Noah's Kindness Project 2017 Schedule

2017 EVENT SCHEDULE: 

PRE-OCTOBER 7 KINDNESS EVENTS: 

1. Noah’s Kindness Project t-shirts 

2. Food and Supplies Drives: 

1. Children First Leadership Academy- Supplies Drive- Drop Off Site: Anita & Andy Petersen’s Home 

2. St.  Mary’s Food Drive-  Drop off Site: Lubin & Enoch & Standard Plumbing True Value (550 E Baseline Rd, Mesa, NW Corner of Dobson & Baseline)
3. 
   

OCTOBER 7, 2017 SCHEDULE 

8:00 a.m.             Kindness Package for Postal Workers 

8:40 a.m.             Arrive at Feed My Starving Children- Mesa Location 

9:00-11:00 a.m. Feed My Starving Children- Group Volunteer Shift  (Thank you- We filled all of our volunteer spaces so please make sure you have submitted your name to me in order to volunteer for this activity). 

11:30 a.m.          Arrive at Banner Desert Medical Center

                             NICU and Antepartum donations  

12:45 p.m.        Balloon Release 

1:00 p.m.          Travel to the Haskovec's for afternoon activities and lunch

1:30 p.m.       Kindness Rocks  

                          Letters of Gratitude 

3:30 p.m.          Grocery Cart Return

                           Kindness Rock Distribution

5:00 p.m.         Memorial Garden- Visiting Noah's final resting place.

If you would like to join us for any or all of the activities, please let Angie or Jarrett know!

Thank you!

Noah's Family

Noah's Kindness Project: Children First Leadership Academy

The last two years we've found one of the most successful kindness projects we've worked on to be our supplies drives.  So many have partnered with us to donate food for St. Mary's in helping to feed the homeless, we have been greatly moved and touched by the outpouring of support.

This year we plan to help gather support and resources for two organizations;  The St. Mary's food bank and also the Children First Leadership Academy, a local valley school with a high population of students and families who are in need of extra support.

Today, we highlight CHILDREN FIRST LEADERSHIP ACADEMY:

We learned about the Children First Leadership Academy from my cousin Andrea who helped to put on a school supplies drive for them through the business where she works.   Children First Leadership Academic is a public charter school serving  the needs of homeless children and families in transition here in the valley.  

Children First Leadership Academy's vision is to create a positive, nurturing environment for young people to grow and learn as they develop the skills necessary to become leaders of tomorrow. Through reinforcing the commitment to building character and reaching high academic expectations students are encouraged to explore and develop their individual strengths and passions.

There are many items they are in need of.  Everything from hygiene to healthcare, food and even clothing.   They provide a very comprehensive and detailed list and I know they would be grateful for any and all donations.  Please join us in bringing donation items for this school that is doing amazing work in the Valley.   The website with current needs list is below

http://cfaphoenix.org/donate/current-needs-list/

If you'd like to contribute to the supplies drive, items are being collected at Andrea's home. Items can be dropped off on Thurs Oct 5^th after 5 pm or all day Friday Oct 6^th.  Please email Angie for directions.

We truly appreciate the support and donations from so many, including you, which help make these supplies drives such a success.


Until next time,
Angie  

Noah's Kindness Project: St. Mary's Food Bank.

Approximately 1 out of 8 households in America were food insecure in 2016.  That’s 41.2 million Americans, including 6.5 million children living in households in which both adults and children were food insecure.

For a country that has so much, how can so many be going without?  How can so many be uncertain as to when they’ll find their next meal?

This year, for Noah's Kindness Project (NKP), we are bringing back the Food Drive.  Last year, more than 1,205 pounds of food was collected at two sites through donations connected to our group! Yes, 1,205 pounds of food went to help individuals in our community who may often go to bed each night hungry.  Thank you for your help.

Will you please consider helping again?

We will be collecting food this year at Jarrett’s office, Lubin & Enoch, P.C., 349 N. Fourth Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003.  Food is presently being collected and will be accepted during business hours on weekdays through Wednesday, October 4.  If you are not in a position to drop food off there but still wish to join in this collection effort, please feel free to contact us offline to try to coordinate a pick-up or drop-off date and time elsewhere. 

  

St. Mary's has identified a number of foods and other items as the most needed, including canned foods and diapers. Please see the list at http://www.firstfoodbank.org/…/2…/10/Top-Ten-Most-Wanted.pdf.

Our gratitude to ALL who support Noah's Kindness Project is unending.

Thank you!

Until next time,
Angie and Jarrett

Proud Parent Moment: Michael's Gesture

Life has been CRAZY lately but I need to stop tonight to share a very proud moment we are basking in tonight. A proud parent moment all because of this guy...

Today as I pulled up to the school to pick up Isabelle and  Michael, Michael's teacher flagged me down.  She motioned for me to roll down my window so I did.  She said, I just have to tell you, Michael has some good news.  :-)  I immediately wondered if he was picked for Student Council since he had been practicing his speech the night before and told me he really wanted to be a part of it.  I thought she was done but then she said, "He did the sweetest thing today, I got teary-eyed I was so proud.  I'll email you later." 

Since I had already held up the pick up line  long enough, I drove off and asked Michael and Isabelle about their days.  Michael excitedly told me that he was selected for Student Council but that he felt sorry his fellow classmate was not picked.  This was the same classmate he had told me about the night before as someone who other kids  pick on and call names.  I told Michael he should be kind to him, to stand up for him and to tell the kids not  to do such acts.  Michael seemed to take it in and he continued practicing his speech for the class.  

As we drove in the car he told me that his fellow candidate gave a great speech and that  he had great ideas.   Michael said when he gave his speech he called up his friend and recognized his great speech and ideas and that he was happy the other boy had done  so well. Michael said he felt a bit sad that the other kid didn't get in because of him.  

Hearing Michael talk I was (still am) so proud of him.  Then Michael said, his teacher looked like she was going  to cry.  I asked her why and he said, "I'm not sure mom."  I couldn't wait to see the email his teacher said she  was going  to send.  

A few hours later, Jarrett and I received this email...

From: Michael's teacher
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 3:09 PM
To: Angela Haskovec
Subject: You are raising an amazing kid!

Hello there,

I know I spoke briefly with Angela after school today, but I am just so proud of Michael today!  He not only presented his speech well, but he was so incredibly humble to the others who gave speeches.  In particular, Sam.  After all of the speeches were given, Michael got up and expressed how pleased he was with Sam's speech.  And, of course, Sam was beaming from Michael’s compliment.  He totally filled Sam's bucket today.

I got goose bumps and teary-eyed because it was so heart-felt. 

Just wanted to share the greatness in your son today!  I am truly fortunate to have such a great kid in my room this year…just sayin’!

Enjoy the weekend,

Michael's teacher

Reading her email I got tears in my eyes.  Michael has been  working so hard this year to show strong leadership skills and to make good choices.  He has gotten good marks for behavior each day thus far and those positive choices have NOT gone unnoticed.  He is asserting himself and applying for leadership positions within the school.  He applied and was recently accepted to be on the New Crew: which is a group that goes on the school announcement system each morning to share the  updates  with the entire school.  He  will be a part of that.  Additionally, just last night he brought home a letter from the Superintendent of our school district saying that he was nominated and selected to be a part of the Superintendent/Student advisory council for the school district he is a part of.  He will get to go and meet monthly with the superintendent to share news, offer student perspective and discuss ideas.  It is a true honor and I'm SO very proud of him.  And on top of all that,  tonight he shared with me he will be representing his grade as a part of the school Student Council as well.  

Michael has often lived in Gabriel's shadow and I am so happy to see him getting  to show his own leadership skills, his unique talents and abilities and to make such a positive start to this year.  

And as if Michael's day couldn't get any better, it did.  Tonight at baseball practice he was the hitting game against all the other players on the 12U team.  He was the "last man standing".  

When I tucked Michael into bed tonight he shared with me how excited he was that so many good things have happened to him.  He said, "Mom, I feel so happy." to which I responded, "Michael, I feel so proud of you. I love you. Goodnight!"

Even though our life seems to be a constant whirlwind, I think its important to stop and cherish these moments.  I'm so proud of all my kids, and to see them doing great things, making good choices and mostly showing kindness, compassion, care and love... I just feel so happy too tonight Michael.  Way to go.

Until next time,

Angie

Noah's Kindness Project: Kindness Stones

Not only was this one of the kindness activities shared with me, but it was also one that the kids and I had seen on  Pinterest and thought would be fun to participate in this year. 

We are excited to talk  about the Kindness Stones as a part of the Noah's Kindness Project 

In the afternoon of October 7th we will gather at our home and spend some time painting stones with kind messages, inspirational sayings or even hand drawn pictures.  At the end of the day we will split up the painted stones and each take a few to share within our own communities.

The fun in this project is that each person picks a place to release their kindness stones... maybe a local park, maybe by a bus stop, along a hiking trail or even by a tree near your home.  Where ever you find the perfect spot to be, you leave your stone in a place where other person will find it to enjoy.  Maybe they will smile at seeing it and leave it for others to enjoy too, or they will pick it up and take it with them to have a visual reminder of the message shared on the rock.  

Sometimes we can all use a sign or reminder that things are going to be okay, that the stress will fade away, and that love and kindness is still bountiful.  I think these stones of kindness, are just the sign others will enjoy.

A bit art, a bit of creativity, a bundle of fun and a lot of kindness... all  in the simple gesture of painting a few stones.

If you'd like to join us for the kindness stones project, please let us know!

We'd love to have you join us!

Until  next  time,

Angie

Noah's Kindness Project- NICU and Antepartum Visit

In keeping with the tradition of where Noah's journey all started, we will again go back and visit the hospital that was his only home.

 Our goal is to share kindness in what ever way we can as we bring gits to the Antepartum and NICU teams and families enduring difficult times as their tiniest warriors fight through each milestone and challenge.  Noah's Nana pours her love into several handmade gifts to share with the babies in the NIUC and we are so grateful for her talents in sharing such lovely keepsakes with several families this year as well.  We also know Papa helps with those projects too, so thank you to the both of them!

Nana and Papa proudly wearing their Noah's shirts last year!

Some of the gifts we delivered last year!

Gift baskets for several people at the hospital including the staff and the babies.

After sharing gifts with our friends in the  NICU and Antepartum units, we will pause for a moment of reflection around the time of day Noah left us and we will send our wishes to him in  Heaven above through our annual balloon release.

It is a tradition that has come to mean so much to me and his siblings.  The balloon release brings me happiness just thinking our wishes and notes of love could possible reach the boundaries of his forever home above.

Until next time,
Angie

Noah's Kindness Project: Thank a Postal or Delivery Person

There are many times in the scorching hot summer here I think of the many men and women who go from street to street, sometimes even door to door to deliver our mail.  I know they are only one of many professions of people who have to work outside in the heat or in the cold (for other areas of the country) but I still think of the wonderful mailman we had at our old place.  He'd wave to the kids, whistle as he delivered packages to the front door and went on about his task, day after day, in the 100 degree plus weather, for it seems 100 plus days without a complaint.

So this year, I thought, after all the packages, the letters, the flyers and bills they deliver, why not leave a package for the person who works so hard to bring us the mail we (sometimes when it isn't all bills) look forward to each day.

So this Noah's Kindness Project, we are going to do a simple act of kindness by leaving a handwritten thank you note, a cold bottle of water and a few snacks in our mailbox as a way to say thanks!  Thanks for always doing your best, to bring us our mail and my many amazon packages.

Yes, a simple gesture for just one of the many many many hardworking people across this country that do their job to make our lives a bit easier.

So thanks Mr. Postman.  Ms. UPS Driver, Mr. FedEx..... we appreciate all you do and want to say thank you!

Until next time,
Angie