project680.org

We left our previous underwear count of 2,983 in the dust. The new total as of today is 3,205 thanks to an altruistic bunco group (with ties to Cordova Church of Christ), Rancho Cordova Soroptimists and Danielle Bradley’s pre-K class at Brighton Schools in Folsom. Way to go!! Thank you so very much.

We are so pleased to announce that 2,983 pairs of underwear were counted last night at our BBQ finale. Isn’t this amazing news? Thank you so much everyone!! We are so grateful for the way our local community has stepped forward to make this happen for homeless students in the FCUSD. We appreciate how so many individuals, households, churches, drop-off locations, students, organizations and businesses have made this drive a success. We’ll post more details in coming days, but for now let’s celebrate!! Way to go!!! Enjoy a one-minute video below of the counting party last night.

This idea came from Lundquist Appraisal and we LOVE it. Who wants to sign up on the list?

What can it look like for local businesses and households to network together for the sake of homeless students? I wanted to share a vision with you and ask you to consider getting involved.

Project 680 is doing an underwear drive for homeless students, so I figured a group of us could team up to help this important effort by pitching in. If 17 local businesses or familes each donate 25 pairs of underwear and my company donates 100, we’ll hit 500 pairs with ease. This team-approach will help us maximize results and put a big dent in Project 680′s goal to collect nearly 3000 pairs of new underwear by May 11, 2011.

If you do join the team, you’ll get a link below, links on the Project 680 website and SacTube, recognition on the P680 Facebook page, kudos on Twitter (and some other stuff too). Of course, the best thing you’ll get is the knowledge you did something good.

The All-Star Project 680 Donor Team
1. Orange County Cellular
2. JanMac Appraisals (Janice McNally)
3. RosevilleandRocklin.com: Coldwell Banker Steve Ostrom & Team
4. CTP Business & Personal Development Coaching
5. Jenny Lundquist – Author
6. Market Small
7. Body Investment Studio
8. Soroptimist Organization in Rancho Cordova
9. Mitchell Middle School in Rancho Cordova PTSA
10. Vice-Mayor David Sander City of Rancho Cordova
11. TBA
12. TBA
13. TBA
14. TBA
15. TBA
16. TBA
17. Lundquist Appraisal Company

This is a great way to maximize results and do a little good together. Business isn’t just about making money, but about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Let me know if you’re interested in getting involved.

The Folsom Cordova Unified School District Liaison for Homeless Services has informed Project 680 of a big need for new underwear for the homeless students in the FCUSD. Therefore, Project 680 will be holding a underwear drive from April 1 to May 11, 2011. We are asking for NEW (not used) underwear in all sizes and appropriate styles for boys and girls in grades K-12. Please see www.project680.org/underwear-2011 for an FAQ and details on how to get involved.

Together we can make a difference in the lives of homeless students in our community. Not only will new underwear 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.

We are officially rolling out details for the Project 680 Underwear Drive. We’d love to partner together to collect 680 care-packages of underwear for homeless students (that adds up to about 3000 pairs of underwear). Please see www.project680.org/underwear-2011 for details about the drive. Here are opportunities for you to get involved. Let us know if anything resonates with you. Thank you so much!!!

Ways to Get Involved:

1) Pick an underwear goal with your family, household, the office, church or a group of friends. Pick a number of underwear that you’d like to collect with a group of people (maybe 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100) and then go for it. There are certainly some creative options for generating donations or even raising money too. We’d love to hear what you’re thinking, so let us know if you’d like. Kids often come up with really good ideas too.

2) We are looking for a dozen or so drop-off locations in the general area. These could be households, businesses, churches or organizations. Being a “drop-off” is a great opportunity to be available for the community and to network. Tell your contacts what you are doing so they can partner with you.

3) Come to our community finale BBQ on May 11, 2011 from 5:00-7:00pm at Rancho Cordova City Hall at 2729 Prospect Park Drive Rancho Cordova CA 95670. Drop off any underwear donations, meet some fellow Project 680 supporters, and enjoy a free hot dog BBQ for the first 100 attendees!!! 

4) Make a video to help tell people about the Project 680 Underwear Drive. Tell people what you’re doing, how to get involved, or put a creative idea into motion. Post the video on our Facebook page or email us about it.

5) We are looking for an underwear logo. Any graphic designers out there want to help us make a stellar logo to advertise this drive? We’d like to see a couple “Project 680 supporter” graphics too so locals can put them on blogs and websites.

6) We’ll need some logistical help on May 11, 2011 at our Finale BBQ such as people to BBQ, serve food, set-up, clean-up, count underwear, etc… Anyone have connections to get donated food for the finale BBQ? Or does someone want to seek out businesses to help make this happen? We’ll need 100 hot dogs, buns, condiments, chips and drinks. Or maybe a local business would like to sponsor the food?

7) Other ideas. We definitely welcome your creative ideas. How can we do this together? What’s in your heart? How you can use your talents, passions and abilities for the sake of the undies drive?

We are very excited to announce an underwear drive coming up from April 1 to May 11, 2011. We’ll be rolling out details very soon and looking to be partners together in this effort. We’re hoping to see a dozen or so “drop-off” locations in the area, so if your household, business, office, school or church would like to be a drop-off or you have some other creative idea for getting involved, we’d love to hear from you. A “drop off” is basically a location where others in the community can bring donations to.

Be on the lookout for more details. Let’s embrace this vision together, get creative, and make a difference in the lives of homeless students.

Novo Nordisk, an international company with an office in Rancho Cordova, dropped by 238 pairs of underwear within the past two weeks. Our new grand total for the Project 680 Underwear Drive is now 3,198 pairs of underwear!!!! We don’t expect any more donations, so this is most likely the final number. Thank you Novo Nordisk and Lisa for your leadership in getting together collections.

So many of us these days are feeling the sting of the current economy, but we have managed to find a way to meet a practical need for students deemed homeless by providing new underwear for them. It has been remarkable to see households and organizations reach into their pockets to advocate for these students – even when many of us are struggling financially ourselves. That’s truly the good stuff in life on so many levels. Thank you everyone for your heart to care for local homeless students. Thank you for embracing this practical cause. Thank you for taking a stand for kids in Rancho Cordova and Folsom. 

May we continue to learn to become people who regularly and creatively discover practical ways to empower students to rise far above their circumstances.

Thank you again to Butch & Bonnie for opening up their home last Friday for the counting & sorting of all the donated underwear. Let me tell you, Bonnie & Butch are masters of organization and they rigged a very efficient and smooth system for us. Thank you to all who came to count and to Rick too who stopped by on his way to dinner.

Here are a few pictures.

After our sorting / counting party last night, we are thrilled to announce that together we have collected 2,533 pairs of new underwear for local homeless students. Actually, the Soroptimist Organization dropped off another 70 or so pairs last night after the gathering, so we are North of 2600 pairs now. Furthermore, we know of additional donations that will be coming in over the next two weeks. So in essence, our final number is not yet final.

Thank you everyone for your commitment to this cause and for throwing your time, heart and money into supporting local homeless students in such a practical way. It is touching to see our community come together, especially in an economy where we are watching our money very carefully and pinching every penny. Compassion is not dead.

There will be more details to share in coming weeks and there are definitely more people and groups to thank. It’s time for us to rest for a couple of days and then the passing out will begin early next week.

Way to go!!!!

Thank you to Cordova Neighborhood Church for being a drop-off location and also for church members who donated generously to the Project 680 Underwear Drive. We appreciate your heart for those who are struggling in our community. Keep up the great work!!! Thank you for your compassion and focus on caring for kids in the community.

We want to acknowledge the residents of Rancho Cordova and Folsom who have supported the endeavor to collect at least 680 pairs of underwear for local homeless students within the FCUSD. Residents in both cities have been the backbone of the Underwear Drive and we have seen success thus far due to everyday people chipping in here and there. This economy is not an easy one to say the least, but that has not stopped the flow of compassion from locals.

You may be an anonymous donor who simply went to a drop-off location and gave a few pairs or multiple packs of underwear. You probably even told your family and friends too and helped get them involved. We may never know your name, but we admire your kindness and we appreciate your giving. Thank you.

We are incredibly grateful to have so many Rancho Cordova city employees collecting underwear for the P680 Underwear Drive. The last update we received on Friday had just over 200 pairs of underwear collected so far. We are impressed that city workers and staff members have made such a strong effort to support this cause. It’s neat to see that so many employees care deeply about the community they serve from 9-5. Way to go!!!

On behalf of the community, thank you.