HANGING IN THERE

"Keep digging your well. Water is there somewhere" says,Rumi.

I don't think many of us can survive going without shoes for a long time, especially on the rough ground.

When I started the nonprofit, Choose To Care(CTC) in 2008, with the mission of providing a brand new pair of shoes for the child and young adult in need; the naysayers did not see the importance but I was not deterred.  I did not allow anyone to throw a wrench in my plans.

You can only imagine what a brand new pair of shoes can do for the owner. Bring comfort, joy, hope, lead to adventures and possibly meaningful journeys and so on.  This month, we at CTC are glad to be of assistance to deliver brand new pairs of shoes to Coach Roddie of Livingston Chapel Middle School, Statesboro, Georgia, who made the request for his 6-8 graders students, who came from low-income households and are in dire need.

We are fulfilling this request through Donors Choose(donors choose.org), a nonprofit organization that engages the public in public schools throughout America. Teachers are allowed to ask for support for their classroom projects.

Our gratitude to our supporters for their dedication to the children we so passionately care for together and for their ongoing fight for a better tomorrow.

Please be reminded to do your part to save Mother Earth, no matter how small these actionable ways are.

Help Spread The Word!

CATCH THAT RUNNER

I love that title and had to borrow it. This came from Mrs M, the 9th to 12th grade teacher in Pascagoula High School, Pascagoula, Mississippi.  She was requesting proper training shoes for her student athletes whom she described as coming from low-income households. For some, their ill-fitted shoes, she said has been the cause of many injuries such as shin splints. Others cannot afford to purchase the proper shoes.

This request came through Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the teacher-founded nonprofit that funds teachers' classrooms, allowing them to receive resources for their deserving students.

Choose To Care(choosetocaresite.org), is the organization, with the mission of providing a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need. We are willing to help these students reach their goals. We know for sure that our sponsorship of their classroom project will make a difference in the lives of these cross country runners, improving their running potential and at the same time will help to build their confidence to face this wonderful but sometimes harsh world of ours.

Along with this delivery, we are promoting, EAT WELL, STAY HEALTHY, vibes. Nothing beats a nourished runner.  A reminder also to do your part to care for mother earth.

Peace & Love

JOYFUL CONNECTIONS

 Each month I renew my commitment to sponsor a teacher's request for resources for her students in her classroom at a public school.  Donors Choose(donors choose.org), an amazing teacher-founded organization makes it possible for public school teachers, nationwide to apply for urgently needed assistance.

This month Ms. Bacon from Langston Chapel Middle School, Statesboro, Georgia, named her project:"New Shoes, New Attitude"  She needed new basketball shoes for her grades 6-8 students to wear during their middle school practices and games. She stated that many of her students wore shoes that were extremely worn and because of the lack of grip, injuries were sustained throughout the season.

Choose To Care(CTC) certainly has the power to help equip the middle school basketball student-athletes with the support they need to continue learning and growing. My deepest gratitude to those who believe in our mission and has continued to help us provide a brand new pair of shoes for the children in need, putting a smile on their faces. We hope to continue to rise to the challenge.

You have helped us protect the feet of children in need of proper wearing shoes and we know we can count on you to do your part to care for Planet Earth.  No matter how simple the step you take, it counts.

Living In Gratitude!

BLOSSOM

 The book BLOSSOM is finally on display.  Putting this together was no easy task.  My intention was to tell stories through recipes, stories, poetry, quotes and photos.  This gives the reader a chance to choose the section or sections that they find appealing and to interpret the title BLOSSOM, how they see fit.

Thanks to all who have contributed in one way or another.  A purchase of a book will help my charity, CHOOSE TO CARE.  A good way to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the children in need, while placing a smile on their faces.

For information about purchasing a book, please call contact:

cuya516@aol.com

Your help will be greatly appreciated!

Let's continue to keep mother earth green!

YOUR LITTLE COUNTS TOO

 Choose To Care (CTC) was able to accomplish its monthly obligation of sponsoring a teacher's classroom request for resources, through Donors Choose (donors choose.org); a trusted classroom funding site for teachers, nation-wide.

This month we traveled to Eastern Heights Elementary School in St. Paul, Minnesota, where specialized shoes are needed, for special need students to accommodate their footbrakes. Their kind-hearted teacher, Ms. Andrea, put in the request for her students.

CTC moved on to another caring teacher, Ms. Headley from Langston Chapel Middle School, Georgia. She wanted for her students what she called "Cheer Essentials" These are cheer shoes to help them prepare for the 2022-2023 middle school football and basketball cheer seasons.

We are delighted to be a small part of the teachers and students journey.  It gives me a sense of contentment and gratitude.  Thanks to our supporters.

We are also determined to continue to use our platform to keep mother earth safe. A reminder that we can each do our part to restore the planet we call home, is always part of my Instagram post or blog.  I have also dedicated a "Green News" column in the newsletter that I have created for the Sweet Spot Restaurant, in Arusha, Tanzania.  This month our appeal is to reduce our personal use of plastic items.

Let's take action together because our world is worth protecting and our effort, no matter how little, still counts.

"There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you do not do them" /Charles D. Gill

Peace & Love

RESTORING HOPE

 I have read over and over from Oprah that the late Maya Angelou told her, "when you learn, teach, when you get give."  This is the simple mission of Choose To Care(CTC) since its establishment in 2008.  We not only provide the resources needed but make an attempt to pass on proper health and nutrition information for well-being and bring attention to our planet earth and its gradual deterioration; while emphasizing how vital it is to keep ourselves and the earth fit.

The CTC organization brought a nourishing start to 2022, as we began our preparation to celebrate the journey of the up and coming dressmakers from the St. Peter's Skill Center, Lamin, Gambia, West Africa.  The young women have been given a chance to learn and hone their skills in a 3 year course of tailoring and other varied business courses. This gives them hope to courageously enter our wonderful and sometimes harsh world.

With that in mind, CTC engaged the students in a competition, entitled, "I Have It All Sewn Up" This creative exercise introduced them to a tiny bit of the challenges of the business world, showing a small fraction of what they will face, as they enter the working world.  This practice project gave them a chance to "wet their feet."  The title shows confidence and also indicates that they think they know it all, that they know all the ropes.  After choosing the winners, first to third place, CTC took the opportunity to extract parts of their essays and expand on the impact and significance of what they had to say and offered other approaches for them to think about.

As they continue to redesign their own life, we hope they will feel uplifted and will become warriors of the zero waste movement, as they recognize the relationship between fashion and the environment.CTC gave each student a brand new pair of shoes as they prepare for their graduation.

In Tanzania, our dream is to build a business around the food industry, giving a few folks the opportunity to see what is possible through determination, hard work and to never lose hope, no matter how difficult the process becomes.  They are on track, their story to come.

This is also the time to send the message to keep blossoming to the six children whom I sponsor through 2 USA based organization, Child Fund International and Children International. They live in various parts of the world and in spite of their daily struggles, they keep pushing to thrive.

My gratitude to Donors Choose, the teacher- founded nonprofit that allows you to sponsor classroom projects of teachers for their students, nationwide.  Through this organization, CTC has pledged to sponsor a public school project each month, giving the proper foot wear to the students in need, that we hope will take them to amazing places.

So many have reached out to us for help and no matter how little, each of us can do our part to save the world. My thoughts and emotions, sweat and tears are all stitched into these and similar projects.  It is a delight to help someone in need.  I am filled with gratitude that even without great means I take tiny steps to do my part to save the world and carryon CTC's mission.

"I will either find a way or make one." Hannibal

As EARTH DAY approaches(4/22), please find a way to save our landfills!

PEACE & LOVE

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

 It seems that the news at every corner of the world has been grim for a very long time and there is no letting up.  Still we at Choose To Care(CTC) have not allowed bad news to corrode our hope or smother our smile; instead we work earnestly to move forward with our mission to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need. That pair of shoes we are sure will take the wearers on many wonderful experiences and may very well be their ticket to break the cycle of poverty.

Thanks supporters for standing strong together with us to provide resources for children, so that they may become empowered and one day be a catalyst for change in their own communities and even the world at large. 

As we do on a monthly basis, we choose a public school to sponsor through Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the nonprofit organization that allows public school teachers from every corner of America to create classroom project requests and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you. This month we sponsored Mr. Friedman's project titled "Run Wild, Run Free" This kind teacher from the Hostos-Lincoln Academy of Science, located in the South Bronx, New York City, requested proper running shoes for his students whom he stated currently run in ill-fitting shoes that do not provide support and protection. A big thank-you to this caring teacher who saw the need and took action.

It is William Shakespeare who said, "Fight till the last gap"  That is exactly our plan at CTC to continue fighting to uplift these students in need  and I am sure you will come along with us.

Peace & Love