HOW CAKES CAN HELP KIDS IN ETHIOPIA...

Let's think out of the box? This is what our group decided to do in order to have more ideas about how to raise money to help Dr. Hodes and...we have come up
with this: baking very ornate beautiful cakes and raffle them at schools, churches, organizations and wherever else there is a sweet tooth for good stuff and great causes!

The result so far? $555.00 dollars deposited into Dr. Hodes' account today!
The first cake raffle took place at Vista Grande Elementary School in Danville (during a Halloween Parade) last Thursday and the second cake raffle took place at Peace Lutheran Church also in Danville, yesterday.

During these two events we could spead the word about the magnificent of Dr. Hodes and also make the two winners' lives sweeter!

More funds raised at Vista Grande Elementary School's carnival!

For the second year our group has worked with Vista Grande's students and parents during this beautiful annual event to raise funds for the kids in Ethiopia.

Selling T-shirts (with our logo), beautiful hand made cloth wallets (made by Alex H., an 11 year old girl!) and photo cards we have raised $227.00 for Dr. Hodes!

Thank you to principal Hansen who continuely supports our sharing vision about the importance of educating children to help others in need.

Vista Grande Students helped to raise part of the necessary money to build another well!

Last week there was a second fundraiser at Vista Grande Elementary School at Danville for Dr. Hodes. We were there working with the students to raise money for a well for the new school that has been built in Ethiopia with the help of our friend Robel Haile, from Bottles for Poverty.

In five days selling ice creams, t-shirts and beautiful cloth wallets made by an eleven year old girl named Alex H., we were able to raise $772!

Thank you very much VG students! Thank you Mrs. Hansen and the mothers and kids who worked with us helping to make this another success!

Spreading Dr. Hodes' cause with Italian children

By the beginning of the year we had the opportunity to talk about Dr. Hode’s story to ITALIANS kids!

That vivid audience covered us with questions and comments about what Dr. Hodes has been doing in Ethiopia for the last 20 years of his life.

It made us very happy to have the opportunity to talk about Ethiopia kids and to sell our T-Shirts to those young european new friends! We have deposited $200 at Dr. Hodes account.

Grazie mille for your support amici!

More funds raised for Ethiopia!

In December We Are All Connected Group was capable to donate U$288,00 to Dr. Hodes due to the efforts of the children from Vista Grande Elementary School in Danville! Through their recycle program of bottles and old cell phones during November, they and us working together were capable to raise the money mentioned above and send it to JDC, the organization's that support Dr. Hodes's mission in Ethiopia.

In reponse of our efforts during 2013 to help Dr, Hodes' cause, he nicely took his precious time to write to us thanking our group and our precious children's team support!

Thank you everybody and let's make 2014 rock even more!

A special gift from a young heart

A few days ago we received this special gift from a six year old girl, a student at Vista Grande Elementary School.  

When Lauren had her birthday party a few weeks ago she told her friends she didn't  want any gifts - instead she wanted money to help fund Dr. Hodes' mission! 

This beautiful young lady not only raised a couple hundred dollars for Dr. Hodes' cause, but also shared a precious lesson, the lesson of giving, with the 12 friends invited to her party .  Then, Lauren took to the money she raised from the party, $150.35, then opened her piggy bank and added $53 of her own money, and gave it to our group to donate- over $200 raised by a six year old!

This is a big part of what our group hopes to accomplish - to plant the lesson of giving to the less fortunate in children's hearts and minds.  Below it's a picture of Lauren with the letter she wrote to Dr. Hodes:

"My name is Lauren.  I am six years old and I am in the first grade at Vista Grande Elementary School in Danville, CA. I have saved up $203.35 which I would like to give to you.  Please use the money for a little girl.  You can buy her food, medisin, a doll, books and some cloths.  Or you can buy what ever you think she needs.  When I have some more money I will give it to you".

Very, very well done little Lauren!  Thank you very much!

Spreading the word during Halloween season

When people want to help they find so many different ways to do it: our friend Marcela Luma opened the doors of her house (actually her barn!) during a Halloween party for kids so we could talk about Dr. Hodes to her guests, the little ones!

We talked to several children and their parents about the kids in Ethiopia and Dr. Hodes. We sold 4 books while witches and ghosts surrounded us!

Thank you Marcela!

Cans, bottles, and old cell phones = helping African children

On October 25, 2013 we had our first Recycling Event at Vista Grande. It was a good beginning. Some children (and their families, thank you Julie Domde!) really applied themselves and brought a lot of cans and bottles to us. 

Thank you kids! You are helping the environment and Dr. Hodes!

We also were able to collect 15 old cell phones with another four my husband gave to us. Yesterday we mailed 19 cell phones to Recycle Rewards, to be recycled for money for our cause!  As soon as the company informs us how much we raised, we will let you know.

So, please start to collect your bottles and cans for next even, November 22, and start to talk to your relatives and neighbors to see if they have old cell phones to donate to us.  And to all the students from Vista Grande Elementary School in Danville California, see you on the last Friday of November!

More funds raised at Vista Grande elementary school's carnival!

A big thank you goes out to Vista Grande Elementary School, you scored again!  

The annual Carnival held on a Saturday in October is always a bit hit for kids and parents alike- games, prizes, and food to raise money for the school.  Vista Grande was kind enough to let us spread the word about Dr. Hodes’ mission, and to sell books, t-shirts and cookies, raising funds for the kids in Ethiopia.

With the help of the school, kids, and parents we raised $205.00 for Dr. Hodes!

Thank you Principal Hansen for sharing the value of teaching our children the tremendous importance of helping. Thank you for being on board and helping us show the kids that yes, We Are All Connected, and yes, we can make a difference!

The Peace Journey Church joins our cause to help raise funds!

Today we had our table on the patio of the Peace Journey Church in Danville selling cookies and T-shirts for Dr. Hodes. 

From noon to 4pm we were outside and later we moved inside during the Jazz festival where we stayed until 7pm. We talked to several people, sold some T-shirts and raised another $126.12 for the kids in Ethiopia! 


Thanks to everybody who participated and who helped by buying our stuff. Special thanks to Pastor Steve who generously made room for us to be there. Big thanks also to the principal Mrs. Hansen who graciously gave us the beautiful extra T-shirts (from our previous fundraiser at Vista Grande) to be sold today, and to Eric Gayden who generously printed our first "professional banner" with the picture of Dr. Hodes, as well as some drawings made by our kids.