Face Time

I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. Everything is hitting me at once the huge responsibility we have to gather the money for the loans and I just want to cry. Faith or fear? Faith or fear? Right now everything in me screams fear.... fear that we won't get the money we need, fear that the fundraisers we have will be total flops, fear that we won't be able to get any of these huge companies to agree to even allow us to send them info on what we are doing and follow up with them. Should I keep going? I think you get the idea.

I could write this and let the tears fall but the reality is I have to tell my mind to shut up because Haiti was NOT in the plan for Open Hand and yet too many pieces came together to make it apparent that this is where we are to start. Start. Not end. Start. A model that we can replicate over and over throughout other third world countries. To help put a stop to human trafficking before it starts. To change the course of an entire family forever. That is so huge. Children being able to go to bed with their tummies full, bodies clothed, a roof over their heads, and an education. Everyone in the families needs met. But not just met... we want these people to thrive not survive. Thrive. We are hearing horrible stories about children in Haiti being burned by their parents as punishment for taking more than they should have when it is meal time. This is unacceptable. Every person should have the right to go to bed full. Every.single.one.
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Alright, I've had a couple of hours to relax... well to try not to stress only to be told that a huge chunk of money we were hoping to be available for us to use has been used for another project. Anyone have a brown bag I can breathe into?

So it's Friday night and I'm home alone printing up flyers for our fundraiser next weekend, cutting them and printing up stickers to give to people so they won't forget to mention Open Hand. As I'm doing this I'm thinking to myself it's a really good thing I'm a highly organized detail oriented person because I don't see how some people can start a non profit. This is a lot of work. Granted, we are a team of two. Two non paid stay at home full time mothers and wives. Anyone else see the crazy in this? OH is mine and Alisha's baby. Nobody else is going to care like we do. Nobody else is going to spend countless sleepless nights, days on end of mundane tasks, all the hours and hours of putting together everything that is needed to trying to get what we need most.

Ooo, I bet you thought I was going to say money, right? Well.... I was going to say something else that our friend Freddy, from Burundi taught us, "First you get their hearts, then their purse strings will follow."

Put us in front of people and we can get their hearts. That's all we need. The opportunity for people to give us 5 minutes of face time and I guarantee we will get it done.

It's Show and Tell Day!!

Remember back in the day when you could take your most favorite toy or stuffed animal in for show and tell and how you would be so excited, drive your Mom bonkers jumping up and down, and barely eating your breakfast because you couldn't wait to show "Snuffy" to your entire class? Well behold... Open Hand's version of show and tell. Ok, mostly show.

First - our awesome business cards for our board members to give out.

And last but certainly not least by ANY means is our wonderful promo video. Way better than my home video, yes, I admit it wholeheartedly. Every time I watch the video I sit there with a grin on my face. See, I told you there would be some 'tell' to this day :)

 Open Hand Promo Video

It Takes Money to make money

I know we have all heard that saying. It makes perfect sense. What doesn't make sense is that this same truth applies to non profits - which by definition are NOT making profits. Ha! We can't even go to a bank and ask for a loan to start. *sigh*

It's the same when you are starting any company - you need to get your name out there, you need quality advertising etc.. because you only get one shot at making a first impression and for us, we are trying to reach companies and ask for sponsorships so we need to have something professional in order to be taken seriously. Hence the reason that we need professional looking information but as we all know takes money. It's something I'm torn with because I don't want to use the money we've been given so far for all these things that are actually necessary. I want to use them to save up for all the loans we need. BUT in order to get the money for those loans we have to get out there and catch the attention of some big wig companies willing to give us tens of thousands to see the lives of Haitians changed forever.

We need specific funds in order to produce quality media/advertising kits and we need certain funds to buy the aprons that the people will wear at the marketplace. My dream world consists of this, someone donating a large sum of money to Open Hand and telling us that we can use it wherever it is needed. Ok, I put it out into the blog sphere...

It's Time to Brag a little (ok, maybe a lot)

On this wonderful and inspiring 12 year old girl, Sanjana, who heard about what Open Hand is doing with raising Crocs™ 4 Kids and decided to do something about it. Sanjana babysat, made bracelets and sold paintings (she's very talented) and raised money to buy 55 pairs of Crocs™. Is that incredible or what? This girl is a rock star to us and I can only imagine what she will be to the children who get a pair of the shoes she bought with her hard earned money. So... what have you done with your summer?

Of course the founders of Open Hand HAD to have our picture taken with our BIGGEST Croc™ donor so far! Hey, all of you out there - you are getting beaten by a 12 year old girl! It's time to step up your game :)

UPDATE: Check this out! Hopefully the start of many more! http://pointsnorthatlanta.com/impact-for-open-hand/ - since my original post about Sanjana she has raised a total of 125 pairs of Crocs and counting. She has more custom frame orders but school is starting so she's going to have to put everything on hold until winter break. One more little brag - so Sanjana's mom told us that her goal was 100 pairs and when she surpassed that goal her Mom said, "why dont we take that extra money and go buy you a new dress?" to which this 12 year old girl said she'd rather spend the money on more shoes for the children. So Alisha and I decided it would be super fun to buy Sanjana a couple dresses as a thank you for all her hard work. Shh... don't tell her. It's a surprise :)