Back to School 2011 was a huge success thanks to YOU! In addition to JOY and HOPE – There were 310 backpacks full of supplies given out this year. We were excited to be able to place the following items in the bags.
- 3 spiral notebooks
- A pack of 10 ink pens
- A pack of 10 pencils
- A pack of loose leaf paper
- A box of 24 crayons
- A box of 12 colored pencils
- 2 pocket folder portfolios
- A bottle of glue
- A glue stick
- A pack of Lance Peanut butter Crackers
- A pack of gummy snacks
- A pack of Reese Cups
We invited 300 people to the event. We went and picked up many of the families that didn’t have a way to get there. Hotdogs were prepared and served along with chips, drinks and cake for desert. They enjoyed a free meal and then were invited to receive their backpacks filled with some of the necessary supplies for a successful school year.
I loved hearing the oooo’s and aaahhhh’s of the kids as they looked at the rows of backpacks that would soon be given to them. The workers and I completely enjoyed the shrieks of happiness as the kids opened their backpacks and pulled out the Reese Cups. This thrilled my heart to NO end!
I was thrilled to see several of the kids from my own neighborhood there. One of the parents told me thank you and expressed how helpful this was as the expenses of going back to school were growing each year. Even though he works all the time, it’s still hard to make ends meet.
One lady was telling my sister that she couldn’t believe she forgot to invite her neighbor and wondered if there would be enough left so that she could take some to her children. As they were having this conversation, the neighbor actually walked through the door and I hugged her, not knowing what was being discussed by the others. I had “met” the neighbor as I was shopping the night before. I had a buggy full of hotdogs, buns, chips and other things and had invited her to come, bring her kids and enjoy a meal & a free bag. This was very cool that the need was met in this fashion.
Many people expressed an interest in doing this with their church & members. I told them that I’d be happy to come and help them with organizing this. I have lots of ideas and when you have an entire church behind you, the possibilities are limitless. I can already see great things for the kids in those churches for next year!
If you are in NC, SC, VA, GA or TN – I can easily make a day trip out to help with ideas for this. Fundraising, organizing and other things can be discussed. We can also discuss other ways of encouraging your group to do more, remove their focus off of what you can’t do, don’t have and move the focus on the amazing opportunities that await you. I can help with finding joy!
I want to say a huge thank you to those who supported this event financially. Without your gifts, we would not have been able to give out bags of hope and joy. You are a unique kind of hero! One that steps up and helps, doing what you can with what you have. I’m honored that you’d choose to help Spreading Joy give back in such a huge way.
Thank you to those that wanted to give financially but couldn’t so you chose to use your voice, tell others and helped in that way! Never discount the power of your voice!
I also want to say a huge thank you to those that came and helped with packing the bags. This was done in a matter of a few hours with the assembly process we had. Amazing!
Thank you to those that came and worked on the actual day we handed out the bags and meals. There is no way this could have been done without you.
Thank you to my sister in law who made the cool shirts for us to wear. I love them.
Thank you to Pastor Taylor and the members of New Grace for allowing me to use your wonderful facility and to those who volunteer your time to make this happen. I’m honored that you’d help and support our back to school efforts.
A special thanks to my Mom, Stepdad, Angie & her family and my bestest friend and her husband for always supporting, helping, praying and assisting in any way possible. I love you and you make my world a much brighter place!
And a HUGE thank you to my precious family – Steve, Todd and Megan. For allowing me to ignore household duties, for running errands for me, making deposits, picking up things, unloading 2 carloads of supplies in the blazing heat, loading them BACK a few days later and tolerating me getting up at 4:30am (I’m not the quietest in the world) to be at walmart by 5am to do shopping among the many other things, including but not limited to endless excited chattering, tired whinyness and the bratty little girl that poked her head out every once in a while – that you endured for back to school. Without your love and support I wouldn’t be spreading much joy at all. I’m thankful for such love from you guys.
I’m honored to be used to help others, encourage others and to able to be Spreading JOY and giving back. I know that there is no way it can be done alone and am thankful for your heart for spreading joy!
Thank YOU!!
If you were involved in this event, I invite you to leave your comments below. If you received a backpack and want to say thank you, I hope that you will. Thank you for taking the time to leave your thoughts below!
{{{HUGS}}} yall
photos: courtesy of mary whisonant
I received this thank you in my email box and wanted to share it with YOU:
MY GRANDSONS AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE BACK PACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
ALL THE CHILDREN WERE DELIGHTED. SOME EVEN SAID THEY WERE EAGER TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.
MY 5YR OLD GRANDSON STARTS KINDERGARTEN AND WAS PLEASED TO RECEIVE HIS RED BACK PACK.
HE SAID, ” NOW I AM READY TO GO! THANK YOU JESUS!”
GOD BLESS YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELPING KINDNESS.
A HANDS ON GRANDMA AND SISTER IN CHRIST,
KATHERINE
The Assembly of the Back Packs!
The Day of the Big Event!
© 2011 – 2013, Spreading Joy. All rights reserved.
Marie, you and your team are such blessings to these children and their families! We can all learn from you how to spread the JOY! Blessings for your ministry!
way to go, Marie. you rock. Steve rocks. there is so much more to come. thanks for sharing how God blessed you and those you and your team have been able to serve. God puts us together in sweet ways so we can all serve more people in His name. proud of you AND proud to be your friend.
can you believe that a hashtag #back2school connected us? God uses people and things that we don’t always expect…
Spreading Joy … demonstrating the love of God to our community
Don’t stop!!!!
A great project and it was rewarding to see all the joyful smiles of the youngsters who proudly wore their bookbags ! It was a pleasure to be a part of the project. Thanks, Marie for all you’re doing.
Every little bit we do counts so much. Thank you for always reminding us of this Marie. 🙂
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Mt 25:40
This is truly amazing, Marie. What a wonderful thing to do for those in need. The pictures and videos are incredible! Can’t wait for ChristmasJOY!
Marie this made me cry. You and your team are amazing. How blessed are families that were able to be able to participate in this project. I know the luckiest one is You. To be able to watch the children open their new backpacks… I’m not sure who had the bigger smile the kids or You. God bless my friend
Hi Marie
I’m so glad that all these children have these wonderful
school supplies and back packs to go back to school with.
What a great job you and your staff of helpers did.
God bless you Marie
Oh I passed your link onto another site.
HUGS Bonnie Squires
@DeAnn thank you! True, we need to focus on what we CAN do and do it! not what we can’t do!!
@Michael – it amazes me how God has brought some awesome people into my life over the past few years. You are one of them and I’m thankful! Looking forward to serving our Awesome God with you!
@Mary – wasn’t that the coolest thing to see. Many wore them while eating, playing and didn’t want to put them down. Thank you for coming and helping and being part of this wonderful day!
@Colleen – ahh, love that verse! The least of these will be leading the way one day!!
@Michael – I know!! Christmas JOY is right around the corner! after labor day, I must get busy!! 🙂
@Tracey – its true! I did wear a HUGE smile much of the day! thankyou! I’m just thankful to have the opportunity to make a difference!
@Bonnie – thank YOU. Your kinds words and voice have been an inspiration!
Thank you – all of you for taking a moment to encourage me! I pray your day brings huge smiles and great joy to your heart!
{{{HUGS}}} yall
@spreadingJOY
Wow! That is really some spreading joy! So happy to see the kids with big smiles. And yes, it would be great to have ressecups a standard item… 😀
Miss Marie, you really imparted to me the heart to be a cheerful giver, even at small things… 🙂
Love yah!!! <3 <3 <3
Mwah! God bless you and everyone in there… 😀
I was eating out one Sunday after church and saw a Pastor and his wife of a local church that was the recipient of a handful of our back to school book bags. She told me that they had 2 left over and there was a missionary (not American, but from a foreign mission field) that came through and she gave them to their kids. Their mother wrote a special thank you note telling us how very special that gift was.
Your support has helped children all over the world!
Feel good about that!! I sure do!
Thank you for spreading joy with me!
{{HUGS}} yall
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Marie you’re AWESOME. Thank you for all you do.
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