Casting a Small Net Can Reap Abundance

Notes from T. Wade Clegg III About four weeks ago I wrote to a dozen close friends of the charity who have possible contacts for collection of infant clothes. Most are women who have been very supportive of the charity in a variety of ways. I asked for them to reach out to their personal contacts for both gently used and perhaps new infant clothes for those indigent children in the UVA Pediatric Clinics.  Just as IHS provides infant child safety seats as needed, these same children are often returning to a home with little or no clothing, diapers, etc. Pediatric Clothing Requests have been another category of increased need   The range of sizes needed dictates having a diversity of clothing to meet immediate needs, or funds for purchase as needed, or to keep in stock as calls are received.  Requests for either a boy or girl, 0-3 months, 0-6 months, 6-12 months, 1-2 years, and above 2 years. However, the most prominent sizes are the 0-3 months, especially socks and "onesies."  Last month we were caught without clothing for the tiniest size, and three babies needed assistance quickly. A quick trip to a Walmart sale to meet those minimum requests allowed us to realize what "sticker shock" awaits an indigent family for their baby. An Exceptional Gift from The Paul Stefan Foundation Paul Stefan Foundations Residents Tina Schweikart, already fully supportive with full-day meal packets through the Louisa Boy Scouts twice annually, sent an e-mail almost immediately. Tina is the Office Manager for The Paul Stefan Foundation,  whose mission is to provide transitional housing to pregnant women and their babies who have nowhere to go. The program is open to all women, who may stay up to 2 years in a safe homely environment where each mom works with a counselor toward continued education, employment, and child care education. Tina e-mailed: "The Foundation was formed by Randy and Evelyn James. Randy is President and CEO, and Evelyn is the Executive Director.  We currently have two (2) homes located in Unionville, Virginia, and each home can accommodate 5 moms and 5 babies. The generosity of our community will allow us to share with your charity." On July 25th, Tina and CEO Randy James arrived at the IHS Storage and Assembly Office at 105 Crofton Plaza at Lake Monticello, Virginia. Earlier when Tina said, "We have a ton of items for those babies," I had no idea that she was speaking literally.  Tina arrived in her SUV with the rear filled, and Randy came in a pickup with twelve (12) large bins and additional clothing in bags. It was indeed a marvelous expression of generosity, and deliveries to UVA Pediatric Social Worker Teresa Bevins begins this week. A few more comments about the Paul Stefan Foundation We hope you will connect with the link and learn more about the devotion of this wonderful charity which is dedicated to expansion as they secure young women and their newborns. Quite frankly, very few programs have such an extended assistance up to two years, and then still offers continued support with house supplies, diapers, cribs, etc.  The Paul Stefan Foundation offers that springboard for a future. It is indeed a most admirable undertaking. Thanks to Randy and Evelyn James, Tina Schweikart and staff for their generosity. You are invited to learn about this new friend of Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, another non-religious charity,  reaching out with options for young women of many cultures. You will find a lot of information at their website at http://www.paulstefanhome.org. The site will soon be updated for information on their Gala/Casino night scheduled for October 20, 2012. Sorting through the Treasure and labeling is no easy task As of August 13, most of the delivery from the Paul Stefan delivery has been separated into smaller boxes, separated by sizes, and category of clothing. This was no easy task. Thanks to the Leiva girls of Lake Monticello, Cecilia Leiva and her daughters,  Cindy and Jocelyn, for their hours of assisting with clothing and packaging meal packets in the Crofton Plaza Office in late July.  Thanks to Board Member Danielle Devereux for bringing out some men's clothing, which will be given to the social worker in ER for those situations when an adult male arrives for treatment and ends up needing a change of clothes when released. A final important update regarding our support of UVA Pediatrics During the first half of 2012, IHS has obtained 24 infant car seats (regular and premie sizes), and delivered 20 seats for the UVA Pediatric Clinics. The projection for this year remains at 40-50 infant car seats, so we are only half-way home for meeting this need. The Paul Stefan Foundation infant clothing donation will allow for considerable assistance for many months; however, anytime you are in a Target, Walmart, Sears, Penny's or any baby clothing store, always consider packets of socks for tiny feet, little packets of caps for tiny heads, and "onesies" any time. The need does not cease. The Emergency Room (ER) social workers have suggested that large and medium jogging outfits, gently used or new, are the optimum clothing for accident victims to have when being released. So often clothing is necessarily discarded after an accident. Your donation of a jogging outfit can be so important upon release for men and women. Of course we can save you some shopping with a periodic donation, dedicated to any of these categories year round: Lodging, Food, Co-Pay/Prescriptions, Baby Items and ER jogging outfits. Assistance with electric breast pump rentals falls under Baby items. Thanks for your review and consideration. Never hesitate to call and ask us to visit your church, school, club, business, or nurses and doctors association meetings to relate the value of this charity for the indigent patients and families being treated at UVA Medical Center. Ten minutes with a group can make such a difference. Blessings ... T. Wade

SPECIAL NOTICE for UVA Medical and University staff, and all other state employees. The Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign (CVC) 2012 begins October 1st.  Interfaith Humanitarian Sanctum, Inc. (IHS) is a CVC charity.  To support our work for lodging, food programs, prescriptions & co-pays, pediatric support with infant car seats and clothing, etc. , designate your gift to CVC code 3648..