:00PM and Saturday/Sunday 8:00AM-12NOON. Thank you for your generous giving!

THANK YOU TO CULVERS & TARGET WHO SPONSORED OUR BACKPACK GIVEAWAY

We were blessed by both Culvers and Target who provided over 650 brand new backpacks for the children living at Mary’s Place. We used your donations to fill these brand new backpacks with brand new school supplies.

ARCHBISHOP HEBDA VISITSThis fall we were blessed and privileged to have Arch-bishop Hebda visit the children and families living at Mary’s Place. The Archbishop said a blessing over all of the families, prayed with them, the children dedi-cated the singing of the song He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands to him, and he and Mary Jo handed out $2 to hundreds of children. It was a great honor and pleasure to host the Archbishop and we are grateful and humbled he took the time to stop by and see us.

ONGOING NEEDSDo you have any of the following items at home that you are not using? Would you be willing to purchase some items you find on a good deal? Could you sponsor a drive at your church, school, or business to collect some of these much-needed items? Please call 612-338-4640 or email info@sharingandcaringhands.org if you have any questions about organizing a donation drive.Bolded items are current urgent needs!FOOD for those that access our Food Shelf- the items most needed are cereal, pasta and sauce, peanut butter, tuna, canned fruit and vegetables, box dinners, soups, and juices.HYGIENE items such as soap, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner.DIAPERS (Size Newborn & size 4/5/6), PULL-UPS (size 3t, 4t, 5t), BABY WIPES, BABY FORMULA.HOUSEHOLD items (new/gently used but in excel-lent condition)- dishes, pots and pans, glasses, sil-verware, towels, sheets, blankets, pillows, and small appliances in good working condition.CLOTHING (new/gently used but in excellent con-dition) for men, women, and kids.CAR SEATS in great working condition (cannot be expired). STROLLERS in great working condition.

“If you see somebody who needs to be helped, help them. If you see something that needs to be done, do it. If you see something that

needs to be changed, go change it.”

INDOOR PLAYROOM We are seeking volunteer groups of 6-10 people to play with the children at Mary’s Place. We offer a beautiful and interactive indoor playroom space where volunteers can play with the children- and in these colder fall and winter months, it is especially nice for the children to have the option to play inside where it is warm. Volunteers must be over the age of 12 and in every volunteer group there must be at least one adult over the age of 18. This is a great opportu-nity for church youth groups, groups of high school and/or college friends, and anyone looking to serve God’s littlest ones. Please call 612-338-4640 or email info@sharingandcaringhands.org to schedule.

HALLOWEEN PARTYWe were blessed by the generosity of Mary Jo’s close friend, Damian Moran (pictured below), who with the help of 40 of his family/friends/fellow church members/Cub Scouts, put on an amazing Halloween Party for over 600 Mary’s Place residents. Damian personally decorated the building in festive and spooky Halloween décor and everyone enjoyed a pizza party, carnival games, candy, balloons, face painting, DJ/music (by Damian himself),

dancing, and a live magic show by international magician Brodini! Everyone had a wonderful time and we are so thankful to Damian and his volunteers for putting on such an incredible event.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: DAVEDave has worked for Mary Jo for 10 years. He serves many important roles including staffing our load-ing dock where donations are dropped off, providing security for our private parking lots, staffing the Mary’s Place Front Desk, and working with the teens at our Teen Center. He thinks “Mary Jo is a saint” and “hopes to be here forever!”

SISTER MARILYN CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARYCongratulations to Sister Marilyn who celebrated her 25th anniversary with the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ. Sister Marilyn is one of our Family Advocates and runs our Children Center. She is compassionate, faithful, and loving and we are blessed to have her here with us!

VOLUNTEER TUTORS NEEDEDWe are looking for volunteers able and willing to tutor Mary’s Place children with their schoolwork. Please consider spending two hours per week with students who need your encouragement, mentorship, and sup-port to reach success in the classroom. No special teaching/tutoring experience is required.Program Days/Time: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays from 4-6pm. *We are looking for volunteers who can start their weekly commitment in January 2016.Sign-Up Contact:Kathy Klement at 612-328-0988 or kklement@sharingandcaringhands.org.

WINTER COATS NEEDEDEvery fall and winter we try and give every single child and teenager living at Mary’s Place a brand new winter coat. The families at Mary’s Place do not have the financial ability to buy brand new winter coats for all of their children. Because of your dona-tions, we are happy to be able to relieve them of this financial worry. However, we are in desperate need of your donations of brand new winter coats. We never want to have to tell a child that we cannot help them with this much-needed clothing item. Donations can be dropped off at Mary’s Place or shipped directly to Mary’s Place (401 North 7th Street, Minneapolis MN 55405) in care of Klement/Lor.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS NEEDEDPlease consider donating gifts for the children at Mary’s Place and other low-income families who come to us in need at Christmas.We ask for and need everyone’s continued involve-ment if we are going to meet the numbers again this year. Gifts should be new, unwrapped, and delivered to Sharing & Caring Hands between December 1st-22nd. Wrapping paper & tape is always appreciated, too.The following list is just to provide ideas of things the children would really enjoy however the children we serve will be delighted by any gift they receive from you.Some ideas for the children:*Baby Dolls *Lego Sets *Soccer Balls *Art Supplies *Cars *Basketballs *Craft Projects *Board Games *Footballs *Barbies *Learning Toys *Stuffed Animals Popular Characters – Frozen, Doc McStuffin, Dora, Tinkerbell, Hello Kitty, Elmo, Thomas The Tank En-gine, Cars, Minions, Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Avengers, Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.We also serve many teenagers who are often over-looked at Christmas, so please include them in your shopping.Some ideas for the teens:*Glove, Hat, & Scarf Sets *Clothing *Make-up Sets & Jewelry *Electronics *Lotion & Bath Products *Board Games *Purses *Sport Equipment *Art Supplies *Gift CardsThank you for helping to make this Christmas extra special for our children who have so little.

LETTERS FROM THE MAIL BAGDear Mary Jo,A week ago, I came for your free dental services. Oh my goodness, it was a pleasant experience! The dentist and his assistant were very gentle and treated me with the utmost respect. I was so impressed and thankful. May the Lord continue to bless these volunteer doctors as they honor God through the giving of their talents. And thank you, Mary Jo, for starting this work and having these kinds of services available for the community. We are all so grateful. Love and best regards, Thalia

Dear Mary Jo,I am a single mother of 8 children and am from Chicago, Illinois. We were living a hard life- barely any money, our neighborhood was starting to get taken over by drugs and gangs, and I did not have much help or support. I had always heard great things about Minnesota so took a leap of faith and moved my children here for a chance at something better. You housed my family when no one else would and showed us pure kindness and love. You have treated us like family. Mary’s Place is actually the nicest place we have ever lived. Here we have a beautiful apartment, furniture, and free laundry, phone, and cable TV for the children. We are safe here and everyone is happy. Your staff helped me get childcare and school set up for my children and myself enrolled in a job training program. Everyone is so encouraging and supportive. I am excited about the opportunities here and thank God every night for the blessing and gift of you and Mary’s Place. I believe God led us to you and we will do everything in our power to make you proud that you helped us. Thank you for helping give my family a second chance at a better life. Love, Leteecia & Family (Room #250)

Dear Mary Jo,You are my favorite place to donate to! I try to bring donations of food, clothing, and household items on a regular basis. I love telling my family and church friends about you and always ask them to consider donating to you since you make sure everything goes straight to the people who most need it. Keep up the great work you are doing. We are all praying for you! Love, Richard

Dear Mary Jo,Thank you for giving my client a brand new pair of tennis shoes, socks, and a bus card! Thank You, Martina (Mental Health Worker)

Dear Mary Jo,Thank you for always being willing to consider our clients for housing at Mary’s Place. You have sheltered so many of our families, preventing them from having to sleep in their car/outside on the streets with their children. You really do catch those that fall between the cracks of the system. Thank You, Cecily (Social Worker)

Dear Mary Jo,I did it! You helped me pay for my $185 CNA test (which I passed!). I am now a certified nursing assistant and on my way to a better paying job! Thank You, Leena

Dear Mary Jo,I am so blessed to have spent some time with you at Sharing and Caring Hands, learning about what you do, and seeing firsthand your unwavering commitment to those in need. You are their advocate, helping hand, and support. And you have truly opened my eyes and made a difference in my life. I want to give back so plan to host a fundraiser for Sharing and Caring Hands. I would be honored to help you and your mission in any little way possible. Regards, Johnny

Though these letters are directed to Mary Jo and the staff, we share them with you to show the impact your love, generosity and caring love have on the lives of others.

“Your smile and an outstretched hand is the beginning of a miracle in the unspoken need of another’s heart.”

LETTERS FROM THE KIDS Happy Birthday, Mary Jo!We hope you have the best birthday. We hope you have a lot of balloons, cake, and presents. We love you so much!!! Love, Emiliana (age 10) & Elise (age 6)

Sharing and Caring Hands525 North 7th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55405

612-338-4640v v v v v v v v v v

Business Hours:M-Th: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sat.-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.v v v v v v v

You can use your Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express for donations to Sharing & Caring Hands.

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We also have the option of Electronic Funds Transferv v v v

Want to know more? Visit us on the Web!www.sharingandcaringhands.orginfo@sharingandcaringhands.org

YOU CAN DONATE TO SHARING & CARING HANDS ONLINE.

ULTIMATE GIFTPlease consider a gift to Sharing & Caring Hands as part of your will or trust as you do your estate planning. Donations can be in the form of stocks, 401K’s, insurance policies, or charitable remainder trusts. Talk to your financial advisor or call Mary Jo Copeland at 612-328-4290.Regular donations are vital to our work, and many employers will match your donations, thus doubling its value. You can use your Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express for donations to Sharing & Caring Hands. A donation of stock is also welcome and can have great tax advantages. We are a 501(C)(3) charity so all donations are tax deductible. May God bless your generosity!

Dear Mary Jo,Thank you for giving me $12 for my 12th birthday! Love, Ladon (age 12)

Dear Mary Jo,Thanks for always paying for us to go to the movies and McDonalds. We love going on your field trips. It is so much fun. Love, Sage (age 9)

Dear Mary Jo,Thanks for the awesome Halloween Party! It was seriously one of the best parties I have ever been to! I wish we could have the Halloween Party every day! Love, Carter (age 11)

Dear Mary Jo,You are like an angel. You are like a saint. I hope I can be just like you when I get older. Love, Felicity (age 10)

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 399

TWIN CITIES, MN

Sharing and Caring handSP.O. BOx 50657MinneaPOliS, Mn 55405-0657

addreSS ServiCe requeSted

Blessings to You and Your Family this Holiday Season!