I am appealing to all KUers and their friends/family who like to help those who are not as fortunate as some of us are.

The Montgomery County Child Protective Service will be in need of Easter baskets this year. Normally, they have a group of individuals help them secure these baskets, but that particular group is not able to do it this year so that leaves approximately 800 kids and teens who will not get an Easter basket this year unless people step up and offer to help.

We are asking for donations for this project. You can make/create a basket ($20 to $25 value), purchase a pre-made basket, donate items to go into baskets (and we will work on making up the baskets), donate money for the baskets, or anything else you can think of to help this project. Do you know of a vendor who will donate items for this project? If so, please secure the goods, or pass on the information to us.

What to put in a basket? Candy, books, crayons and coloring books, sporting goods (basket ball, tennis balls, kick ball), or anything of that nature. We are still waiting on a break down by age group for the children in the program. It has been suggested by the director of CPS that we create a "hygiene" type bag for the older teens with items like a tooth brush, tooth paste, deodorant, etc., and add some candy to that type of bag as well.

Please help us give these kids a memorable Easter gift. We will list drop off locations at a later date. We will need these baskets by March 23rd so that we have time to coordinate delivery of the items.

All baskets need to be wrapped with clear wrap or cellophane. All candies included in the baskets must be store bought/wrapped. Sorry, but we cannot accept homemade items in these baskets.

Please let me know if you are willing to help! Thank you! 

Blue, will there be a PayPal set up for those who want to nature a cash donation? 

Blue, will there be a PayPal set up for those who want to nature a cash donation? 

Yes, let us know if that's available, or where to donate. I'll be glad to make a kid happy for Easter. 

ExLIB...this sounds like a good thing for those children who might not get something otherwise...count me in for a monetary donation...just let us know where/how to donate... 

Well, PayPal seems to be somewhat of a problem. If we use PayPal, even if the participants show it as a "donation", they STILL charge 2.95% plus 30 cents per withdrawal. Haven't found anyway to get around this, but have considered setting up a checking account for this with one of the board members as the signatory on the account. Again, this is in the beginning stages so we will have to figure things out as we go along. If you have any ideas as to how to handle this portion of it, please let me know, either on the board, or via PM.

Thanks for those of you willing to help these kids! The entire board is so thankful! 

If we use PayPal, even if the participants show it as a "donation", they STILL charge 2.95% plus 30 cents per withdrawal.

Well, that's a complete pants load. Heck with that, just let us know where to give a non-leeched away donation, and I'll definitely help a kid to have a nice Easter morning. 

Yes, count me in! Let me know when and where the baskets will be put together and i will be glad to help with that, also.

i think i have some Easter baskets that are new and bet ya I have some Easter things to go in them, also. 

Grandma again I have 3 baskets some pink grass, some colored eggs and 1 box of easter egg decorating kit and a small bag of stuffed animals. That they can have I just don't have a way to get them to them. 

You know I'm in anyway you need me. You're welcome to use my dining room table, fully extended for setup/assembly or storage...totally wasted space, most of the time...

DM is in too! 

Can people use the "gift" checkbox when they Paypal money to you? I have done that before and Paypal doesn't take any money or fees out whatsoever.

I double checked with PayPal about this, and actually spoke to them on the phone. They must have changed this, because I'm sure some people were "donating" for things they were actually buying. Someone else who is willing to help, whom I don't even know, double checked about PayPal taking the money and they confirmed the same thing. :-(

Thank you for everyone that is willing to help and donate! I appreciate it, and I KNOW the kids and the board are going to appreciate it, too. 

blueherron, i can come by one day and pick the things up from you when i will be that way. i will let you know first. 

I want to help. 

Let me check with a couple of the schools up here, maybe they can help solicit donations. 

I want to help, too. Is there an email list I can get on to find out where/when to drop off? Thanks! 

Ok grandma again thank you. 

I'll help monetarily and any other way that I can help--just let me know! ;) 

ExLIB , my son needs to complete a requirement for his Citizenship in the community. If he could help you with this please PM me and I will put him in contact with you....Thanks 

Photophanatic, we don't have any "assembly" dates right now. We probably won't start collecting until March 1st.

Incidentally, one of my friends told me that Sam's has made up Easter baskets for just under $20 so if someone doesn't want to make baskets up, they can buy them already made up at Sam's! More than likely Walmart will have them, too but I haven't been there in a while so I don't know for sure. 

Cvs and walgreens also has made up baskets. Let me know what I can do to help. I will give a monetary donation for baskets too. This is a wonderful thing to do. The last things these foster kids need is to have to worry if the bunny will bring them a basket. 

Cvs and walgreens also has made up baskets. Let me know what I can do to help. I will give a monetary donation for baskets too. This is a wonderful thing to do. The last things these foster kids need is to have to worry if the bunny will bring them a basket.

Very true. 

since my kids are older I have some deco stuff to make baskets, can probably get some items to go in them. I can drop at any place later this week. 

Went to Porter Wallmart and picked up 4 Easter baskets today. Dropped them off with my load of laundry. Also filled out paper work while at Wallmart for donation of Easter baskets. Cross my fingers they pick us for their March store donation. 

saturn, that is great! they sure should if you have a letter from the board and the appropriate tax form. 

I had an idea. If someone wanted to help that you trusted, you could use their paypal ID to make the collections and that person's donation could be the fees that paypal charges so that 100% donated would get to the charity. Let us know how to get monetary donations to you! 

No ga, I had no letter or tax form. I told a store mgr about the situation and that I had never asked for help like this befor. He thought it was a great idea and gave me a paper to fill out. I didn't know anything else to do but ask a mgr. 

Thanks, Saturn! We're still working on the PayPal issue or setting up a bank account. 

Have you worked it out with paypal? Chase should be able to help you out with an account. 

Couldn't contact the banks, today, Meme, because it was a federal/bank holiday. 

No ga, I had no letter or tax form. I told a store mgr about the situation and that I had never asked for help like this befor.

you did great then! they always ask for a letter on letterhead and a tax form in the things i have tried to get help with in the past. i will not hit them up on my rounds since you already did. i think i will head over to The Woodlands area and see what i can come up with when i get the tax form and letter on their letterhead. 

if anyone has any suggestions of places for me to visit in The Woodlands, be sure to let me know. i will add them to my list. 

How about Sam's club? I don't know much about the Woodlands though. Good luck GA. 

Hey blu, how is it going? Let me know what I can do to help. 

Keep us posted on drop off points. I have a few friends that are getting together to make baskets. 

any updates blu? anymore info on paypal? 

Blue,

Do you have a list of all the drop off points yet?

I know you said the laundromat for this week only and then jdb's for the Kingwood area. Anywhere else? 

i have hand tied 100 bows from ribbon to go on baskets so far. they are such pretty Easter colors! let me see...i just have another 600 or so to go. lol 

Wow ga!!!!! Your fingers must feel like they're going to fall right off.......you are very special. 

bump 

Sorry, everyone, but I've been busy and haven't had a chance to get on KU in a while.

Carla, as of right now I only have BeeDubYa's place listed as a drop off point. Jdb has offered his place up, but I figured I would give him and his office staff a break and we won't start collecting there until March 1st so I will post that information in a few days. Thanks for dropping off that stuff at BeeDubYa's, too! That was very sweet of you.

GA, wow! You can rip out some bows when you need to! That's great! You probably won't have to make bows for every basket, because I have some reports that we already have some pre-made baskets.

BeeDubYa, thank you again for being a drop off point for the baskets this week. I will try to make it out there later on, today, to drop off my comforter for the cash mob, and to collect the Easter items.

Now, about who to make the checks out to . . . We finally have some info on setting up an account for donations, and as soon as that information is complete, I will let everyone know.

Thanks again, and I appreciate everything everyone is doing for the project. Every dollar, every donation counts towards meeting our goal. :-)