"May God's Resurrection Power Fill You with Hope For a Broken World." ~ OC International Blessing

Today I was listening to music while getting work done-- a rare treat brought on by being the only Pomona Hope staff member in the building for a few hours while the gym floor outside of my office was getting a buffing.  During this time, a song came on Pandora that I vividly remember listening to when I was first starting to volunteer with Pomona Hope, back in 2006.  I remember driving home while listening to it, in tears, because of all the things that the kids I volunteered with would tell me about what life was like for them.  Back then, there was a group of girls who, I was later told, everyone had trouble getting close to.  It didn't seem to be much of a problem for me.  But I guess, where others were trying to bond with these 6th graders over nail polish and stickers, I came in with ghost stories and Disneyland facts (my weirdness paid off!).  After a couple weeks of hanging out, they began to open up to me.  And the things they told me about living in the neighborhood were so heartbreaking, that I would drive home in tears.  Kids should not have to know the things they knew.  They should not be desensitized to the things they had to see, hear, and live with.  

When I heard this song again today, I had to shut the door as I remembered the calls I would get from one girl when she was at home, because she couldn't take it anymore, and I would try to calm her down and tell her that I loved her, and that it would turn out okay.  I cried back then because it all almost seemed hopeless, and it wasn't fair for the kids who were growing up in that.

The song that brings back this flood of memories?  "How to Save a Life" by The Fray.  It was a pretty new song back then, and it seemed to speak straight to the situation I found myself in.  

"How to Save a Life"

Step one, you say, "We need to talk."
He walks, you say, "Sit down. It's just a talk."
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Let him know that you know best
'Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
Pray to God, he hears you
And I pray to God, he hears you

And where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

How to save a life

How to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
How to save a life

How to save a life

When I heard it today, I decided to look up the meaning of the song.  I was a little concerned about the actual meaning, given the feeling of hopelessness throughout the song.  It turns out, it applied to my situation more closely than I thought:

According to lead singer, pianist and songwriter Isaac Slade, the song was composed and influenced by his experience while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens:

“

One of the youngsters I was paired up with was a musician. Here I was, a protected suburbanite, and he was just 17 and had all these problems. And no one could write a manual on how to save him.

”

Here I was, a protected suburbanite, and she was just 12 and had all these problems.

Pomona Hope has changed and grown a lot over the years.  We now have 3 staff members, instead of one.  We have an Executive Director!  (YAY! Emily!)  And we're hoping to continue to grow, and to be a vehicle for the transformation of the community we serve.

I managed to keep in touch with most of the girls over the years.  Several have stayed involved with Pomona Hope.  They've graduated high school.  One is a wonderful volunteer with us now and one went on the UC Berkeley!  But at some point, early on, that one girl stopped coming.

I found out last year that she fell in with a bad crowd for awhile, and she became a mom at a young age.  But all hope isn't lost, because from what I hear, she's a good mom, and she still lives in the area.  So maybe her son or daughter will join Pomona Hope in a couple years, and we'll get to start fresh and help the second generation of the family.  But this time, I'll be able to devote my whole self to making sure the pattern doesn't repeat itself, with no manual, but more experience, thanks to your support.

Happy Easter!

"Sometimes It's Easy to Lose Faith in People. And Sometimes One Act of Kindness is All it Takes to Give You Hope Again." ~Randa Abdel-Fattah

WARNING: This blog post starts out a little despondent, but if you stick it out, it gets really good!  I just think that the first part is still really important for understanding my frame of mind when you get to the good part.

I'm sitting here "fundraising" this afternoon, which usually puts me in a "meh" kind of mood.  I put "fundraising" in quotes, because it's what the staff here at Pomona Hope use as short-hand for any number of tasks: catching up on our records of who is giving how much to our campaigns, writing thank you cards to new donors, writing letters to send to everyone we know to ask for money, writing updates to regular donors, writing new blog posts, advertising these posts on Facebook, Pinterest, and anywhere else it may get positive attention, cold-calling friends and family to ask for donations (sorry guys, it's only because I love you!), etc.  I love updating everyone on what is going on, and getting people excited about what is happening, but sometimes, it's a lot of work.  But it is what I signed on for.

Often, the fundraising part of my job takes the back burner to more urgent things that come up, like volunteer training or some kind of event for the kids or for me to attend to keep partnerships with other organizations.  This has been the case since November.  Monday was my first chance to actually sit down and write a blog post, but because so much had happened, and it had been so long, I figured pictures were the best way to go for everyone.

So today is my first real, buckle-down-and-fundraise day in a long time.  The first thing I did was update my records on giving.  Usually this includes emailing people to remind them that certain people give to my campaign rather than general fund, which I feel bad about every time, since I know the general fund needs it too.  But ultimately, records need to be accurate, and I'm still not fully fundraised, so I need it too!  There is the chance I may have to cut my hours if there's not enough coming in designated specifically for my position, and as I've mentioned before, there's already not enough time to do everything.  Today, I didn't have to correct one thing.  AND I found some nice surprises!

Normally, fundraising is one of the least fun parts of my job.  It tends to also be the most stressful part of my job.  I dread that moment when my director asks for an update and I have to tell her that I just haven't had the time, between training and scheduling volunteers, maintaining partnerships, communicating with parents and teachers, overseeing interns, checking in with kids, and running programs.  Especially at this time of year, when my pool of funds tends to dip low.  It's very easy to focus on the negative when it comes to fundraising.

But today, instead of looking at how I'm still coming up short on fundraising after two and a half years, I'm looking at how many people have given so much to make sure I could do this work.  Instead of thinking about the people who can afford to give but don't, I'm looking at the names of those who gave and how little they, themselves, have to give, especially in comparison with so many others.

Today, I'm feeling incredibly blessed.

This week has been a week of givers.  

On Saturday, I learned that I received a grant for my salary from the Janet Aiko Sekiguchi Foundation for my work here, at Pomona Hope.  It's a grant given in memory of Janet Aiko Sekiguchi to those who are carrying on her "legacy of social justice through urban education and ministry."  HOW PERFECT IS THAT?!  It feels like a totally new ball game when you receive a donation for this kind of work from people you don't even know.  It's someone else saying that I'm probably doing something right, and the chances are they're not just saying it because they don't want to make me cry.

They're REALLY BIG baskets, guys!

On Sunday, at church, I received a big donation of really meticulously put together art supplies from a really nice lady who struggles with Parkinson's.  I'd known she was working on this gift for months, and it did not disappoint.  It turned out to be two HUGE baskets filled with pre-made projects, games, crafts, etc. for the kids.  On Wednesday, she and her husband came to visit during our K-3rd graders art time, and she got to show them what she made (she even brought more!).  There were some kids who were so fascinated by her and all of the gifts she brought, that they spent the rest of the day with her!

I really wish I'd gotten her and the kids playing Frisbee.

As I'm typing this, our kids who Walked for the Hungry back in October are having a Pizza Party, courtesy of Inland Valley Hope Partners!  Apparently, because our group was a group of kids, we were entered into a drawing, and won!  So right now, the kids are eating pizza and playing games down the hallway.  And they made a new friend in Kami, from IVHP.

Group shot!  Minus Crystal, our photographer.

There was a certificate and everything!

They would have been happy with just pizza, but look at the smorgasbord!

 So, as I sit here listening to the children laughing down the hallway, with the thought of all that people have sacrificed so that I can be sitting here, I just want to send a thank out to all who support Pomona Hope and my work here.  Whether it be through money, prayer, creating partnerships, and things I'm not even aware you're doing.  I'm feeling it.

There are some really great kids here, and I feel so blessed to spend my days with them, blessed that people believe in my work here, and blessed to be working for a better future for them all.

The Garden Workshop has a new intern!

They learned all about Roly Polys (Pill Bugs?)

Art time!

Valentine's Day Bracelets!

Ha!  I caught one reading, one talking, and one playing Magic: The Gathering.

"Hope Is Knowing That People, Like Kites, Are Made To Be Lifted Up." ~ Author Unknown

Once again, it's been way too long since I've updated you all. (I apologize profusely!)  So I'm going to try to keep it shorter by just showing you what happened in pictures.

Halloween crafts!

Junior High Art

Proof that sometimes, my desk is clean... but not very often.

Jeff with one of our kids in his Halloween costume

Still planting in October!

I was Peggy Carter before it was cool.
Not a flight attendant, like everyone thought!  Only she knows my pain.

I don't know why I didn't get a group picture of all the kids in their costumes on our field trip to Lincoln Park for Trick-or-Treating!  But they were all adorable, and had a lot of fun.

See?  I'm there!  And they stole my camera again. ;-)

Art, the building janitor, caught a bunny in the church courtyard.
Then he brought it out to Miss Barb in the garden.
While the K-3rd graders were there.

So now Kevin and I have a bunny.

Meet Scout.

Parenting Classes, Family potluck!

One of the kids gave me his mom's recipe for Chicken Salad.  It's delicious.

This Advent, our K-3rd graders were visited by Kindness Elves.

Kindness Elves encourage the kids to be nice others, and think about good things.

Like things they're thankful for (they decorated the tree with that).

And who they could pray for

And who they could share with

And what they like about others

 

And who they could do nice things for

Like the birds in winter

And they could make New Years Wishing Wands to wish for good things for everyone.

 Plus, they're way less creepy than "Elf on a Shelf"... and less expensive (Shhh!)

They were surprised when I caught them reading.

And he was super excited about the "Annoying Orange" that his teacher gave him.

And this happened...

He did good.

Christmas Lights!

Learning Hangman in Kindergarten... not bad.

Christmas Craft!

He's happy because it's edible.
(Ice cream cone covered in green frosting and decorated with candy.)

And Christmas Party!

Thanks to Baseline and LifeSong Community Churches!

And all who donated gifts for kids to give their parents

Still had to do homework.

The High Schoolers got into it too!

All we had left.

I turned 30.

This is what I do on my breaks, apparently... dog shaming.

And last month, we went to Harry Potter Land!

 Sorry if you're not nerdy enough for this next bit.

And saw Hogwarts!

Heading into Hogwarts!

And toward the Hogwarts Express (with my officiant!)

I've been saving up for SO LONG to be able to do this!  And that was just for the plane ticket, food, and entry.

We also visited the Homework House in Azusa to trade ideas!

Last week, they filmed a music video in our (First Pres.'s) gym

And the decorations were a lot of fun!

Ok, I'll try to do better at keeping up!  Feel free to comment if you have any questions about anything you saw here.

But in the meantime, if you were touched by anything you saw here, please consider helping me stay at this work by clicking on the "Donate Now!" button at the top and typing Kids Coordinator into the Comments section.  Every little bit helps!