project680.org

It was so good to be with everyone tonight at City Hall for the Head to Toe finale. We are humbled at the way people stepped forward during this drive, and so thankful to see how the community chooses to advocate for students in our school district. Thank you for doing your part - whether big or small. Thank you also to Rancho Cordova City Hall staff and workers for being so hospitable for our meeting tonight. There are many people and groups to thank in coming days and weeks. We’ll be getting to that. For the time being, please watch a one-minute video to hear the tremendous results (watch below or here).

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This is an amazing photo thanks to an all-star 6-year old and her family. Instead of birthday gifts, this sweet girl in Folsom accepted donations to Project 680. Here they are holding up donations that came in as well as plates that say “Project 680″. The birthday party gathered the following: $8 for purchasing shoes, 18 pairs of new underwear, 54 pairs of new socks and 5 new zip-front hoodies. This is such a touching example of what love and generosity looks like. Thank you to the birthday girl (and her family for spurring her on to be compassionate). Awesome stuff everyone!!

We are still looking for people to get involved in the “Head to Toe” drive, so let us know if you’re intersted and available. We love when people come up with an idea and simply run with it. That’s the best. Use your creativity, abilities, connections and passions for the sake of others. Life for the sake of others. That’s a pretty good mentality.

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Two great things:

1. The Soroptimists of Rancho Cordova will be involved in the “Head to Toe” drive. These ladies are so focused on the needs of the community. The Soroptimists have been supporting the Liaison for Homeless Services for years and probably well before Project 680 was formed too. In fact, no surprise, but the Liaison for Homeless Services in the FCUSD is actually a Soroptimist. They’ve donated hundreds of dollars to get new bras for girls too. Last year they gave $300 during the shoe drive in December so a group of girls were able to get bras at a store next door to the shoe drive. They do this every year really. Amazing!!
2. Gold River Floors – Carpet One will be a “drop-off” location again during this drive. Meridith Krekelberg is the owner and has been so gracious to Project 680 through the years (she’s also a Soroptimist). Thank you Gold River Floors – Carpet One. During business hours only. They’re located at 11367 Pyrites Way Suite A Rancho Cordova CA 95670.

Thank you everyone for your support. Let’s keep moving forward as we prepare for the launch of the “Head to Toe” drive. Project 680 is an all-volunteer grassroots movement. Let’s keep flexing our community muscles to advocate for homeless students.

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Thank you Jen Tartaglia for putting together the “Head to Toe” drive flyer. It’s now online and ready for distribution. Who can you reach out to? Where can you share it? Please send this flyer out to your contacts, hang it up in the office, take it to school, email it to friends, pass it around church, tell your neighbors, etc… Let’s spread the word and meet some sincerely relevant needs among homeless students in the FCUSD.

DOWNLOAD the “Head to Toe” flyer HERE (PDF)

Thank you everyone for your support. Let’s do this!!

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Hey everyone. Here is the “Head to Toe” promo video. Watch below (or here) and feel free to share anywhere online and even on your blog or website. Let’s spread the word since this drive is coming soon (Oct 7 to Nov 7). Remember you can use any of these images when promoting the drive too. Let’s do this!!

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Thank you to Joe, a Project 680 supporter, for sharing a support letter he plans to share with friends. We’re not sure if he’s going to do that via email or on paper, but Joe thought it might be helpful to share with others – and we agree. Use it and feel free to edit according to your needs. Thanks for your support. The “Head to Toe” drive is coming soon, so let’s plan and prepare.

Potential Letter to Share with Your Contacts

Hello my friends. I recently learned that student homelessness is an issue in our school district, so I’ve decided to team up with Project 680 to do something about it. Project 680 is an all-volunteer local organization to support homeless students in practical ways.

I just wanted to let you know I’m participating in a clothing drive with Project 680 to provide hoodies and shoes to homeless students in the FCUSD. Why hoodies and shoes? Because the Liaison for Homeless Services (a paid position in the school district) has informed Project 680 that kids in her caseload needs these items. It’s therefore our goal to collect 680 hoodies and $680 in donations (or Payless Shoe Source gift cards) to take care of homeless students from “head to toe.” We’ll officially collect between October 7 and November 7, and we’ll have a finale get-together at Rancho Cordova City Hall on November 7th too.

Kids like zipper-front hoodies, so that is what we will be collecting. We are asking for NEW (not used) zip-front hoodies in any color or size for kids in grades K-12 (graphics are okay, but must be appropriate). We are NOT collecting shoes, but instead accepting donations or Payless Shoe Source gift cards so we can better fit the actual shoe sizes needed. Checks can be made payable to “Cordova Community Council” with “Project 680? in the memo section for anyone wanting to make a tax-deductible financial donation. The Cordova Community Council is Project 680’s 501c3 sponsor and they are located at2729 Prospect Park Dr. Suite 117 Rancho Cordova CA 95670 (916) 273-5704.

I’d love for you to consider getting involved in this community effort. Not only will new hoodies and shoes help keep kids warm during the colder months, but they’ll speak volumes to students about how our community is looking out for them. Moreover, having adequate clothing helps keep these kids in school.

Check out Project 680 at www.project680.org or www.facebook.com/project680 and let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you so much for your support.

<YOUR NAME HERE>

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Do you need an easy way to spread the word about the “Head to Toe” Drive? Here you go. Thank you so much Jeff Templeton for designing us some images to be shared on blogs, flyers, posters, websites or wherever. Feel free to use these images in a way to show your support for Project 680 since our next drive kicks off from October 7 to November 7. Thank you Jeff. This is a real blessing for everyone, and we appreciate you sharing your talent with us. Thank you everyone who shares about the “Head to Drive” online. Let’s do this!!

Download an image by right-clicking on an image and then selecting “save picture as”. We’d love to check out how you’re using an image on your site, blog, Facebook, Twitter, a flyer, poster or elsewhere. Don’t forget to link to www.project680.org too.

Project 680 Web Image (Good for Blog Posts 530 x 148 pixels)

Project 680 Blog or Website Sidebar Image (200 x 56 pixels)

Project 680 Banner for Website or Blog Header (1024 x 287 pixels) – CLICK IMAGE

Project 680 Facebook Banner (851 x 315 pixels) – CLICK IMAGE

NOTE: Click on thumbnail image to see larger size. Jeff’s image was used for the Facebook banner, but we also added some shoes to the image too from McPeak Design.

Thank you for your support. Let’s flex some grassroots muscle and love homeless students from “head to toe”. Together we can and will make a difference.

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Who would like to be a “drop-off” location for our upcoming hoodie and shoe drive? Details are rolling out very soon about the drive, but we’ll start in early October and end in early November. We’re going to love homeless students from “head to toe”. We’re looking for churches, households, businesses and organizations to partner with. Basically, we’ll be collecting new hooded-sweatshirts (“hoodies”) and Payless Shoe Source gift cards (for our annual shoe drive in December where students get to come pick out a brand new pair of shoes that fit perfectly). These are both highly relevant items in need according to the Liaison for Homeless Services.

The “drop-off” locations will serve as places for people to drop by donations. We’ll be looking for a dozen or so “drop-offs” to step forward, reach out to their contacts and help move the vision forward.

This is easy, doable and a simple way to love.

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We are so touched by the heart and effort of Brownie Troop #619 in Folsom. This week they donated $100 in gift cards for the Project 680 Shoe Drive in December. As one of the troop leaders said, “They were very happy to take some of their cookie profits and allocate them to Project 680, and are especially excited to be in so early on the fall shoe drive.”

Girls, thank you. Your giving has touched our hearts, but even more importantly, it’s going to help kids get shoes. Thank you for your example. Keep finding ways to express compassion and care for those around you.

May we all keep our eyes open to see needs, and may our feet be quick to respond.

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These are some thank you letters from students who received new shoes from the Project 680 Foot Drive recently. These students are documented as homeless by the FCUSD. Thank you everyone for your support and for making this happen. A very special thank you to Rancho Cordova Rotary for providing $4,000 toward the shoe drive. This year we provided more shoes for students than ever before.

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The Rancho Cordova Rotary Club donated $4,000 toward the Project 680 Shoe Drive this year. Additionally, the Inner Wheel Club in Rancho Cordova stepped up with a $400 donation too (Inner Wheel is comprised of allstar women of Rotary). We are so appreciative to have had such such support from Rotary and Inner Wheel. Along with the donations from so many others during the Foot Drive, we broke the record for the number of students invited to the Shoe Event. Thank you to Rotary President Rick Blakeman and so many Rotarians who donated money as well as volunteered hours of service to pull off a successful shoe event recently.

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A special message to Foot Drive supporters from Trish Antonetti and Charlene Hunt of the FCUSD. Please watch and hear how thankful and excited Trish & Charlene are to have your support. You made a big difference!!!

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Life has been a whirlwind as we’ve been prepping for the Shoe Drive this month (because of everyone’s generosity in previous months), but we wanted to finally sit down to take a moment to say THANK YOU to so many who made the Project 680 Foot Drive a success. In all, we collected 2,841 pairs of new socks, $850 in cash/checks and $450 in Payless Shoe Cards. On top of all of this, Rancho Cordova Rotary ended up donating $4,000 toward the Shoe Drive and Inner Wheel in Rancho Cordova was responsible for $400 out of the $850 cash/checks.

What does all this mean? Essentially, we will be able to invite more documented homeless students to the shoe event this year than ever before. The record has been broken this year and that is a wonderful thing. On top of a private shoe event for homeless students in Rancho Cordova and Folsom, we’ll have resources and funds available to help students in coming months ahead.

Thank you for listening and then responding to an important local issue…. student homelessness. Your generosity will go a long way to take care of some of the basic needs that students have.

NOTE: We tried hard to get everyone on the list. If we accidentally forgot your name or misspelled your name, please lend us mercy and let us know so we can add you (please let us know). Also, there are so many anonymous donors. We really don’t know everyone who has been involved.

Drop-Off Locations:
Bueno-Williams household
Callen Pool Supply
Cordova Community Council
Creations Botique
First Covenant Church
Ford household
Gold River Floors – Carpet One
Heritage Community Credit Union
Mama Sue’s Soul Food Kitchen
Norris household
O’Connor household
Rancho CordovaCity Hall

Food Donors for Pancake Celebration
Councilmember Ken Cooley
Alan Withers
Rancho Cordova Kiwanis Club

Project 680 Supporters:
Lisa & Bryan Allen
Anonymous Donors
Jinny B.
Mary B.
Biddle Consulting Group, Inc.
Don Black
Bueno-Williams Household
George Burnash
Aileen Callen
Callen Pool Supply
Sara Carlson
Tom & Pam Carroll
Capital Christian Center
Kim Chambers
City of Rancho Cordova Employees
Councilmember Ken Cooley
Cordova Church of Christ
Cordova Community Council
Cordova Neighborhood Church
Creations Botique
Ellie E.
Facebook friends of the Project 680 page
Charles F.
Financial donors
First Baptist Church of Fair Oaks
First Covenant Church
Folsom Cordova Community Partnership
Folsom Middle School
Zak Ford & Family
Andy Gee
God’s Girls Club with Patty Bradley
Gold River Floors, Inc. – Carpet One
Fred Hammer
Carole Hanna
Heritage Community Credit Union
Diane H.
Donna H.
Jorge & Katherine H.
Inner Wheel of Rancho Cordova
Meridith Krekelberg
Ella L.
Mama Sue’s Soul Food Kitchen
Haley McDonald
McPeak-Design
Julie Norris
Patty O’Connor
Red Robins Red Hat Ladies
Aaron & Amy Redelsperger
Daniel & Silvia S.
Peter J. ShieldsElementary School
Stephanie Snyder
Sturdivant Family
Karen Teague
Tiffany Tempke
Lorianne Ulm
Volunteer Center of Sacramento
Volunteers who helped with pancake dinner
Lindsey Watkins
Lisa Watkins
Ernie West
George W.
Alan Withers
Anyone we forgot to add to the list 

City Hall Facilities Department:
Thank you also to the facilities department at City Hall in Rancho Cordova for their help with our celebration finale.

Cordova Community Council:
Thank you to the Cordova Community council for your tremendous support and for being our 501c3 sponsor.

Project 680 Committee Members:
Charlene Hunt, Sheryl Longsworth, Shannan West, Ryan Lundquist, Melody Mayer, Jennifer Tartaglia & Jimin Song.

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