project680.org

Can we get a drum roll? We are so pleased to announce that 1757 pairs of socks & 1038 pairs of underwear were collected during the Socks & Undies drive. This number will only go up in coming days too as stragglers come in. VERY well done!! Here is a 30-second thank-you clip from the Liaison for Homeless Services.

No matter what role you played in this drive, we sincerely thank you for all you did. This is a grassroots volunteer effort, so it’s all about getting the word out there and being intentional about supporting homeless students in such practical ways. A huge thank you also to our drop-off locations. We could not have done this without you. You were truly the backbone of this drive.

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Thank you everyone who came out tonight to the finale drop-off. It was great to mingle and meet. We’ll have big specific news to announce in coming days as some donations continue to come in. For now, just know WE MET THE GOAL of at least 1000 pairs of socks and 1000 undies. Thank YOU!!!

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We just had a photo emailed to us that we wanted to share. This sweet 4-year old Folsom girl is donating new Disney Princess and Star Wars undies to homeless students to the Socks & Undies drive. This is just great. Major thanks to this young Project 680 team member AND her parents who are intentionally helping her hone an outward focus.

Thank you everyone for your generosity. Every bit helps. When individuals, families, churches and businesses step up to the plate to own the vision to care for homeless students in practical ways, good things happen. Clearly.

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This 9-year old girl used some of her birthday money to support the Socks & Undies drive. Her family has a goal to collect 100 items, so she’s doing her part to meet that goal. Truly inspiring. Thank you.

Remember, we have until the last day of April to collect 1000 pairs of socks and 1000 pairs of underwear for homeless students in the Folsom Cordova School District. Throughout this month, may we all have a childlike love like this sweet 9-year old girl. May we simply pay attention to needs around us and find ways to respond.

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Everyone, we are excited to announce the Socks & Undies Drive that’s going to kick off in the month of April. Our goal is to collect 1000 pairs of new undies and 1000 pairs of new socks (see below for sizes). Do you think we can do it?

Together we can make a difference in the lives of homeless students in our community. Not only will new underwear and socks meet a very relevant and practical need, but it will also speak volumes to students about how the community is looking out for them. Please consider getting involved. Thank you so much for your support. DOWNLOAD a flyer here (pdf).

Click here for more details.

We’ll be posting more detail soon!!

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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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We wanted to share some good news. The Grapevine ran a small story about the Head to Toe Drive in Friday’s paper. Thank you RC Grapevine for your support. Thank you also to FCUSD School Board Member Zak Ford and Cordova Neighborhood Church for becoming drop-off locations over this past week. This is really great news!!

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Do you have a blog or website? Are you on Facebook or Twitter? How do you think we can use social media to reach out to spread the news about the “Head to Toe” drive? We’d love to hear your ideas and see some creative things happen.

Check out Appraiser Ryan Lundquist’s blog today. He’s donating $1 to Project 680 for every comment, Facebook share and tweet his blog post receives (up to $100). It’s a creative way to spread the news for sure. Check out the post entitled, “I support homeless students from ‘Head to Toe’.” Moreover, as a result of this post being shared on Facebook, Susan Wright, a local blogger and pastor, has pledged up to $50 for people who comment and share this post. This is $150 in one day. Check out Susan’s blog here.

ACTION STEP: Go spread the love online, whether you share Ryan’s post, your own or anything on the Project 680 website. If you do something similar or launch your own campaign, we’d love to hear about it and promote it here and on our Facebook page.

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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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