Category: Events

Wow! Another year has almost flown by and we are at it, again… 🙂 helping orphans and foster children enjoy the holiday season with a smile. That’s what we aim to do! 🙂

A special thank you to the local businesses or organizations which have volunteered to be public donation sites or which are participating as private locations by encouraging their employees to participate. We look forward to posting all the firms and companies who have committed to supporting our efforts this Holiday season.

Hurry back soon to find out!

– Caring Big Foundation, Inc.

An Effort benefiting Foster and Orphan Teens & Children

Preparation for our upcoming 2015 Winter Holiday Drive is brewing. We are reaching out to community-based and faith-based organizations, local high school and student clubs, activity teams, and businesses to support our efforts.

We are looking for each organization, club or sports team to partner with us and find 10 families who are willing to donate at least one (1) Teen Welcome “CARE” Kit with 20 items; spending no more than $20. Of the 10 families, we ask that 5 families donate filled bins for teens boys and 5 families donate filled bins for teen girls. If additional families which to participate in our drive, they may do so by donating a Child Fun “CARE” Kit with 10 items; spending no more than $10.

Please consider joining our efforts:
> Teen “CARE” Kit (13-18 years) – Spend $20 for 20 items
> Child “CARE” Kit (5-12 years) – Spend $10 for 10 items

Find our posted lists on our website – “CARE” Kit List

Help us help foster and orphaned teens and children enjoy this upcoming Winter Holiday season. As we all know, “A simple act of kindness goes a long way.”

Thankfully,

Juanita R. Williams
Founder & Program Coordinator
The Caring Big Foundation, Inc.

What can we say, but “Thank You” to all of our supporting businesses, organizations, and partners who have been such a help in a very BIG way. We are so fortunate to have been a support to not only families in our local and surrounding communities, but also to the foster children and teens who will come into the system on and after Christmas day.

Along with a surplus of toys, we were able to also assemble 52 Welcome “CARE” Kits for foster teens (ages 13-18), 50 Activity/Fun “CARE” Kits for foster children (ages 5-12), and 5 Bath “CARE” Kits for foster toddlers (ages 2-4), which were delivered to our local CPS Office in Tempe, Arizona. We are so excited that announce that we nearly doubled the quantity from last year.

So, thank you, again. Also, we send a special “Thank You” to Living Word Ahwatukee’s Foster Initiative staff and members for helping us assemble and deliver the teen kits. And, a special thanks to the children of our supporting business, Virtus Communications, for helping to assemble and deliver the children & toddler kits. Your help made a BIG difference, and showed how much you care.

May you, your employees and families have a happy holiday season and a prosperous new year.

Season’s Greetings,

Juanita R. Williams-Whitehead
The Caring Big Foundation, Inc.

Hello, Everyone:

Thank you so much for supporting our efforts. Our supporting businesses have either agreed to be hosting as a drop-off site with a donation box or distributing our mini promo cards at their place of business.

A Special “Thank You” to…

• Ahwatukee Swim & Tennis Center
• Cottam Health Partners (Ahwatukee)
• Foothills Floral Gallery (Ahwatukee)
• MidFirst Bank (Ahwatukee Branch)
• Living Word Ahwatukee
• Maricopa ATA Martial Arts & Karate for Kids
• School of Rock Ahwatukee
• Washington Federal
• Wagner Dance Arts (Gilbert)
• Lee’s ATA Martial Arts & Karate for Kids (Valley-wide)
• AIRWORX Trampoline Entertainment Center (Chandler)
• Dr. Ronald I. Jones Pediatrics (Chandler)
• Maricopa ATA Martial Arts & Karate for Kids
• Graysmark Academy (Maricopa)
• Yogurt Jungle (Maricopa)
• Copa Craze (Maricopa)
• The Duke at Rancho El Dorado (Maricopa)

Also, special thanks to:

• JR Graphics (graphic design and website services)

2014 Summer Back-to-School Drive…
We were able to donate 25 filled backpacks for teens (12 girls, 13 boys) to our local CPS office. A special thank you to all of your help.

Special Thanks to our partners:
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation – Phoenix, AZ
Living Word Ahwatukee – LW Foster Initiative, Phoenix, AZ
OCJ Kids – Phoenix, AZ

Special thanks to our supporters:
JR Graphics – Phoenix, AZ
Lee’s ATA Martial Arts and Karate for Kids – Valley-wide
Cottam Health Partners – Ahwatukee & Tempe
School of Rock Ahwatukee – 4645 E. Chandler Boulevard
MidFirst Bank – Ahwatukee Branch
Ahwatukee Swim & Tennis Center – 4700 E. Warner Road
Washington Federal – Ahwatukee Branch

Hello…

Yes, we are at it, again! School is just around the corner. Just as soon as it starts…it ends that quickly. Say what?! Yes, Yes, Yes. We know…time flies when you are having fun. 😉

We ask that you keep us in mind when preparing to buy your school supplies. Please remember to just throw an extra crayon box or notebook or pencil package in your basket as you head to the cash register lane to stand in what might be an endless line of parents with children waiting to just make your purchase and leave. We know all too well, how, the “Back to School” shopping task can be. So, we appreciate your efforts in remembering us and the many underprivileged/orphan/foster youth in need, right here in our local and surrounding communities, during your day of school shopping.

Be on the lookout for our donation boxes. They will be at local participating business sites starting July 7 through September 1.

From our hearts to your heart. Thanks, again, for all of your past and future support. You help make a difference in our community!

Most Sincerely,
The Caring Big Foundation, Inc.

“Christmas In March”
Local Nonprofits are at it, again!

Prom Perks for Foster Teens – Special Discounts & Assistance

This year, Operation Christmas Smile is hosting their 1^st Annual Spring Dream Drive.  Because of the many efforts to help disadvantaged children that already exist, they decided to team up with “The Cinderella Affair,” an all-volunteer project supported by East Valley Women’s League, Tempe Community Council, and the City of Tempe. Their program was founded in 2002 to assist girls by collecting and distributing new and gently-used formalwear. The Cinderella Affair has also provided dresses for exchange students from the Tempe Sister Cities program, the clients of the Hacienda de Los Angeles, and young ladies participating in the Miss CHAMPION Pageant.

“Because we also share a similar mission for this drive, which is ‘to make attending the prom affordable for all high school seniors in Arizona, as well as make it an event in their lives to remember,’ we reached out to “The Cinderella Affair” organizers and made a decision to join their event,” shared Juanita Williams-Whitehead.  Operation Christmas Smile, a local nonprofit which is managed by The Caring Big Foundation, founded also by Williams-Whitehead, was established with one purpose in mind and that is to work collaboratively with other community organizations, nonprofits, and local businesses to help underprivileged children and youth, more particularly those in the foster care system.

Seeing that “The Cinderella Affair” already has donation boxes in schools, businesses, and churches across Phoenix and its surrounding cities, they decided to reach out further and bring more exposure to “The Cinderella Affair” to cities in the valley, but yet still within driving distance to Tempe, those being Maricopa and Casa Grande.  “A vast majority of valley residents are also commuters to the central Phoenix area, where employment opportunities are greater; however, most of their children and teens attend the local high schools.  With this being the case and the other factor of including foster group homes and care providers in these valley areas, we felt the need to reach out, beyond to a few cities that still fall within the Phoenix metropolitan area.  And so, we chose Maricopa and Casa Grande,” commented Williams-Whitehead.

Operation Christmas Smile is not operating alone.  They have also partnered with two Phoenix-based nonprofit organizations, Arizona Friends for Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF), Opportunity, Community & Justice for Kids (OCJ Kids), and a faith-based organization and foster initiative program, Living Word Ahwatukee and LW Foster Initiative, in attempts to share news of “The Cinderella Affair” with foster families, group homes, and care providers across the valley.  In addition to sharing news of this event, Operation Christmas Smile, has negotiated special discounts with local supporting businesses that will offer their services to foster teens (in their senior year of high school) in efforts to assist them in offsetting the costs to attend their prom, a once-in-a-lifetime event.  “We just want to show them that someone cares.  At this age, they feel that no one really cares.  And this is our way of showing them that someone does care,” explained Jeff Zubeck, pastor of Living Word Ahwatukee, director of LW Foster Initiative, and active member of “Connecting to Serve” an Ahwatukee-based community group whose mission is ‘to knit together community leaders to collaborate best practices and share resources in efforts to identify community assets, create solutions for our community challenges, and make our communities more secure and vibrant.’

Kris Jacober, executive director of Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF), a local nonprofit whose mission is promoting the self-esteem and enriching the lives of children in foster care in Arizona by funding activities, education and other needs that provide them with quality experiences while they live through very difficult circumstances, said that the organization can consider funding prom expenses (clothing, shoes, tickets, etc.) up to $300 per student in foster care (in their senior year of high school).  AFFCF has been the only organization in the State, since 1983, that provides these ‘something extras’ for children in foster care. Over the past 30 years, they have awarded more than $3,500,000 to more than 23,000 children in foster care in Arizona without the assistance of State or government funding.  “We are committed to our mission of providing awards for activities and items for children in foster care that are not funded in any other way. We are pleased to help young men and women attend their high school prom, and have high school memories they will take with them for the rest of their lives.”

To apply, visit affcf.org and click on “Awards” and “Award Application.”  Prom expenses will not be reimbursed if items are purchased before the application is reviewed and approved by AFFCF.

For information about “The Cinderella Affair” and local drop-off sites – www.CinderellaAffair.org.

To contact Operation Christmas Smile, visit www.OperationChristmasSmile.org.

Special Thanks to our local supporting business:
Phoenix/Chandler/Tempe:
Salon 7000 (975 E. Elliot Rd, Ste. 3, Tempe, AZ 85284)
Doria Me’Chelle Salon & Spa (4902 E. Warner Rd, Ste. 12, Phoenix, AZ 85044)
Top 5 Hair Dzign Barbershop – Robert Everson (7420 S. Rural Rd, Ste. B7, Tempe, AZ 85283)
Balaros Hair Salon (2747 W. Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282)
Desiree Marchant with Mary Kay Consultants (Phoenix Metro area)
Parliament Cab (Serving the Central and South Phoenix area, 480.228-8378)
Saba’s Limo Company (Serving the North Phoenix area, 480.340-0055)

Maricopa:
Sunny Sayarath @ K’Bella Salon & Day Spa (20800 N John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa, AZ 85139)
La Vida Hair Boutique with Gregory (Stagestop Building, Maricopa-Casa Grande Hwy, 85138)
Service Before Self, a student club @ Maricopa High School, founded by Dajonna Swaing

South Valley drop-off locations:
The Duke at Rancho El Dorado (42660 Rancho El Dorado Pkwy., Maricopa, AZ 85138)
Yogurt Jungle – Maricopa (21101 N. John Wayne Pkwy., Suite E-105, Maricopa, AZ 85139)
Copa Craze (21116 N. John Wayne Pkwy, Maricopa, AZ 85138)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final tally is in:  Total = 2215 items = 723 gifts/gift sets

We were able to collect well over 2200 items and arrange them into gifts and gift/personal care sets for our local orphan and foster children/teens.

We are awaiting a response from our teens.  Hopefully, they will write their comments on our enclosed “Smiley Face” postcards and drop them into the mailbox so that we can know how they felt being a recipient of these donated items.

A special “Thank You” to all who participated in our 2nd Annual Holiday Drive, we were able to triple our donations within only 3 weeks. We will plan to start earlier in 2014, giving everyone more time to participate in our efforts to reach more children/teens next year.

Again, thank you.

When you get a chance, view our photos on our Facebook page. All of our supporting local businesses, organizations, and community really stepped up and became involved in such a worthy cause. Our numbers will be coming in soon.

Thank you for all of your support. It makes a BIG difference!