September 2, 2008

 What a whirlwind month! Woman's World Mag came out with a two page featured article, Natural Awakenings ran a story about the project, and Skirt has the biggest photo of me that I've ever seen in any publication! I feel grateful for the publicity it brings to our projects but embarrassed to be so "seen". The article was beautifully written though and I hope people are able to see how much passion and compassion has gone into creating Isabelle's House.

I will drop by Theresa's today to take her some magazines and check in on her. I hope all this publicity hasn't felt like an intrusion for them.

August, 2008

 We had the photo shoot for Woman's World Mag. It is still all so surreal to me. The Ravenells looked beautiful though, beaming in all their color! The garden looks amazing, I caught Theresa in a moment where she was kneeling down to check on the flowers. They had picked their first pepper too. It was small but sometimes even the smallest things are mighty! Kim was with us today and I know the press hasn't included her name or photo much in any of this but I could not have done any of this without her by my side. Her support and her passion, and her brains ... I need them all! The photographer, Grace, took nearly 600 photos today. Yikes!! I hope at least one turns out!

June 17, 2008

 I received a phone call today from Woman's World magazine. They would like to do a story on us in their Sept. issue. I feel overwhelmed and overjoyed all at the same time. This project has become something I never even dreamed about. The added publicity will help us in future projects, I'm sure. I feel like what we've done, although incredible, isn't anything someone else wouldn't or hasn't already done so it surprises me a national publication wants to feature us! I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad!

June 1, 2008
A little over a week ago we did what many thought could not be done - we gave the Ravenell's new hope. Thanks to a lot of incredibly generous souls, some amazing companies, the hard work and sweat from volunteers and the vision of myself and Kim we were able to do some amazing things.
 
These are the things we did in less than 10 hours:
  • Pulled up old, moldy carpeting
  • Removed furniture from 8 rooms
  • Hand picked hundreds of staples out of the flooring
  • Scrubbed, washed, cleaned, vacuumed, mopped, used a toothbrush in the small spaces and a shop vac for the rest (in 11 rooms I might add!)
  • Replaced 2 shower heads, and 2 toilet seats
  • Fixed leaky plumbing
  • Replaced doors, fixed others
  • Replaced ceiling tiles in a bathroom
  • Organized hundreds of donations
  • Painted 6 rooms and a hallway, including trim
  • Brought in a new fridge through a doorway too small and a few steps in between!
  • Hang new curtains
  • Re-buillt 2 bunk beds and moved in new furniture for entire house
  • Hung artwork that inspires the family
  • Set up a new computer in their new office complete with 2 new desks, new filing cabinets, bookshelves full of new books
  • Created a music room complete with a drum set (thanks Angel for putting that one together!), a karaoke machine, new keyboard, electric guitar and other smaller instruments
  • Built rods and shelves in all their closets and hung new clothing
  • Painted an old dresser into a bright cheery piece of art for the girls
  • Filled their cabinets with new kitchenware and food
  • Filled the refrigerator with food
  • Filled the freezer with more food and homemade meals
  • Mowed, weed whacked, raked, dug up, mulched, planted and created beautiful landscaping in the front, side and back of house.
  • Planted a vegetable garden
  • Fixed their basketball hoop
  • Supplied them with many months of laundry detergent, toilet paper and paper towels.
  • Installed a portable energy efficient AC unit
  • Gave them new lighting
  • Brought in a beautifully handmade table big enough to seat all of them during their meals
  • Created a cozy living room area with new furniture, a sleeper sofa, enough movies to keep them entertained and thanks to Coach, Clarence and Tara we somehow managed to bring in the 600lb entertainment center that also did not want to fit through the door.
  • Somewhere in all of this we also managed to laugh, cry, curse, scream, eat great food from Home Team BBQ, make several trips to Lowes (unless you were Valerie and you made several trips home to get us shop vacs, supplies and pillows!)
  • For Kim and I we managed to keep the momentum going, the countdown on (2 more hours!), stand in front of a camera (despite our sweat and dirt) to be interviewed by either Channel 4, 5 or the Post and Courier, eat on the fly, get Sally to make Lowes runs, track down lost keys to a car that needed to be moved, and somehow knew what was going on everywhere all at once (or at least we hoped so!)

 

And at the stroke of the 10th hour we greeted the family at the end of their driveway and walked them to their back yard which had been transformed into a party scene with Hank the Pirate playing live music, food catered by Hymans, and the faces of all the volunteers and many of the donators, and several news crews. It was a scene never to be forgotten. It was only in that moment that the family realized we had done more than just "clean their house" as Theresa Ravenell had been led to believe this entire time.  

There were tears of joy from Theresa, ear to ear grins from the kids and many proud moments from myself and I'm sure the many others who were a part of changing this family's life. Those are the moments that matter in life.
 
To all the volunteers who participated in this project ... I know the task was much greater than we had anticipated, and I realize the sacrifices all of you made to make sure it got done. There was not a detail that went unnoticed and I am so very proud of the teamwork all of us displayed. Beyond everything we did, I think the our teamwork and our vision  was one of the most beautiful and inspiring things I personally have ever been a part of. Thank you, truly, for showing up in more ways than just physically. I learned on this day there is absolutely nothing in this world that a group of amazing women and a few incredible men can't do!
 
To all the donators who gave to this project their money, clothes, furniture, movies, food, art, plants, paint, candles, toys, bikes, books, bedding, gift cards, their everything .... It was a sight to be seen when we laid everything out and were able to completely furnish a home for 8 people based on what people like you gave. They went from a house with a very few belongings to a cozy home that reflects love, family, laughter, color and growth.
 
All of us are amazing. Thank you. Thank you . Thank you!
 
Next project is on the way ....
 
Warmest Regards,
Dakota
 

I wanted to keep all of you updated with the progress of our May project, Adopt a Mom. I am astounded at the support and willingness to help that has come from the Charleston community. The volunteers who signed up, the emails and donations have been nothing short of amazing.

Saturday at the Ravenell home, I met with Frances, home improvement crew leader, Kimberly, landscaping crew leader, Kim, co-project manager, and Carolyn, one of our volunteers. Carolyn took Mom to help her update her resume; Kim took the kids to the park on a photo shoot while the rest of us surveyed the house more closely.  When I first decided to take on a project like this I had envisioned helping someone in need, to do what we could but never did I imagine the magnitude of what has transpired so far. I realized yesterday while I stood in their home that our collective efforts and actions would forever change their lives.

 I was moved to tears.

I knew we had picked a family who was in need, but I hadn't prepared myself for how deeply-rooted that need truly is. I opened up their refrigerator (which has no handle) and for a family of seven I found one head of lettuce, condiments, 5 eggs, and a pint of milk. They have 4 plates and forks that they share among them. In the children's rooms they have very few clothes and what clothes they do have lay in a pile in the bottom of the closet because they have no hangers, or rod to hang them. The boys were ironing their shirts before they left, then I realized why.

I can count on one hand the number of toys I found. In a home with girl's ages 4, 10 and 11 you would expect to see toys everywhere - but there isn't. The carpets are horrifying and most likely a main contributor to the boys having asthma.

 

The beds have 3 mattresses stacked - mattresses that are bent, sagging, and dirty and were supported by cinder blocks. Most of the beds lacked proper bedding.

I tell you all this because the need for this family is greater than initially thought. I need help. I don't want to do this half way for this family; I want to give them a chance to build a better life.

The one thing this family does not lack is love and laughter. When I viewed the photos of the kids that Kim took, they were all laughing and smiling - there is so much joy and cohesiveness among them. If there is anything that we all could learn from the Ravenells is the importance of joy no matter what your situation.

Theresa Ravenell had expressed to Carolyn as they sat and talked about her job skills and such that one of the things she and the kids do every Sunday is watch Extreme Home Makeover show. She said the kids have wanted to write to the show, hoping someone would come help them.

Their prayer is answered.

We may not be the Extreme Home Makeover show, but we are pretty darn close because we are their community, and it won't stop at May 25th - When we step up to help someone like Theresa, we take a step towards extending our "family".

Because of what I witnessed yesterday I have changed my strategy, my plan, my priorities somewhat - I've raised the bar, I had to. I need YOU - I need donations (see list to the left), I need money (whatever isn't donated I need to buy), I need your sweat (I need at least 6 more volunteers).

The countdown has begun ... life changes for the Ravenells in 28 days. I have 3 weeks to pull this all together ...

 
When Kim and I first met Theresa at her home, she greeted us with a warm smile. She invited us in to talk with her and for about an hour we heard her story, toured her house, and learned what she struggles with most. Four years ago Theresa found the courage to leave an abusive husband with her 7 children. She didn't have much, and still doesn't but she had enough courage, and enough love to know that no matter how little she had, she knew she could give a better life to her kids on her own.
 
She struggles to get ahead, working a job that pays very little and with hours that keeps her away from her kids more than she likes. Her dream is to own her own home, and to find a job that pays better. All her spare time is spent with the kids - they are all inseparable, taking care of one another and finding that home really is where the heart resides.
 
Her kids are a delight. Lisa, Amber, Alonike are the 3 youngest and sweetest girls you'll meet. Floyd, 15, loves drums and playing the keyboard. Jason and Justin, 14, enjoy basketball and football. Whitley is the oldest, and in college - hoping to be a good role model to her younger siblings. She comes home every other weekend when mom has the money to buy gas to go get her in Orangeburg.
 
To look at their home it is obvious what is most important as photos of the family and trophies the boys have won are the prominent decorations in the family room. But the reality of life is also obvious, there are very few toys or signs of the kids because of the simple fact that Mom can't afford to buy much more after all the necessary things are bought first. Amber doesn't have a bed and all the others share - no one has a bed of their own.
 
When you look at the splintered walls, the gaps in the windows, the old refrigerator you realize why Theresa is slapped each month with a utility bill totaling more than $250 a month. Closet doors that no longer hang, limited dresser space for the kids, as well as limited clothing.
 
They have one basketball, and all the kids play - they even gave me a fair shake and after it was all done, I lost my bet and had to pay out $10! They laugh a lot, it's a beautiful sound amidst all the apparent struggle. And even though Mom laughs a lot, you can see in her eyes the pain and hurt, and the exhaustion she feels. She only wants a better life for herself and her kids, and asking for help is not something Theresa is accustomed to doing.
 
We could not have picked a better recipient than the Ravenell family for our Isabelle Project. I hope all of you feel the same, and are able to share in the joy of being able to help this family. I have big plans for our project .... I am going to need all the help I can get to pull this off. Please, forward this email to everyone you know - lets all make a difference.
 
 
What can you do?
 
Warmest Regards,
Dakota