It is official All in Need, Family Support (AiN) is now its own identity and respite care now falls under AiN! I am thrilled to be able to continue supporting families that have attending All in Need at Oak Park Christian Center, and overwhelmed that we will be able to support a larger community now that we are a non-profit!
E-mail Change:
Moving forward you will receive emails from info@allinneed.org. I will be closing all_in_need@yahoo.com. Please make sure you add info@allinneed.org to your address book to contact me with any questions you may have as we move forward. I want to hear from you! This is new to me too and I am trying my best cross my t and dot my i, but I am struggling with it all. So, if you feel that you can help in any way, please let me know. Some of you will receive newsletters and other of you will receive newsletters and invitations.
Respite:
Respite Nights will be the third Saturday of the month from 5:30-8:30. Applications will need to be filled out along with emergency forms. I have attached them, but you can find them at www.allinneed.org.
Location Change for Respite:
We have had changes in location. Our past location will not be able to offer a place every month due to their facilities schedule; therefore, I have found a new location and will be sending it to those who will attend respite night. Please note that when renting from churches we may have to agree to certain things within a contract for example. “No Dancing” “Showing Christ’s love” please remember that the agreement between rentals and AiN are agreed upon by spacing and safety of children. Though AiN may have agreed to contracts opinions doesn’t necessarily mean they are opinions of All in Need, Family Support or those of the board members.
Prices:
We will be charging for events and I am still playing with pricing, but I am trying to keep it as low as possible. I will let you know up front. Most respite nights I will be able to rent the building for $40; however, I may have to pay for staffing on site if I don’t have a church volunteer there at the time. So it would be around 70 if that is the case. Lastly insurance is about $250.00 a month. Plus we the charge of crafts and other things business expenses. My goal is to keep it where families can afford a break and a night out. I am hoping to also start applying for grants to keep prices down. I am working with Paypal this week to get AiN setup as nonprofit so payments will be accepted online.
Volunteer:
Lastly, I am playing with adding required volunteer hours into the program. This is a very hard thing for me to consider, but I am realizing Jacob and myself cannot do all of it alone. We want our struggles to benefit your families, but we don’t want to cause issues in our lives either. If we do add this to the program we will give an option of volunteer or pay out of the volunteer commitment.
Social Events:
As many of you know AiN has already started offering social groups for 8 years old to 16 years of age. Social Groups are held the 1st Saturday of the month and 3rd Thursday of the month. I try to plan outings for the Saturday events. I just requested free tickets from nine companies. The Thursday events are game night and are located at St. Mary in Pleasant Hill. Once again as AiN starts looking at all cost involved to operate, price will need to change.
Board Positions:
We will be having all Board Positions opening up. Please consider helping AiN out in this way.
Webpage:
We have a temporary webpage up at allinneed.org. I ended up having to hire someone else and I hired Brittany. Brittany showed me the new homepage and it looks amazing. There will also be a blog, so these type of emails will soon be found there! You will also be able to pay for services and donate on the webpage. I hope to post minutes and Budget reports up there as we move forward. Also Brittany is a photographer and she is running a special right now if you use her and tell her Autumn sent you she will give me $50. So here is the thing if you use her and she sends me $50 I will donate to AiN in your name! http://www.brittanyerinphotography.com
Donations:
Donations can come in all shapes and size. Lets face it we need money to operate more than what I even considered when I decided to go nonprofit! I have been considering sending out annual commitment cards. Please consider giving monthly to AiN. Any amount will be greatly appreciated even if you think that $1 wouldn’t even be noticed…you are wrong. I know how tough times are and I know even a $1 at this time for so many is hard to do.
You don’t have to just give money if you have old board games and want to pass it on. We appreciate it! If your business has something you think can benefit AiN and the children we work with and you can donate it to AiN it would be appreciated. I am in real need of a TV with a DVD. A flat screen would be helpful and one that is large enough for 20 kids to see but small enough I can carry it to events would be appreciated.
Fundraising:
Working on fundraising ideas. If any of you have any background in fundraising and could help support me in this area, please email me!
Get the word out:
Many of you know that AiN and myself were featured in the Dandelion Magazine last Summer. AiN will be in the Bay Area Parent Magazine in February and Martinez Gazette will be doing an article on AiN in the next couple of weeks. With that being said…I need your help getting the word out. Please make sure you forward my emails to other families and make sure you share allinneed.org. Don’t forget we are on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Linkedin. Get connected and share connection with others. Lastly, if you have an in to get AiN in the news (newspaper, magazines, TV, blogs) please make sure you pass my info out. More families we serve the more likely I can keep prices down.
Blessing:
I want to share with all of you something amazing that happen to me this week. I visited a orthodontist this week for myself it was the first time I allowed myself to think of myself instead of all of Yaakov’s needs. While I was there I was able to share what AiN and why I started it. After the visit I realized I couldn’t afford to get them. I was really disappointed. The next morning I got a call from the Dr. they dropped the price $3500. Because of AiN they wanted to help support me. Their words, “your smile should show when you speak of AiN.” So, I want to thank you guys…you have allowed me to serve you and because you have entrusted me with your children. I get a gift I have always wanted. Thank you for my braces! I get them in March!
Contact Me:
If you ever have questions or concerns, please contact me at info@allinneed.org or call me at 925-257-4AIN. I look forward to working with all of you.
I look forward to working with you in 2012!
Wishing you rest!
-Autumn