Delighting In Grace: October 2016

Friday, October 7, 2016

Bracelet & Christmas Ornament fundraiser

I am SO EXCITED about the ApParent Project fundraiser I just launched on Wednesday night! I love this fundraiser because not only will it help me bring Qing Qing home from China, but it also helps Haitian families stay together (and you know I love Haitian families)!

{Soapbox warning!} Way too frequently in Haiti, families turn to orphanages to raise their kids because they don't have the means to provide for themselves & their families, often due to unemployment and/or lack of skills and education. This is a huge problem in Haiti and has resulted in far too many children growing up in institutions, separated from their parents who love them & who wish they could raise their children themselves. Not only that, but only a very small percentage of kids in Haitian orphanages (even those who are "true" orphans with no living parents) will ever be adopted. In recent years, as this problem has become more visible and better understood, more and more organizations in Haiti are turning their attention to this root of the "orphan crisis" in Haiti -- moms and dads who love their kids but need someone to come alongside them to help them get on their feet, through health care, education, skills training, and jobs.

ApParent Project is one of these organizations. From the AP website: "Our focus is on our mission… to “make the needs of Haiti known,” to offer opportunities for the Haitians be able to provide for themselves and their families, empowering them to rise up out of poverty… to be able to keep their families together… to avoid relinquishing their children to orphanages." One of the ways AP does this is by employing artisans to make beautiful handmade products -- not only jewelry and ornaments, but also coffee mugs, purses, wall art, dolls, and more. By providing jobs for these men and women, AP is helping to keep kids out of orphanages & with their families...thereby helping to ensure a stronger and better future for not just these families, but also for the generations to come.

So. All that to say, I am so excited to get to do this fundraiser & to be a small part of what AP is doing for families in Haiti while also working to bring Qing Qing home to our family! Here is a short video that shows more about how ApParent Project works:

This fundraiser is mainly happening on Facebook (so if you want to check it out there, search for "Becoming Forever Cloutier Adoption Fundraising"), but I wanted to post about it here, too, in case anyone who isnt on Facebook is interested in purchasing. I'll try to keep it updated here (when items sell), but there may be a bit of a delay (so just be aware when you request an item, there's a chance it may have already sold on Facebook). Here is how this will work:

To claim your item, comment on this post (or email/text me) with the item(s) you would like & how you plan to pay.

Payment options are:
1. Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/BethCloutier
2. Check (let me know if you need my address)
3. Cash (local buyers only)

Each item is $10; if you need me to ship your purchase to you, please add $5 (total, not per item).

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy shopping!