Please Consider Helping these Young People - A Noble Packages Update
I took a fifth family on last week as I had some money left - as I had hoped to do five families this year. Most of you know this already.
This is a brother/sister combo and I talked about them before.
When the volunteer from the Noble Packages talked to me on the phone after I took the names (after I wrote the last blurb in a blog post), I could hear the doubt in her voice. “These kids have big needs, will you be able to help them?” I assured her that I wasn’t “just me” - but that “I” was a “Whole group of people from the states - my sister’s customers and readers of my blog as well as people in the Facebook group.” “Oh, okay,” she said. (Well, something like that.)
But I could see that they had a lot of needs.
I’d like to get them a bit more personally than is on the list. For example, the 18 year old girl/sister doesn’t have a laptop so we decided to get her one (a good used one - my husband specializes in making sure technology gifts are appropriate and good in these cases). We are trying to help these young people or anyone, actually “get help” - or learn to “help themselves” better and NOT ONLY this winter’s food and coal. Those are worthy goals, but even more if we can give them something that will last longer than 4-6 months.
Anyway, I’m really trying to get them everything they need - for these young people the three main gifts are 1. driver’s course for the older young man (the brother) which will help him get and keep a better job as he can use a company car to drive to client’s businesses - he’s got a new job with an IT company - so he’s no slouch-, 2. winter boots for both and 3. staple foods - a good supply. None of those are out of line requests.
Their mother has not been around to help them for a couple of years. I found out more about her, but it would not do any good to focus more on her. I try to keep this blog positive, so let’s leave her out of the discussion, ok? I’ll feel better that way and so will you.
The older kid (the big brother) is the type of person who will go with holey shoes and not think about himself but rather focus on getting the bills paid or helping his sis. He kind of reminds me of my oldest child - and it makes me want to help him even more after I’ve learned more about him. Unassuming. Responsible. Tender-hearted.
In addition to those three major items, we are getting the young lady the aforementioned laptop as she shares one with her brother right now and I’m sure there are times when she needs it for school and if he wants to use his, there must be conflicts.
I’m getting them all the bedding/soft goods they need - new duvets, duvet covers/sets, bottom sheets, pillows, towels and I will give each of them a quilt from our supply as well. I have noticed that often these “soft” items really mean a lot to people here and make the difference in how “warm and comfy” the home feels. Having a visible “thing” such as a quilt or even a special duvet cover that means something indicates that someone cares.
That is really what these kids need - to know someone cares.
I did learn that they live in our town - Jozefow, so that is interesting. I would like to think that we could help out in some way (I’m thinking emotionally, here, not financially - but one never knows how things will work out) for an extended period of time, but we’ll see.
Both of the young people need quite a few clothes - but nothing out of line - pairs of pants, sweatshirts, including socks, underwear and such. I did already buy a lot for the guy, but the girl is going to get gift certificates to a store or two around here so she can pick out the things that fit and things she likes though I already picked her up some black leggings. Nothing on her list was exotic or what I consider extravagant. In fact, I’m probably more generous than what they are even beginning to hope for. I’m going to let him buy his own pants - I bought some shirts and a coat, some underwear and socks. I’d still like to get him a sweat suit (gym suit/track suit) which wasn’t on the list, but people like to relax in them here.
I did get her a backpack which will hopefully last a couple of years and still need to get some basic school supplies to give with it. Then, I need to get the food itself and cleaning supplies - there is a list I’ve been given as to what types of things to buy.
I’d also like to get a couple more technology-related things if we had enough. I did get them each a set of headphones - these are basics for young people this age. Most of this stuff is ordered and will come in this week. The young lady has a newer phone but her older brother’s phone is old (I would like to get him a newer one but lack money at the moment.) Since my own children are not far removed from this age bracket, it actually helps with knowing what they like. My youngest son is 23 - and the older son here is 20 and also interested in IT. I wouldn’t mind giving him an extra hard drive - as it seems like storage is always appreciated.
The driving school is going to cost about double of what I was told. Instead about $350 - it’s going to be about $700.
If I go cheap, I can get food and cleaning supplies with what I have left but I think another $1000 would make a lot of difference in these kids’ lives. I really wanted to get them a nice supply of food and maybe $25 (each) in gift certificates to McDonalds as well. Our McD’s is significantly cheaper here than what I saw in the US - (plus I’d like to get the brother a phone as mentioned).
I’m also getting them things such as a basic vacuum cleaner (about $60) and some kitchen items to help make meal prep easier.
So….
If you haven’t helped yet with the Noble Packages project, would you consider helping?
Oh yes…
We did find a second-hand bed for him - the Polish style of kind of a sort of hide-a-bed - which I will get professionally cleaned hopefully the day you read this. It’s in fine shape, and that saves us several hundred dollars which can go towards their other needs. (Bed-bugs don’t appear to be a big problem here in Poland - so that’s not really an issue.)
If any of you could and would donate to help me get the last things for these young people, it would be much appreciated. So many of us have everything we need - and our kids are set up well in life - certainly they don’t lack a vacuum cleaner if they need one - nor are they sleeping on a mattress on the floor .
Well, maybe they are. Probably they aren’t.
This will probably be the last time I ask - or at least spend a whole blog post on it The other 4 families are taken care of - all their things are purchased - and we are just waiting on delivery of the last of those things.
This bro/sis combo - I’m not finished with yet - and their sheet of paper was 5 pages long between the description and their needs. If you could help with anything, I’d appreciate it immensely!
This is the so-called “Giving Tuesday” which I didn’t know was a “thing” until a few days ago.
I talked about this with my husband and we laughed. “If anyone has any money left” after “Black Friday”, “Small Business Saturday”, (quiet Sunday), “Cyber Monday” and now “Giving Tuesday”. Well, I started writing this blog post before I realized it was actually going to come out on Tuesday. That’s really just a coincidence - not planned.
You can click below on the black bar with white words to donate towards this project.
Thank you so very much for helping out!
These young people will be told that a whole group of you care of about them when they get the card along with all the gifts.
We will tell them “who” you are - not specifically - but as a group. And those of you who have already given - thank you so much!
Have a great day wherever you are reading this! Thanks for coming along with me on my quilting/sewing journey!
Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store here!
Here’s one of the beauties we have!
