Coat month

April is coat month! For those that have traveled to Kazakhstan, you will recall how cold the weather is in the winter. Children need warm coats so please consider donating one or you can always make a monetary donation and we will shop for you!

Thank you to the following families:

The Mechem Family (MD)
The Hanks Family (SC)
The Place Family (IN)
The Elrod Family (IL)
The Woods Family (CA)
Mary McNab (MN)
Mary Schwieter (MO)

A special thank you to Holly Grigoli for donating a portion of her bow proceeds to the orphans of Karaganda.

*Don't forget to keep us in mind if you are traveling to Kazakhstan soon. We would love to supply you with a great box of donations or your child's baby home.

Thank you to The Robey Family, traveling to Taraz and The Frank Family, traveling to Astana, for taking boxes this month!

*Check out our website, www.twoheartsforhope.org, for a great raffle this month!  

On the news

Nicole and J.D. Hanks of South Carolina organized the Lowcountry's Biggest Baby Shower in Charleston, South Carolina this past weekend. The goals of this event were to raise awareness for adoption, Kazakhstan and to collect supplies to send to the orphans. It was very successful and Nicole is getting ready to send us 18 boxes!

Thank you Hanks Family and all that participated in this event!!!

March 20th!

Please remember that March 20th is the last day to make a donation for the children in Qostanay.

Our thanks to the following families for their donations to date:

The Falk Family (IN)
The Hochstetler Family (IN)
Evelyn Willis (NY)
Maureen Powers (TX)
Leesa Schlimgen (WI)
Inga Bass (MS)
The Floyd Family (OH)
Sabina Colangelo and family (NJ)
Mary McNab (MN)
The Morgan Family (AL)
The Robey Family (MD)
The Moore Family (MS)
Margaret Kammerud (PA)
The Bilbro Family (TN)
The Miller Family (MI)
The Elrod Family (IL)
Nicole and JD Hanks (SC)
Brenda Menard (RI)
Daniel Soukas (PA)
Sandi Martin (FL)
Renee Rudis (TN)
Allison Donohoe (PA)
Jonathan Bumgarner (TX)
The Stone Family (OH)
The Combs Family (IN)
The Tuttle Family (PA)
The Hoffa Family (PA)
Jennifer Bryson (KY)
The Brody Family (CT)
The Miller Family (IA)
The Serra Family (FL)

We would also like to thank the following families for the donations we received this week:

The Hochstetler Family (IN)
The Elrod Family (IL)
The Owens Family (FL)
The Palazini Family (RI)
The Wood Family Family (TX)
The Kudwa Family (MI)

Don't forget March is pajama month!!

Wow!

We are happy to report that we have had a great response to our Nauryz Celebration campaign. Thank you to the following families who responded within the first 24 hours of our posting:

Carrie Brody (CT)
Jennifer Bryson (KY)
William Combs (IN)
Allison Donohoe (PA)
Tricia Hoffa (PA)
Sarah Miller (IA)
Betty Nusbaum (MO)
Renee Rudis (TN)
Michelle Steinley-Bumgarner (TX)
Rebecca Stone (OH)
Susan Serra (FL)
Kirsten Tuttle (PA)

Please consider donating $10 to help bring joy to the orphans as they celebrate the Kazakh holiday of Nauryz. Your donation will make it possible to provide a cake celebration, books and small toys for the orphans. You can make a donation on our website, www.twoheartsforhope.org, until March 20th.

Thank you to the following families for the great donations this week:
The Altschuler Family (CT)
The Bilbro Family (TN)
The Birnett Family (VA)
The Blackburn Family (AL)
The Clark Family (AL)
Angie Frakes (WA)
Nika Guida (NY)
The Sumner Family (MA)

Help the orphans in Qostanay

Please read the poster below and check out our website!

We are going to Kaz, who is coming!

We were finally able to "lock in" travel dates for our mission trip:

Saturday, September 19, 2009 - depart for Kazakhstan
Sunday, September 20, 2009 - arrive in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Monday - Friday September 21-25, 2009 - work at the Kara-Kastek orphanage
Saturday, September 26, 2009 - depart for United States

In the next few days we will have the registration form up on our website. A $500 non-refundable registration fee will be due. Registration ends June 15, 2009.

We will be planning a "camp" for the week that will include sports and crafts as well as time to just "love on" the children. We will also be doing any work the orphanage may need. We will all be required to take one large bag of donations as well.

The cost of the trip will be an estimated $4000. This includes travel visas, travel to/from Almaty, lodging, all meals, transportation within Kazakhstan, and translator services.

We are waiting for our website "person" to put the info on there. It's our first time doing something like this so we are still learning. :)

If you are interested please leave a comment or email us at: kim@twoheartsforhope.org for a registration form. Payment is due in full by June 15th, no exceptions.

Hope you will come along and change a life!

Celebrate Kazakhstan

Here is a look at the great Kazakhstan gifts you could win this month! The two dolls were handmade in Kazakhstan. The wooden puzzle map is a great tool to teach your kiddos about Kazakhstan. There is also a tote bag, mug, and bib.

Please visit our website, www.twoheartsforhope.org, to purchase your tickets!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Suzette Jeckel of Illinois 

for winning our January raffle! 

A special thank you to Robin Jonas of Spoiled Silly for donating a blanket!  Go check out the beautiful blankets!  We appreciate the support!

A note about taxes - Tax time is right around the corner and we at Two Hearts have been busy organizing receipts. We are only required to issue receipts for donations over $250 in one year and have emailed them to all this applies to. If you have not donated over $250 but would still like a receipt, please contact us and we will send one to you. Keep in mind, receipts for donations do not include money spent on cookbooks or any raffle ticket.

This is great

A few weeks ago we were contacted by Nicole who lives in South Carolina and is in the process of adopting from Kazakhstan. She works for a radio station and created this spot:



You must listen! How awesome is this! The commercial is now playing on one station in SC every hour and they will add it to another station next month with the hopes of getting it played in more cities! Thanks so much for your support Nicole!

From Kaz

We wanted to share this picture with you -



Anna recently traveled to Kazakhstan and brought a donation box with her. She repots back that her box was very well received by the orphanage director. Thank you Anna!

If you are traveling soon and would be interested in taking a box with you, please contact us at info@twoheartsforhope.org.

By donating a little luggage space, you are making a big impact in Kaz!


Thank you this week to the following families for your donations-

The Blackburn family (AL)
The Fordham Family (NY)
The Hoffa Family (PA)
The Kitzman Family (KY)
Mary McNab (MN)
The Moore Family (MS)
The Stevens Family (MO)

Remember this month we are collecting hats and gloves!

Also, please check out our website, www.twoheartsforhope.org, and purchase a raffle ticket! Our baby bundle will be great for anyone expecting a baby in 2009 or knows of someone that is!

One year ago -

One year ago this week Stacy and I embarked on a journey that would forever change our lives.  With one phone call, and many, many name ideas, Two Hearts began.  Stacy was ready for a change in her life and wanted to take action.  My goal since high school has been to run a non profit organization for orphans.  Put those two desires together and nothing would get in our way.  We heard the Lord's call and here we are, one year later totally amazed at how a little can do a lot.  

We are thankful to each and every person who has donated an item, their time, their hard earned money, and their prayers to assist us in making our dream a reality.  With your help we have collected over 20,000 items to send to Kazakhstan.  We are thankful to the families who have donated their luggage space to bring donations.  

It is unbelievable to see how much work all of us have done in one short year.  You trusted us, embraced our cause and made us stand in awe many many times.  The true and genuine giving we have witnessed is overwhelming.

Thank you seems like it is not enough.  Know that we mean it from the very bottom of our hearts and the deepest parts of our souls.

This week we would like to thank the following families for their donations:

The Bell Family (TN)
The Birnett Family (VA)
The Blackburn Family (AL)
Teresa Craft (SC)
Susan Helms Daley (MA)
Cathy Williams (FL)

Also, please don't forget about our raffle.  Here is a picture of one of the items you can win.  



Visit our site for more details, www.twoheartsforhope.org

January Raffle

Happy New Year! We are starting off the year with a great raffle! This month we are calling our raffle "Bundle up Baby." For $5 you can win all of this:

~ A Spoiled Silly Blanket (color to be chosen by winner)
~ A Sling
~ Infant Snowsuit
~ Organic hooded towel and washcloth
~ Teddy Bear
~ Two Burp clothes
~ A Bib
~ Hand print Plaque maker
~ Photo cube
~ "Who loves baby" photo album
~ 6 organic wash clothes
~ Small Elmo book
~ "A Mother for Choco"
~ Puppet Toy

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased on our website. The raffle will run until January 30. The winner will be announced on January 31. Please consider buying a ticket to help our efforts in Kaz!

Now this is what Christmas is all about -

We received an email this morning with pictures of the children in Taraz receiving their New Years gifts.






Look at those smiles! Look at the glimmer in their eyes! YOU did it! Once again, a great big THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts! You have made 2009 already a wonderful year for these children.

Thanks!

Thank you to the following families for your donation boxes this week:

Inga Bass (MS)
Daniel Eckman and Family (PA)
Teresa Kraft (SC)
The Nichols Family (MO)

Wedneday morning in Taraz the children will be receiving their New Year's presents along with fruit and candy. We will post picutres as soon as we receive them.

Happy New Year!

New board member

We are happy to announce that Susan Serra of Florida has joined the board of Two Hearts. Susan has two children, Sean and Leeza. Leeza was adopted from Kostanai in October of this year after Susan and her family spent 11 weeks and 3 days in Kazakhstan. Susan brings an enthusiasm and heart for Kazakhstan that will bless our ministry greatly. We are looking forward to working with her!

This week we would like to thank the following families for the boxes of donations we received:

The Kudwa Family (MI)

The Hochstetler Family (IN)

The Kitzman Family (KY)

The Blackburn Family (AL)

Greta Owens and MOPS of Ocala FL

Leah Hardesty and Valencia County 4-H Apache Cloverbud Club- (Children that helped contribute) Camden, Brittney Sue Jones, Mikayla, Aidan, Katie Vigil, Duane Charles Jones, Maddy and Grady.

We are also very happy to report that Muriel was able to donate $566 from the proceeds of the Kazakh Cuties calendar!  Thank you to Muriel for organizing this project and for all that supported it!  

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

From Taraz......

We just received this email from our contact in Taraz. She had this to say about taking the orphans to the toy store:

“It went really well. We were able to take 72 children (almost exactly half) shopping. For the most part they really enjoyed it. One boy went through the whole store buying things that were about 100 Tenge or less (notebooks, rulers, markers, drawing paper, pens, etc). He probably ended up with about 40 items - we had to make up some extra labels for him. ☺

I got to take two little girls shopping. I walked with them through the clothes (which they said they wanted) to the stuffed animals (which they loved) and finally to the doll aisle. They both ended up choosing a 1 1/2 foot doll in a pink dress. They proudly carried their doll to the front of the store where we put a label on each one with their names and then they put their dolls in the cart after a few pictures. It was funny to watch how big their eyes got when they first saw the dolls. One of the two little girls had been at the orphanage for less than one week. This was her first experience doing anything with us and she was a bit scared at first. It was fun that she had something special happen during her first week at Ulan.

We have about 75 children left. Ten of these children are in the youngest children's group (preschool), so we will choose the gifts for them. About 15 were in the hospital. We will probably take one more trip to the store and then just purchase gifts for any children that are remaining. We are in the process now of getting the gifts wrapped so that we will be ready when it is time to give them out. Thanks so much (to you and your sponsors) for making this possible. The kids are having a great time. One of the girls said "so this is what it means to go shopping - I didn't know because I never went shopping before."

Isn't it amazing that giving a little provides a whole lot! Thank you once again to everyone who donated this year! You made it a success and brought many many smiles to those children who so desperately needed them!





We would also like to thank the following families for the donations we received this week:

Angie Frakes (WA)
The Reinoehl/Comporato Family (IL)
The Blackburn Family (AL)
The Kudwa Family (MI)

Remember that we are collecting underwear and cloth diapers for the month of December.

Cookbook Sale

$10 Cookbooks for sale!

We are selling our cookbook, "Cooking for Kaz: Meals for Hope" for $10!   This cookbook will make a great gift for anyone who loves to cook!  

There are only 70 left, offer good while supplies last!  

All the proceeds go to our continued efforts in Kazakhstan.

Please visit our website for info - www.twoheartsforhope.org 

Raffle winner

Congratulations to Nealy Hughes of Alabama for winning our November raffle!  Thank you Nealy for your support!  

Please look for our next great raffle starting in January!

Happy Holidays!

Last chance-Updated

Tomorrow is the last day to order your Kazakh Cuties 2009 calendar. You can place your order via our paypal link on the sidebar (unless you are receiving this update to your email in which case you will need to visit our blog).

This week we thank The Kudwa Family (MI) ,The Wood Family (TX), Daniel Eckman (PA), The Comparato/Reinoehl Family (IL) and The Boykin Family (NC) for the great donation boxes sent in.

A complete list of orphan sponsors are available on our website - www.twoheartsforhope.org. We are accepting donations for orphan sponsorship until December 1st.

Happy Thanksgiving!

One week left

Reminder - there is only one week left to purchase your tickets for our raffle of the month -

This month we will be raffling off a brand new, never before opened, Garmin StreetPilot c330 GPS system. This will be a perfect holiday gift. Cross of that special someone with this great item valued at $125.00. Tickets are $5 and all proceeds go to our continued efforts in Kazakhstan. This raffle will run until November 29th, with the winner being announced on November 30th.

Please visit our website, www.twoheartsforhope.org, to purchase your tickets or simply follow the paypal link on the sidebar to the left!

Thanks!

(If you are receiving this blog post via your email, you will need to visit our site. Posts delivered to your inbox will NOT contain paypal links, just text.)