You may have been hearing about the “Give Something that Means Something” campaign for the last couple of months. While that looks different for everyone, we thought we would take a minute to share with you what it looked like to one of our youngest donors.
Shortly after Hurricane Harvey made landfall, Mackenzie, a young lady from Arvada, initiated a fundraising campaign at her school; Thomson Elementary. With help from Kristi Hoekstra, the Family Liaison at Thomson, they reached out to each of the classrooms with this heartfelt note:
“I am Mackenzie, a 6th grader at Thomson Elementary. The recent Hurricanes have touched me because I have family in the Houston, Texas area who were involved in the rescue of many families. Florida and Texas are special places to me and it breaks my heart to see people’s lives destroyed. Thomson Elementary School is supporting me in raising money to benefit the Red Cross, assisting those affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Millions of Americans have been affected, and continue to need support with: shelter, warm meals, emergency relief, and clean up items. We ask that you look into your hearts and donate to this good cause.”
Mackenzie initiated this fundraising effort because Houston is a special place for her; having spent a good deal of time there with her extended family this past summer. Mackenzie also asked that each of the students write letters of encouragement so that children affected by the hurricanes could receive some words of kindness from the students at Thomson. Her gift not only helps the Red Cross provide supplies to support the community in the response and recovery from disaster, it gives hope and compassion to people in their darkest hour.
Mackenzie gave ‘something that means something’ in a way that is certainly appreciated and she can be confident that her gift is changing lives. With the help of caring donors, like Mackenzie and her classmates, the Red Cross along with our partners, has served *more than 4.5 million (4,549,100) meals and snacks in Texas and Louisiana. Red Cross volunteers have provided more than 127,200 mental health and health services to support and care for people and has distributed more than 1.6 million (1,660,400) relief items like diapers, bug spray, cleaning supplies, coolers, and comfort kits containing deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other hygiene items in just those two states. We have been there, providing for the emergency needs of the communities and continue to be part of the recovery, powered daily by volunteers and the generosity of donors.
It was our honor to be part of a recent article by Forbes Magazine contributing writer John Anderson, Executive Vice President of Finance at Clearlink, who names 10 organizations , including the American Red Cross, where donations are mostly or entirely going directly to the cause so donors can feel confident their contribution is helping the intended cause. We appreciate those who have made the work of the Red Cross possible and who will continue to make the important work possible in the coming year.
Thank you Mackenzie and Thomson Elementary students for your generosity. And to all of our regular donors, as you wrap up your year and send out those final end of year contributions, we thank you for your gift. We truly could not do this without you. If you have not yet made your end of year gift, you can make a tax deductible contribution today at www.redcross.org/donate.
*Statistics last updated 11/29/2017
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.