WarmFeet 2007
Thank to all those that contributed! ReallyGive community members gifted 104 pairs of wool, cotton and acrylic socks to clients cared for by the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC). Community members also gifted two fleeces to keep out the cold Seattle chill. This gift of new and unused socks was focused on addressing the critical shortage of warm winter socks for homeless men living in Seattle, Washington.
SchoolReady 2007 – 23 bags, 2 schools, and tons of smiles!
The ReallyGive community did it again! We proved that giving real gifts to those in need makes a huge difference. Through our first SchoolReady giving event we donated 10 high school and 13 elementary school backpacks full of valuable tools for students.
Just a few weeks ago, our team put out a call for school supply gifts and the response was wonderful. From Dora the Explorer backpacks to 1 gig flash drives, from writing paper to scientific calculators, the giving community went above and beyond our expectations.
Trevor Dilley, our first web developer and a recent graduate of Ballard High School, and co-founder Joel Ballezza filled a small Honda with all the school supplies and drove to Chief Sealth High School in West Seattle and Bailey Gatzert Elementary School in South Seattle. These schools were selected because of demonstrated need. At Chief Sealth High School, 55% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch; over 88% of students at Bailey Gatzert Elementary fall into that category.
We knew this was a great opportunity to contribute to their school communities. At each site, we were welcomed by school administrators who appreciated the “no-strings attached” offering of school supplies.
Kick it Forward 2007
Working in connection with a local youth group from the University Unitarian Church, ReallyGive launched its first program, Kick it Forward, a soccer ball gifting effort. Donations from friends and family members, coupled with discounts from local sports equipment apparel stores enabled ReallyGive to purchase twenty-four soccer balls and fifteen soccer pumps for donation to communities in Guatemala. ReallyGive is excited to be part of this effort to deliver community-enriching athletic equipment to those in need.
The Kick it Forward program began in Colomba, a medium-sized city in northwest Guatemala. Here six balls and two pumps were gifted to a scout group of children and their young troop leader, Tito.
Next stop was Antigua, a colonial city in the center of the nation. There the youth and their adult leaders teamed up with Common Hope, a US-founded non-profit dedicated to improving lives through education, health care, and housing. Four balls and two pumps were gifted to the center.
In addition to learning about the country and gifting additional school supplies, the cohort also traveled to more rural communities like Nuevo San Jose where the school lacked any balls. The team left four balls and two pumps for the children to enjoy.
Last stop for the Kick it Forward gift givers was in Xela, Guatemala, a small, formerly rebel-held village where more soccer supplies were gifted to a technical institute for children ages 16-19.
With 24 balls and 15 pumps gifted to four Guatemalan communities, the inaugural Kick it Forward Program was a huge success. ReallyGive would like to thank the University Unitarian Church youth ambassadors, their adult leaders, and most of all the ReallyGive community.
Impact: 24 soccer balls, 15 pumps, four communities
You’ve shown that you can make a real difference in people’s lives through real gifts!
An interview with Joe Cribbs describing the first inaugural Kick it Forward Program and the impact the gifts made on the communities they were provided to throughout Guatemala. More photos from the Kick it Forward Effort
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- Packed soccer supplies
Hudson Valley Chapter!
ReallyGive is proud to announce a new chapter to our growing national community, ReallyGive Upstate New York!
This chapter is a spin-off of the efforts of Bernadette and Richard Ballezza who through a scholarship and bookbag program started over 15 years ago in Newburgh, NY, have assisted over 600 students. Just as important, they have empowered a community of givers in the Newburgh, New Windsor, and Kingston, NY areas, enabling them to participate in the joy of giving. Cheers to Bernadette & Rich and to the members of the new ReallyGive Upstate NY Chapter! Be sure to check out there future successes as they continue their noble mission!