Recently Barbara Rothe became our newest board member. She will be helping us to develop and implement financial procedures and systems and ensure that accurate financial records are kept. She will also report to the Board on key financial events, trends, concerns, and assessment of fiscal health and complete required reports for State and IRS filing.

Barb has been a dedicated volunteer with Bundles of Love since March of 2001, back when we were still meeting at Marilyn's house. She occasionally brings her mom, Betty Ninteman and usually brings her niece, Katie Rothe to the meetings with her. She likes to sew quilts and has made a few for family members, besides the sewing she does for Bundles of Love.

In her spare time, she volunteers for the Anoka County Federal Credit Union and sits on their board of directors as well. She also likes to spend time with her new grandson. Barb is looking forward to a trip to Australia in October 2005.

Bundles of Love is grateful for all of Barb's help and welcomes her to the Board of Directors.

---

Person to Person

by Teresa Wilts

Person to Person's mission is to support the efforts of their low-income neighbors as they strive to achieve self-sufficiency. The organization provides a strong supportive system to hundreds of low-income families and individuals in our community each year, many of whom are women and children at risk of homelessness.

Person to Person is involved in addressing important issues, including housing, jobs, social and economic barriers, and human service policies to help people succeed. They create a supportive web to help low-income people achieve self-sufficiency through homelessness prevention advocacy and independent living skills education.

When Glennie Jeanne Pogue, Occupational Therapist for Independent Living Skills, hears about a family in need that is having a baby, she delivers one of our bundles directly to the family. Glennie Jeanne writes, "For some families the Bundle of Love is the first gift they receive in preparation for the new baby. It may be part of bringing home for some that they will soon have responsibility for a new life. At the same time, information as to possible resources for the new baby are also given, along with any other items that may have been donated to Person to Person for newborns and infants. These bundles of love are truly appreciated by families with few resources of their own. Thanks for everything that all of you do to make these gifts possible."

Bundles of Love and Person to Person have been partner agencies in helping make the lives of newborns better for more than a year.

It's a pleasure to work with you Person to Person!

---

In the News

Bundles of Love has been in the news in 2003...

February 24, 2003
The Metro/State section of Star Tribune featured an article on Teresa Wilts, North Metro Coordinator and board Vice President titled "Volunteer has no time for work."

March 19, 2003
Ed Day of the New Brighton-Mounds View Bulletin, after seeing the article about Teresa in the Star Tribune, reported about our work in an article called "Bundles of Love eases loads of stress ~ Nonprofit makes adding a family member less hectic."

August 2003
The VolunteerMatch newsletter featured a volunteer spotlight of Ruth Volk, South Metro coordinator and board member, and how she connected with Bundles of Love through this on-line service.

September 2003
Local cable television CTV15 featured an interview with Teresa Wilts and other women of the community.

November 2003
Prior to National Family volunteer day...Diane Brady from VRC mentioned Bundles of Love on Cities 97 radio during her interview about National Family volunteer day, "I said you were one of our favorite organizations — with family friendly volunteer opportunities for those who sew and those who never have." After the interview the Cities 97 website also mentioned Bundles of Love.

December 8, 2003
U.S. News & World Report included a photo of Ruth Volk and her two youngest children and highlighted her volunteer work, which she manages to complete along with working full-time, being a wife and mother of 4.

December 18, 2003
The Sun Current, Apple Valley & Rosemount edition included "Bundling up for the holidays" telling of the efforts of the Apple Valley High School Honor Society in making fleece blankets for Bundles of Love.

December 24, 2003
The New Brighton-Mounds View Bulletin, in a recap of newsworthy events of 2003, reminded readers of the work being done by Teresa Wilts and other Bundles of Love volunteers, noting the increased needs for our services as the economy has dipped and more families are struggling to make ends meet.