Page
1:
* Bundles of Love story
* Fundraiser T-Shirt
* Agency Spotlight
Page
2:
* Funding
* Help Wanted
* Ebaying for Bundles
* Pictures of Connor
Page
3:
* Thanks
to Share
* Donation Thank-You's
Page
4:
* South
Metro Work News
* North Metro Work News
Page
5:
* Rochester
Work News
* Minnetonka Work News
* Board of Directors
Page
6:
* Special
Thank You
* Flammability Questions
* New Patterns
* Preemie Size Measurements
Page
7:
* Volunteer
Spotlights
Page
8:
* BOL Results
* Board Changes & Spotlights
* Spreading the Word
* Donations that Thank & Honor
Funding Bundles of Love
While we have recently received several generous grants, our funding for 2003 is still tight.
State budget cuts have created more demand for our items at some of the agencies and hospitals we serve as those needing assistance have been forced to rely more on private rather than public sources of help. Investment values have fallen due to the current economic situation making funding from foundations more difficult to find. As a result, Bundles of Love is also feeling a budget pinch.
Our total monthly expenses are approximately $1400 to make all of the items included in the number of bundles we currently produce, as well as the “loose” items delivered to hospitals (extra quilts, preemie sized clothing and blankets, and burial items). (See detail of monthly expenses below.)
The board of directors has established a policy of priority spending to help ensure that we will be able to continue to meet the needs of the organizations we are serving. The board has decided to temporarily stop purchasing baby care items for each bundle.
We have been able to obtain gift card donations from several area Target, Wal-mart and Sam’s Club stores to help purchase baby care items for the next couple of months and will re-evaluate this decision at our next quarterly board meeting in August.
Average
Monthly Expenses
(as of March 2003)
Monthly Necessities (Top Priority):
Snaps
$100-$200 per month
(back pieces at cost, tops donated free)
Storage
$116 per month
($75 main unit +$41 north metro storage)
Batting
$168-$227 per month
(3 or 4 60-yd rolls at $56 or $59 each)
TOTAL $384-$543 per month minimum
Second
Priority:
The fabric we regularly need to purchase each month and the approximate
cost are (we had stocked up on these fabrics, but our supply is nearly
depleted):
Quilt
Backing
100 or more quilts
$150 per month
Sheet
Fabric
90 or more sheets
$400 per month
Flannel
$1.65/yd x 200 yds
$330 per month
TOTAL MONTHLY FABRIC COSTS = $880
Other items sometimes needed for our volunteers:
- Yarn
- ¼” elastic
- White serger thread
- Interfacing
- Polar fleece for winter outerwear or warm blankets
Items usually donated in sufficient supply:
- Quilt top fabrics
- Knit fabrics – interlock and jersey weight
- Sweatshirt fleece
- Ribbing for collars and cuffs
How Can You Help?
If
you have ideas for fund raising or collecting “in-kind” donations,
please contact your work group coordinator or any of the board members.
- If you enjoy organizing and planning large gatherings, please let us know. We are starting to consider ideas for a fundraising “event” in early 2004. If you have ideas for a fundraising event, we’d love to hear about it.
- If you haven’t already done so, please consider checking your employer’s donation programs. We will continue to apply for funding with various corporations and foundations we’ve identified as good candidates to help Bundles of Love. There are some corporations that are quite generous in assisting organizations in which their employees are active. In particular, Beth Koskie, our grant coordinator, has identified TCF and 3M as potential sources of funding. If you or another family member works for these companies, please let us know.
- Purchase a Bundles of Love logo shirt and wear it often! Not only will you help us in our fundraising efforts, but your shirt will help us advertise our efforts in the community.
- Please consider shopping for the fabrics we most often need to purchase if you enjoy purchasing your own fabrics to make Bundles of Love items. We currently have a good supply of knits, ribbing, diaper bag fabrics, quilt top fabrics, and fleece. We’d be happy to let you choose from our supply so you can save your own money to purchase fabrics we are most in need of. Just contact your work group coordinator.
Ebaying for Bundles
Written
by Beth Livingston,
North Metro Bundles of Love volunteer
(Beth
has raised and donated about $150 from her
eBay sales to Bundles of Love in the last 2 months.)
The dreaded words, “We need to raise funds,” sent a hush through the room. I think one of the most difficult aspects of running a non-profit organization must be finding the money to keep operating.
Recently Lisa Caballero and I had been thinking about how we could get the diapers back into the bundles.
“How could we cut such a necessary part out of our layettes?”
“Well, we were going to have to, if money doesn’t start rolling in.”
“I for one am not keen on asking people for money but I am willing to check out selling on Ebay.”
So, I went onto their website, set up a sellers account and a separate bank account. Now what? What was I going to sell? Well, I had some items that were in good condition that I wasn’t using, so instead of taking the time to have a garage sale I thought I would list the items and see how they do.
“We’re bound to make more money placing them on Ebay than a garage sale.”
My first item was a small scented candle set that had never been opened. Boy, was I excited when I got my first bid!! I couldn’t believe it! First thing I did was e-mail Lisa and Teresa updating them on the progress of the bidding.
It is a fun project for me to sell on Ebay. I look for good deals and turn around and sell them for a profit. Due to the fact that I work with Distribution, I don’t have as much trouble sending packages all over the United States. I keep a map up on the wall and my husband and I mark the areas where we’ve sold. Right now the East Coasters are making themselves known.
If you would like to check out the items that are currently up for bid, log onto www.ebay.com. If you use the search box and type in my Sellers Name: mnpopsicle and you will see some of the items that I’m selling. I then donate the proceeds to Bundles of Love.
If you have an item that you are interested in having me post, e-mail me at beftefur@earthlink.net and we can discuss specifics: the description, starting price, length and any extras that you want to add. “Happy Ebaying!”
“Connor”
was born May 12th at Regions hospital weighing 8lbs-14 1/2 oz. and 21
1/2" long.
At 2 weeks old he was 22" long and weighed 9 lbs 12 oz. “beautiful and healthy”.
He is shown here wearing his Bundles of Love sleeper.
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