project680.org

We are looking for about a dozen locations to be a “drop-off” for the Project 680 Sock Drive (“Biking for Socks”). Between now and the end of our sock drive on May 8, 2010 we’d love to see households, businesses and churches serve as locations where people in the community can drop off donations of new socks. If you’re interested, please contact us at 916-595-3735 or on the form below (please include your address).

We are planning to begin posting drop-off locations on our website next week, so let us know soon. Also, we’ve found that the best results usually occur at your location when you let friends, neighbors and co-workers know that you are serving as a drop-off place.

Thank you for your support.

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We are very excited about our upcoming “Biking for Socks” event on May 8, 2010. We are doing a community bike ride in order to accomplish three things: 1) Bring awareness to the problem of student homelessness in the FCUSD; 2) Collect socks for homeless kids in the FCUSD; and 3) Gather up a few bucks to be able to give to the District Liaison for Homeless Services so she can meet the needs of students on an “as needed” basis – meaning that when the neediest of students come to her, she can simply take care of some of the things they need – whether clothing, deodarant, shoes, study materials, etc….

There will be two bike rides – a short 20 minute ride (one way) and then a more experienced 30 mile ride. Anyone can participate. You can sign up below or on Facebook. Beyond the bike ride, there will be other ways to get involved (in case you are not a bike person). We invite you to consider some of the following. Or let us know an idea you have.

• Become a “drop off” location for socks. We’d like to see about a dozen locations in the community where socks can be collected and/or dropped off between now and the bike ride. We’ll keep a list online as volunteers step forward.
• Get a “Bike Team” togther. Maybe you could gather some friends, co-workers or people at your church to come out to the ride. If you are a business, then wear company shirts or get really creative somehow if you’d like.
• Help make signs and set out signage on the day of the bike ride (so that riders know where to stop).
• Work with Starbucks or another local coffee shop to get coffee provided for the morning of the ride. It would be great to have some bagles or OJ too.
• Volunteer at the sign-in table on the morning of the ride.
• Take photos or video on the day of the ride.
• Be a business sponsor.
• Pass on the word about this community emphasis on Facebook, Twitter, Email, YouTube or however you can. The more people that know, the better.
• Help get some media exposure for the event. Got media contacts?
• Other logistics.
• Maybe you have another creative idea or way to advocate for local homeless students. We are open ears and we’d love to see your creativity in motion.

Please comment on this post, email us, sign up on Facebook or fill in the form below to let us know how you’d like to get involved or if you have any questions or ideas. We’ll update the categories above as people volunteer so that you know what is available. Thank you so much.

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Next Wednesday, February 17, 2010, we will have a Project 680 brainstorming session at Starbucks in Rancho Cordova (off of Olson Drive & Zinfandel – across from Target). We’ll hash out some details for an upcoming “Riding for Leaders” emphasis. Our big idea is to do a community bike ride fundraiser at some point within the next few months to empower a couple local kids to attend a leadership camp. The idea of giving life and leadership tools to deserving students (who show promise), is really thrilling. If you have any resources that would be a benefit, we are open ears.

All are welcome, but if you can, let us know you’re coming so we can plan best. We’ll meet for 60-90 minutes. Thanks everyone!!!

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Thank you to Bonnie for the images below from today’s media event at Payless Shoe Source. It was really nice to get together with a group of community members to hand over the checks and celebrate an extremely succesful shoe drive. Thank you also to the Rancho Cordova Post and Grapevine for covering this event.

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We were graced to have photographer JoAnna Bueno-Williams come to the Project 680 Community Bike Ride today. She snapped some incredible shots in the album below, and we are so grateful to have these images. Press play below and let us know what you think. The pictures are in chronological order from meeting at Hagan Park to riding to River Bend Park and then back. As you can tell, we had a great turn-out and we sure did have fun. Great work everyone!!! We will announce soon the final tally of money raised!!! You can also view the slideshow online.

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We are very excited about the Project 680 Community Bike Ride, and we want to invite you and your friends to join us. Even if you haven’t been on a bike for 25+ years, you can do this family-friendly ride, and raise some money for shoes for homeless students in the process.

The Ride: On Saturday, 11/07/09 at 11am, we will ride from Hagan Park in Rancho Cordova to River Bend Park (next to bridge). The entire ride along the paved American River trail will take 15-20 at the most. Riders can go at their own pace and enjoy the company of friends, family, co-workers and even a “Riding for Shoes” Team if you put one together (people at the office, a group of friends, your entire family, church or business maybe).

This is a short bike ride and we welcome all ages and backgrounds. We also welcome folks to meet us at River Bend Park if they wish to not bike at all.

Money Stuff: We suggest a $5.00 donation per rider or a $10 donation for households. You can offer more if you’d like. Riders are encouraged also to get sponsored to ride by family, friends, or co-workers. Involving the people you know and inviting them to participate is a great way to raise support for more shoes. You are also invited to put together a “Riding for Shoes” team for your business, organization or with a group of friends. Riders are welcome to find other creative ways to raise money too and then bring anything you’ve raised on the day of the community ride (whether that’s getting sponsored, selling something on Craigslist, doing a lemonade stand, garage sale, etc…). Our goal is to raise $1,500 during the Project 680 Shoe Drive in order to make 100 pairs of brand new shoes available to local homeless students.

Details: We’ll meet in the parking lot of Hagan Park in Rancho Cordova at 2197 Chase Drive (in the FREE parking lot next to Cordova High School). Come at 10:15am if you’d like some free coffee, orange juice and snacks. Bring a sack lunch if you’d like because we’ll hang out at the park for a while when we get there. When we’re done, we’ll head back to the parking lot at Hagan Park.

This is going to be great fun and a fantastic and creative way to get shoes on the feet of local homeless students. 100% of proceeds will go directly to shoes for homeless students. We accept cash, checks, and even Payless Shoe Source gift cards. Call 916-595-3735 or email info@project680.org for details.

See our Shoe Drive / Bike Ride video on YouTube.

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The Project 680 community meeting on September 22, 2009 (6:30-8:00pm) will be held at Gold River Carpet One Floors & Home at 11367 Pyrites Way- Suite A Rancho Cordova, CA 95670.

This meeting will be a time to brainstorm how we can best partner with the District Liaison for Homeless Services this Fall for a shoe drive and a boutique. Bring your creative ideas, a desire for teamwork, and consider how you might give a few minutes here and there between now and December 2009 (the shoe drive & boutique will take place then) to help local homeless students get new shoes and even be able to do some shopping at a boutique.

If you are able, let us know if you can make it so that we can plan best. You can visit Facebook HERE (temporary event link until the event is over) or call Ryan at 916-595-3735 or email us at info@project680.org.

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Okay everyone, get your calendars and a pen. We plan to meet on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 6:30pm at a location TBA (we already have a local business owner who has offered her place). We invite local community members to come to this meeting and be a part of the vision that is unfolding for the Project 680 family in the Fall.

At this meeting we are going to brainstorm some ideas and get creative about an opportunity we have to support a shoe drive for homeless students in the FCUSD. There is also a strong possibility of putting together a boutique where some of our target students can do some shopping for themselves (in December) after they get new shoes. What we do will really come down to the level of buy-in from community members and what we decide to move forward with.

Do any of these ideas resonate with you? There is so much potential, so let’s unpack the vision a little, kick around some thoughts and figure out what we can do as a team.

More details coming soon.

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Thank you again to all who came to the Project 680 Community Forum and to those who wanted to but were not able. I would say it was a definite success. Here are the highlights:

Informative presentation; Great interaction; Decision to do an “underwear drive” to unfold at some point soon when we obtain more information; The idea of a coat drive came up for October; The need for communication and networking was mentioned; Steven volunteered to help develop the blog and website for the sake of helping communication flow; Butch & Bonnie will host a “sorting party” at some point; Others had ideas for how they would like to get involved.

Thank you again to everyone who came. Your time is appreciated. I am sorry to see that our story did not play on the 11pm news. A camera crew from News 10 came out, but apparently we didn’t make the cut. If anyone happens to see them play the story this morning or another time, do let us know (and record it).

News 10 did give us a link from their website though as shown below in the screenshot. The link will likely be up for a few days.

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When reading through this website or any literature from Project 680, you may encounter the word “simple” quite a bit. This is no accident. This word is used frequently because it is in the core of our philosophy.

We believe that making a difference is about being available to the community in “simple” ways. You don’t need gray hair, experience, education, surplus time, or a certain income level. It’s all about responding to a local problem in ways that make sense for our busy lives and the needs of local students. It’s just a matter of saying, “I’m willing to be a part of the solution”. It’s about teaming up with other residents to get VERY practical about about assisting struggling students.

Mother Theresa has a very poignant quote that serves to fuel some of my philosophy in life. She said, “we can do no great things, only small things with great love.” The point is that more than the grandiose accomplishments we can have in life, the greatest thing we can do is love.

As discussion unfolds in just three days at the Project 680 Community Forum, my hope is that we will truly find “simple” responses to student homelessness and that we will love greatly in 2009.

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If anyone would like to help out with the Project 680 Community Forum next Wednesday, let us know. There are some simple logistics to take care of such as purchasing snacks before the meeting (and getting reimbursed), setting up chairs, and other minor details. Let us know if you’re interested. See the following link for event details: Project 680 Community Forum

The Community Forum will take place on Wednesday, March 11th at 6:30pm at 10600 Coloma Road in Rancho Cordova (thank you to Cordova Neighborhood Church for giving us free meeting space).

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