Remember as a kid the wonderful memories of being snuggled in your warm bed on cool mornings? The cool room, the cold floor, snug warm covers but some children don’t have a bed … and won’t forget the floor. Please help us change that for as many children as we can by DONATING or GETTING INVOLVED today!
A Place to Rest
story by Nancy McPhee
In 2008 Stephen’s book was published called “Dream Out Loud”. With all of the net proceeds we felt it was a great idea to give 100% of the funds to support children and families in need. The result was that Stephen’s Backpacks furnished two complete apartments with brand new furnishings for living room, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen set up, linens, food, clothes shoes and toys and even a Christmas tree with decorations and gifts under the tree. Stephen’s Backpacks partnered with Inn from the Cold to make sure that these families had supports for two years. The Inn currently profiles families for us while we organize and purchase all the items for Project Hope.
Volunteers and corporations come together with Stephen’s Backpacks to meet a very critical need. When families move from the shelters they have nothing but the clothes they came with. We have met many Moms working two jobs to keep body and soul together for their families all while sleeping on the floor in a bare apartment night after night. It must be so difficult to keep a positive outlook when you have nothing but shelter. These hard working families need hope and a new beginning. They need a place to call home, with beds and food and all the other simple abundances we enjoy every day without even thinking about it. Project Hope turns a bare house into a warm home and a chance at that new beginning.
Over the past ten years, Stephen’s Backpacks has been able to assist over 30 families in transitioning from the shelter and in getting back on their feet. In 2011, Project Hope was also able to send a team to Slave Lake in order to help refurnish the homes of 3 families whose homes were destroyed by the fire.
The beautiful furnishings for all of Project Hope have been provided by McArthur Fine Furniture, Crossroads Furniture and others through a donation to Stephen’s Backpacks, Project Hope. Numerous school, corporate and family volunteers have helped “makeover” these homes and our latest team of helpers came from Pepsico Beverages. We feel so honored to meet and work with the amazing volunteers who generously trade 3 of their hours on a Saturday morning to get involved and in turn make a priceless difference in the lives of children and their families.
“Every child should have their own home with grass to run on, their own bed to sleep in and lots of toys.”
Stephen McPhee 2008
