Last year, I had the privilege of redecorating the dining hall of a homeless shelter for families at the Nicholas House in Atlanta. It was a TON of work but well worth the effort. Here is my favorite clip from that post:
We had been working constantly for over 12 hours that last day, and we were just over it. We had taped off the doorways to the dining hall with trash bags so that residents couldn’t see the space until the final reveal. However, we needed some help carrying in the new chairs and some residents offered to help, including a father and his son. The little boy wandered into the dining room, carrying his heavy chair, and gasped. He exclaimed, “Oh WOW!!! This place looks like a REAL home.” I burst into tears. It was so incredibly precious and made every single hard hour worth it. A REAL home is what I wanted for all of them. A REAL home is what every child deserves.”
Helping people achieve the dream of a real home is exactly what Habitat for Humanity is all about. For the past two years, the Haven Conference has partnered with Habitat for Humanity and this year Haven has pledged $5500 to Habitat for our “Hands of Haven” Day. On July 26th, 20 Atlanta-based bloggers will be helping to build a Habitat house. But we don’t just want Atlanta to have all the fun! We are pushing for Hands of Haven to reach out across the nation, and we would love to blow the top off of our pledged amount. This is where you come in. Please consider this your official Hands of Haven invitation! Everyone is invited, and I hope you’ll RSVP YES!
Do good…on a grand scale!
When: Hands of Haven Day, Saturday, July 26
What: On 7/26/14, volunteer with your local Habitat, or visit your local Restore, or just wear your Hands of Haven t-shirt proudly!
How: Purchase your Hands of Haven T-shirt by clicking this link. There are sizes for the ENTIRE family. This is a great way to get your kids involved in service. Share a picture on social media wearing your tee on July 26th using #HandsofHaven.
Even if you are not able to volunteer on that day, purchasing a t-shirt helps our cause immensely! If you are simply interested in donating to the cause, please click the donate button below. All proceeds go to H4H/Hands of Haven Day. And because we don’t want Hands of Haven to last only one day, we are claiming the month of September as Hands of Haven month. Anytime you do good on a grand scale, document it with a selfie and #handsofhaven. Thank you!
Nikki says
I’m very impressed. What a great way to use your talents.
Mary Ann says
Hi Beth,
I noticed that you had a gallery wall in the dining room. Light bulb: I think I can help!
I make EasyGallery® frames – they’re kind of perfect for a location like more photos in the back.)
I’m a long time fan of Habitat for Humanity – and I’ve got DOZENS of not-completely-perfect frames that I’d be happy to donate to the cause. Some day, I hope to make that a regular thing. (Not the not-perfect part – the donations!) Even if you’re in temporary housing, I think it should still feel like a safe, welcoming place. To me, nothing says you’re home like having your pictures on the wall.
Please contact me if you’re interested: maryann@changeofart.com
Thank you for your good works. (And, I love your blog.)
: )
Mary Ann
Laurie says
Another beautiful makeover! Y’all did an absolutely amazing job! Beth, you are so talented, I love to see your work, and what a wonderful cause this was for – I cried just reading about it. I can’t wait to see what you do next!
Ps…I’m going to get one of those 3M projectors – like NOW! Luv it!
Beth says
Thank you so much Laurie! It was a very special project to be involved with. Using my skills to give back in a big way was such a blessing to me. I’m excited for our Hands of Haven initiative and hope others will join in.