Fundraising and Event Spotlight

Turning a Simple Church Challenge into Feeding over 50 Kids a Year

Carolyn Harper was surprised to be one of the 100 people selected for the Kingdom Assignment challenge at her church. All 100 members, from a congregation of 3000, were given $100 to take out into the community to make a difference. They could just donate the whole amount to a great cause or they could get creative and invest it, grow it, or use it raise more money. It was their choice.

She knew she wanted to do something special with this opportunity. Her mission search started the day she was selected, when a teacher came up to her while she was leaving and said she wanted to support her in her quest and gave her $20. Carolyn was so impressed because she knows teachers don’t have much money to share. Through prayer and searching she stumbled on Blessings in a Backpack and wanted to immediately use her opportunity to feed more children. Since her initiation into the Blessings in a Backpack world, she has met countless teachers who share their stories of how hungry the less fortunate kids are in their classrooms. And how on their limited income, they still shop for treats and snacks to bring into class so the kids can put something in their stomachs so they can focus on what they need to be learning.

Carolyn set a goal to feed 100 kids and possibly adopt a new school. Her campaign is running July 1 – Sept. 30. In the first 6 weeks she has raised enough to feed 43 kids. Carolyn has created several opportunities that continue to bring in support.
- She enlisted a popular local restaurant to donate 10% of their revenue on a Monday night for anyone who came in and ate and mentioned Blessings. She filled the restaurant with local supporters and made it the restaurants most successful Monday night on record.
- The financial company where she works lets her sell candy and treats at her desk and will be featuring her project in their upcoming client newsletter encouraging their support.
- Her neighborhood with 300 homes is holding a backpack drive.
- Her son’s basketball team wants to volunteer to stuff backpacks.

We will keep you posted on Carolyn’s Kingdom Assignment success that will be presented to the entire Northeast Christian Church congregation at the end of September, giving Blessings in a Backpack even more exposure. Thank you Carolyn for joining the Blessings family and doing all you can to support so many kids!

Kids Raising Money to Feed Kids!
Kathie Berndt's daughter and her friends got together a few weeks ago to raise money for the Jacksonville Blessings in a Backpack program. They sold cookies and lemonade during a golf tournament at the Jacksonville Golf and Country Club.  Way to go guys!







It’s All About the Kids  
Nanci Faulkner has followed a simple yet powerful mantra for over 40 years: “It’s all about the kids.”   It’s what drove Faulkner during her 35 years as a classroom teacher at Mayport Elementary and continues to be the force that inspires her to spend her retirement volunteering extensively for Blessings in a Backpack.  

“I’ve just always had a heart for children,” said Faulkner, who was immediately on board when Blessings first came to Mayport in 2009 and now also serves as the co-director of volunteer services for the Jacksonville chapter. Nanci has been a big cheerleader for the program from the start, which has resulted in many of her friends and fellow retired Mayport teachers coming on board. She is the primary reason they have such a large, energetic team every Friday that is eager to make it a great weekend for 280 Blessings participants.    

Stan Curtis, the founder of Blessings in a Backpack, attended an end of the school year party honoring volunteers and gave an inspirational speech telling them that children were owed a good future and that someone had to stand up for the kids.   “He said that we should not feel guilty about using any platform afforded us to raise money for the program,” relayed Faulkner. “I was very pumped up.”   So much so that she has collected over $400 at her church, another $800 at a party for Mayport’s new retirees, and “$10 each from regular patrons” at three bars owned by her husband. That feeds at least 15 students for an entire school year.   “Each time I’ve apologized for being so ‘bold and tacky,’” said Faulkner, “But that hasn’t stopped me from asking. Like Stan said, ‘anything it takes!’” 

“Nanci’s volunteerism and her help with Blessings in a Backpack prove that generations of Americans can help each other. When Nanci’s eyes are looking into the eyes of an American school child she does what all good Americans do. And that is, take care of the future of America,” said Curtis.   In other words, it’s all about the kids.                

Unprecedented Support from Cardinal Aquatics
Cardinal Aquatics, a USA Swimming Club located in Louisville, KY, is head coached and owned by Amy Albiero. This community competitive swimming program, serving 5-18 yr. olds, belongs to the same class of swim club that Olympian Michael Phelps would have joined in his early years, and still participates in today. They compete locally, regionally and nationally.  

For the last two years, this program has donated the proceeds from their December Meet to the Louisville Blessings in a Backpack program. This three-day swim meet, attracts swimmers from all over the region with over 1000 in attendance. Spectators are asked to pay an entrance fee of $3 for children and $5 for adults, and then encouraged to give more if they can since everyone involved has been made aware that they are fundraising for Blessings in a Backpack and $80 feeds one American school child in the Blessings program for an entire 38 week school year.

In both 2009 and 2010, they raised over $7,000 each year, allowing them to support almost 90 kids each year. Cardinal Aquatics creates a donation celebration in the middle of the last day of the meet, stopping all activity, making an announcement and check presentation on the main stage to a local Blessings in a Backpack representative. “It is an exciting moment,” Amy says, “we present the check on behalf of all teams in attendance. Although we are there competing against each other, in that moment, we celebrate what we achieved together.”  

The most powerful aspect of this amazing project is what it means to the Cardinal swimmers and their families. They get excited for the December Meet all year. They want to know who will benefit, what the issues are, and what they can do to help. It is truly kids helping kids. It also allows the coaches to educate the swimmers on why it is important to have the right food to fuel their bodies so they are able to grow, compete and learn. “What we learned from Blessings in a Backpack is how many kids in our own community don’t have access to enough food on a daily basis, something most of the people in our position take for granted,” adds Amy.  

Amy comments, “As a swimming program, we strive to: 1) provide each swimmer with the opportunity to reach their full potential, 2) help build confidence through goal achievement, and 3) encourage social growth by being a valued team member. We were inspired by Stan Curtis when he came to speak to our swimmers and parents at our Christmas Party last. He shared how the program works and who it helps. His enthusiasm is so infectious, everyone wanted to jump in and help.”  

“Our involvement with Blessings in a Backpack has been quite rewarding to the team, the parents, and the community. We feel like we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves, giving back just makes being a part of a team more meaningful!

Recent Friendraising and Promotional Events

Pictured: Tammy York Day, Hilary Duff and Tonya York Dees

Sony Open in Hawaii – January 10-15, 2011
We are proud to be partnered with the PGA TOUR Wives Assoc., Sammy Hagar, the Mark and Debi Rolfing Foundation and Friends of Hawaii Charities that together support 3 schools in Hawaii.

Waste Management Phoenix Open – January 30-February 5, 2011 - Scottsdale, AZ
The Blessings in a Backpack Phoenix program benefits from the monies raised by the Thunderbirds at this annual event.

Style Icon Luxury Gifting Suite at Superbowl Event – Feb. 6, 2011 – Dallas, TX
Blessings in a Backpack was invited to this high profile “Friend Raiser” at this year’s Superbowl.


Pictured: Terrell Owens with backpack; Paul Curtis, Sophia Vergara and Jeff Curtis