We've been fortunate to have a very mild winter thus far here in Central Florida. However, we do get periods where it is very cold, as we all know.
I now am too busy to officially keep up with this site as much as I'd like but it serves great purpose. Being in our third year, it seems automatic for folks to reach out to me here through my email. I've had over 45 since last week and have been busy picking up all of your generous donations. I can no longer continue to give an hourly time, upon which, I will arrive to pick up. I have been giving windows which many of you grow concerned about when leaving donations outside of your home. All I can say is, If someone needs your donation enough to steal it, let them! It means we have reached someone in nee, which is our purpose. So far, this has NEVER happened. I understand your concerns but I can only give a window of time due to the fact that I have to be in several places at once in order to succeed. I ask you to be patient, I thank you, and so do all of the recipients, I am sure. Just to tally things so far, since Thanksgiving week 2013, we have collected over 400 items! Amazing! I am returning emails as quickly as I can and enjoy and appreciate your correspondence! Happy Holidays! Elizabeth xoxox It's amazing to me that this, being our second year in distributing warm outer wear and blankets to higher need families and individuals, that we have distributed over 860 pieces since November 2012. For me, the awe of last winter was a huge number in itself, but this was done without a drop off center, without tons of emails and postage, without the media which we had last year, but still with so much love from all of you.
I am without words as we carry on into March, and what we hope will be a warm rest of the winter. Thank you so much. xox Peace, Love and Happiness, Elizabeth  It was a chilly day in early December when Caroling for Coats was born in East Central Florida. Since then, we have now collected and distributed over one thousand pieces of outer wear to children and people who have gone without.
As we roll right into December, I'd like to first share a letter from a boy named Jackson Austin Ley, in Boston Massachusetts, who has organized with his classmates, teachers and principals, an incredible act of giving. Jackson's grandmother lives in Monmouth County New Jersey, which is my former hometown. Many areas, in and around, have been devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Christmas and winter holidays, for many of these families, will be expected to be but a blur as they are still in shock over losing their homes, belongings and clothes. Many of them have become under and unemployed due to this storm’s destruction. We may not think much about the material aspects in times like these, but through our hearts, tradition is connected. Toys at Christmas are tradition. Jackson knows that kids are still kids, no matter the scenario. The holidays are still the holidays, no matter what else, because as parents, people always seem to pull it off. Well, this year, the holidays will be celebrated with a lot of little help from our friends; friends like Jackson and all of his mates at Pierce school of Boston, and the folks as far away as Florida if the spirit moves us! While Jackson is a friend to all, and is beginning to sound a lot like Cris Kringle to me, I'm pretty sure he has no sleigh to deliver these toys from Boston to New Jersey! But, kids are resourceful. While he and his friends at school are donating all the toys, Jackson's parents are thinking about renting a U haul truck to make the trip to Monmouth County. The Sleigh will arrive in mid December to deliver all of the toys which are being donated by the good kids and people of Boston alike! Who knows how big this thing will grow by then? I wish that I were able to do the same, but duty calls here and I cannot make the trip. However, I thought I'd share this note and reach out to anyone who may want to send a gift to the kids who otherwise, would have no presents this season in Monmouth County. Maylee Austin is providing a contact in New Jersey and if you'd like the address to where the sleigh will arrive, email me at soulivin888@yahoo.com. Happy Holidays! XoX Elizabeth Caroling for Coats “Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think”. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This would be the case with Caroling for Coats. I begin this pre-season, coat giving, kick-off with hopes that we can dig through our closets, as well as prompting our friends and loved ones to do so for this winter giving time. It may sound far off, and most don’t realize the great need of supplying coats to others when living here in Florida, especially when we have weather in the high eighties this October 6th day of 2012. I have said it before and I do feel it is important to realize that because one resides where the weather is warmer for most of our days, a coat does not seem necessary. However, this is essentially why it is important... because for those with no, or limited savings, and funds, a coat for a child or themselves does not seem like a necessity, and for people in a financially burdened position, it is necessity that they are trying to accomplish every single day. Last year, I learned that many families are living in their cars. While this may be temporary, the day a child or person wakes up in a car after spending the night there, and is without a coat on a cold snap which we do experience here, is a day that would be awful for anyone. My goal is simple with Caroling for Coats, It is to deliver a coat to anyone who may need it, when they need it, for whatever reason they need it. So please give if you can ;) Last year we accepted lots of clothing and gave out over 950 coats and blankets to families and shelters with hundreds of other articles being donated to STAR shelter in Daytona Beach. I do not accept cash donations, only coats, blankets, sweaters, gloves and hats are what I can do this year. If you have any clothing, please consider Habitat for Humanity stores or the STAR shelter on North St. in Daytona Beach. Due to the fact that we have no designated drop off center this year, I will no longer be able to come right out to your place and pick up randomly, as there will be so many stops without having a drop off. I will have to schedule days in each area as calls and emails come in, so it may take a week to get to you, but we will get to you! Thank you again for your help and love in this project. Peace, Love and Happiness, Elizabeth xox “Give what you have. To someone, it may be better than you dare to think”. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
This would be the case with Caroling for Coats. I begin this pre-season, coat giving, kick-off with hopes that we can dig through our closets, as well as prompting our friends and loved ones to do so for this winter. It may sound far off, and most don’t realize the great need we have for supplying coats to others when living here in Florida, especially when we have weather in the high eighties this October 6th day of 2012. I have said it before, and I do feel it is important to realize that because one resides where the weather is warmer for most of our days, a coat does not seem necessary. However, this is essentially why it is important... For those with no, or limited savings and funds, a coat for a child or themselves does not seem like a necessity, and for people in a financially burdened position, it is necessity that they are trying to accomplish and fill, every single day. Last year, I learned that many families are living in their cars. While this may be temporary, the day a child or person wakes up in a car after spending the night there, and is without a coat on a cold snap, which we do experience here, is a day that would be awful for anyone. My goal is simple with Caroling for Coats, It is to deliver a coat to anyone who may need it, when they need it, for whatever reason they need it. So please give if you can ;) Last year we accepted lots of clothing and gave out over 950 coats and blankets to families and shelters with hundreds of other articles being donated to STAR shelter in Daytona Beach. I do not accept cash donations, only coats, blankets, sweaters, gloves and hats. This is what I can do this year. If you have any clothing, please consider Habitat for Humanity stores or the STAR shelter on North St. in Daytona Beach. Due to the fact that we have no designated drop off center this year, I will no longer be able to come right out to your place and pick up randomly, as there will be so many stops without having a drop off. I will have to schedule days in each area as calls and emails come in, so it may take a week to get to you, but we will get to you! Thank you again for your help and love in this project. Peace, Love and Happiness, Elizabeth We are still collecting and distributing and here it is February 20, 2012! This has sincerely been the extended version of what I had thought may only be doable during the Christmas break last December. Conversely, I had hoped we could keep things moving all winter, and so we have.
Thanks to all of you, the many who come through our drop off at Delicious Nutritious on Canal Street with your donations to our closet, and thanks to Annie and Brad and Sandy for donating the time and space which has meant so much. It’s been so nice to come out and pick up as well, meeting so many dear hearts kind enough to donate entire wardrobes of their loved ones. It has been truly amazing as well as inspiring, to speak to you and a great inspiration as well. Due to the impact that joblessness has had on our communities over the last six years, which has seemed to go virtually unnoticed, I have been motivated to find a way to utilize some of the better and higher end clothing donated to us. I feel that to distribute these items and outfits at a job seminar and resume building skills presentation, free to anyone who is unemployed, would serve the greatest good. We will teach those who need help, to learn key interviewing skills for today’s market, assist them with the use of email, setting up a free email account, and the process of writing and uploading a resume which can be saved stored and updated, and used as a key resource and tool in a job search. So, at the end of our upcoming summer, we will be expanding Caroling For Coatsinto a sister program called Gimme Shelter, helping others to more efficiently help themselves to find gainful employment in today’s tough arena. For this we will be interviewing volunteers and checking backgrounds, so if you feel you can be of service and have sometime this summer, we will be posting the dates as we get closer and would love to hear from you. We are off to distribute this evening, so until next time, Stay warm! Xox E As we round the corner, leaving January behind us, and February still ahead, we may not be out of the woods weather-wise for our coat drive. Up North, the winter has been mild as well, but we have a while to go in the spirit of reality facing colder months
The need for winter-wear in Volusia County has proven very substantial, even though we have not seen many harsh temperatures yet this year. We continue to ask for your support as well through the warmer months so that we may be, even more prepared for our next winter. Personally, I must reflect on this overwhelming experience; Caroling for Coats has given me hope, and a feeling of respect for all of my fellow community when sometimes, honestly, it dwindled. We are all guilty of getting caught up in our day to day and troubles of our own, and often we forget to stop and be thankful for all we do have, as opposed to what we don't, and our hearts bring us to a charitable way, with thoughts of others. It's when we act on those thoughts for those who simply always will exist and will go without something they need, that we restore the definition of true humanity. The outpouring of love and generosity has been a restoration of faith for me and I thank all of you who have helped, and put forth such great efforts to collect and bring us your coats, blankets and winter-wear. My special thanks go to DELICIOUS NUTRITIOUS at 515 Canal Street in New Smyrna Beach. Owners Annie, Sandy, and Brad, have given Caroling for Coats a closet the size of a NY apartment bedroom, which they pay dearly for as rental space, in their nutritional smoothie bar. They have allowed people to come at all hours and drop off donations to that closet. They have been so selfless about everything and always with a smile. If I may ask one more thing from all of you, it is that I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who reads this, stops by and tries a healthy, delicious, and naturally low calorie smoothie, packed with fresh fruits and ingredients, or an herbal tea to refresh as well. Delicious Nutritious is a new business and can use our support. They deserve it, if only for the closet they give and the donation of time to organize traffic, and manage it for our cause, making our cause, their own. But even further, and more, and besides, is the great product that they are offering to help fight disease and poor nutrition right here in our own back yard, within our very own community. Kudos the team at DN!!! Over and Out for now... xox Elizabeth The good people of Volusia continue to support the cause! We were written up again today:). So far, the media has been our real legs and that will not last forever, so please spread the word and website address... remember it is a .ORG so anyone can reach me that way. Thank you for the continued support and generous donations once again...I'm off to pick up and distribute today just in time for a chillier night. Today we hope to visit a shelter in West Volusia who needs our help along with our community centers. xox Elizabeth With just a few days before we enter a brand New Year, and last weeks bustle behind me, I've taken some time to reflect. It occurs to me that in barely one, very short month, Caroling for Coats has come into its own.
We have received, and donated, a little over 350 winter wear items as of Thursday, December 15, which was the last day of school before Christmas Break. All week there were emails from those who cannot get to NSB, so I continued picking up more items from here to Ormond Beach. I stopped by our Drop Off Site, Delicious Nutritious on canal in NSB, to say hello and thank them for all of their kindness and efforts in donating the time and space it takes to help this cause and low and behold, once again, the closet they have donated to us was full! I left with an SUV filled and ready for distribution to more schools when they come back from the break. This project is still going strong, even after Christmas! The outpouring of generosity from our community has been so very gracious and loving; you would be surprised to know that we have barely made a dent in filling the higher needs our county is currently experiencing, with donations to two local elementary schools; Terry T. Small in Daytona Beach, Chisholm of New Smyrna. Our third and fourth schools so far have been New Smyrna Middle, who will share donations, rotating items of size with New Smyrna High. Thanks to the City Manager of New Smyrna, we reached out to the community at Babe James Community Center, hosting a "Day of Giving", distributing coats, blankets, sweatshirts and assorted winter wear items to local members of the community. All of the heavier used times were given to shelters who are seemingly glad to accept anything for our area's homeless adults and families. The reception is always the same at the schools and shelters, you would think an armored truck was pulling in just for them...everyone is so appreciative. I'm learning so much too, mostly that the need is much greater than we know. The nurse at one school explains how she and other faculty shop thrift stores because often students have nothing, lacking all articles of clothing, at all times of year. For an adult it is somewhat easier to hold onto clothing and use as long as it serves its purpose, but the need for children is constant, they keep growing... Some supplementary, personal items aren’t accepted if used, e.g. underwear, so I need to consider a way to reach out for these items as well, again, not realizing the need until enlightened by the schools. I’m blown away to know that an employee or teacher within our school system today, should have to pay for anything to help a child when they are on the salary that they make, yet they do, with oodles of compassion and without any complaint. I have officially put the word out that before any teacher reaches into their own pocket that they contact me with a description of the items needed and I will put the word out to you, my friends. Caroling for Coats has been one my favorite ideas ever and I'm so glad I rolled with it. Sadly, and at the same time, fortunately, it has opened my eyes to the enormous needs of others even further than I imagined. It takes some thought and planning to properly and effectively, help the various types of us who are in need. So, everyone, we have a lot of work to do, and I am your vehicle so don't hesitate to call on me. xox Warm Regards, Elizabeth | AuthorJust me... ArchivesDecember 2013 Categories |
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