Youth/Teen/YoungAdult

Education

Target Population

Handcrafters Gift Fair Events

storres4365 — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:37:04 +0000

Handcrafters Gift Fair Events

Helpertunity was there when Karen wanted to start reconnecting with old friends online, and the journey led her right to a treasure trove of new ideas on creative social sites like Pinterest. So, despite limited hearing and impaired peripheral-vision, which keeps Karen from driving, she enjoys gathering with friends online to exchange craft patterns and healthy new recipes:

But, Karen's enthusiasm for cooking and crafting soon overflowed and inspired others! Her crochet skills sparked the creation of two annual craft and gift sales for local school kids that ran for four years in a row; providing the chance for Nursing Home Craft Clubs and Community Supporters, from across Florida and around the globe, to submit their unique handiwork to raise funds for Helpertunity too!

Local "Discount Shopping Divas," like Miss Jean, added their bargain-hunting skills to help expand the selection of gift items available at the children's holiday sales:

And other crafters, from the St. Margaret Mary Purls and Prayers Ministry Knit and Crochet Ministry, shared their talents and volunteer support with Helpertunity too.

Today; the former Craft Sale Fundraisers have evolved even further, and Ms. Marga's Hats continue to be a favorite item in Helpertunity's Community Event fundraisers, but she has also made enough that they were hand-delivered to three different charity locations and distributed to infants and toddlers on a cold nite in November 2019 at the Rotary Club's Apopka Fair. Often, Ms. Marga's Handmade Hats can bee seen included among Helpertunity's carnival-booth prizes too!...

A majority of the funds raised during the Handcrafters Community Events are going to support the financing and conversion of the eHelpertuniy Van to becoming wheelchair accessible. As the Charity's first-ever Capital-Campaign Fundraiser; everyone's contributions and support are needed now more than ever before!

The Helpertunity Handcrafters and Games Booth shown in the Park raising funds at the Apopka Fair to Convert the Chairity's Newly Financed Van to become Wheelchair Accessible.

If you would like to contribute handmade craft or gift items to be used as fundraisers and prizes, or if you would like to assist at this Charity's next Event Day Booth, please contact Helpertunity for details by calling Eileen at 407-234-4768 or email Eileen@Helpertunity.org

If you would like to support the Helpertunity Handcrafters Volunteer's Efforts, please be sure that your donations to Helpertunity are marked with "Helpertunity Handcrafters Supplies" or "Helpertunity's Accessible Van" in the memo line.

storres4365 Thu, 02/09/2023 - 18:37

Project Type

Target Population

City

Altamonte Springs

State

Florida

Heritage Helpers

storres4365 — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:39:52 +0000

Heritage Helpers

Helpertunity's Volunteers have been hard at work bringing generations together, while honoring history and diversity; by providing creative recreational resources for fun and life-skills education.

Volunteers have set up rubber-band target ranges, created craft kits, and provided premium recreation supplies to summer camps which offer specialty-electives in "Science & Nature" as well as "Frontier Skills" and "Heritage Arts" to a wide variety of youth.

The program currently reaches nearly 1000 children, between the ages of 4-17, every Summer. One camp that Helpertunity sponsors is also specially staffed with sign-language interpreters, and hosts groups of hearing-impaired children, while another reaches out with their "Shining Stars" camp for children with disabilities.

In honor of the legacy and knowledge which our country's elders share with America's Pioneers & International Church Missionaries, Helpertunity's "Heritage Helpers" recently bridged the gap between one elder's dream to create minion-puppets for children; and assisted a camp's staff and teens to earn service-hours while completing a creative craft with an important story and a purpose:

To help support this Activity-Adoption Project for Summer Youth Programs; mark your contributions to this organization with "Heritage Helpers" and send them to Helpertunity, PO Box 1956, Apopka, FL 32704, or Donate to Helpertunity online using our secure Pay-Pal Link. To be a part of our Heritage Helpers "Kit Creation Team" - Please contact Eileen directly at 407-234-4768.

To Find out more about the "Adopted" Youth-Camps which offer programs using resources provided or up-cycled by Helpertunity's Volunteers, click on the links below:

www.campnotredame.com

www.campithiel.org

www.campeder.org

To submit your Youth Camp or Center to be added to Helpertunity's Youth Program-Adoption List, Contact Eileen directly at 407-234-4768.

storres4365 Thu, 02/09/2023 - 18:39

Project Type

Education

Target Population

Kid & Eco Friendly Creations

storres4365 — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:45:45 +0000

Kid & Eco Friendly Creations

After 30 years as a school teacher, and a busy day at the theme parks enjoying her "retirement job," Helpertunity's Corporate Secretary, Dorothy Gill, still enjoys a bit of volunteer time. She has a specialty for applying her talents to "creative retail" efforts; by providing fundraising resources and programs that reach out to kids and appreciate the environment.

With decades of kid-friendly experience, she seems to really know what children enjoy! Dorothy is the Captain in the first-phase of Helpertunity's "Bear Care & Repair - Plush Pet Rescue and Adoption Project" - stitching up plush-pet boo-boos and giving the entire stuffed-zoo a sanitizing-suds bath:

Dorothy has propagated plants for Helpertunity's Spring Time Fundraisers and has beaded hundreds of bracelets and glued together dozens more rescued-silk-flower clip-on corsages for various Art and Environmental Festivals.

And, she has also made creatively packaged yarn and crochet kits, that look like carnival treats, for an International Fiber-Arts Fair. Dorothy insists that she is not "crafty," but her imagineer-like creations have already raised funds and provided supplies for many Helpertunity Projects, as well as an Activity Program at a Children's Hospital in Canada.

And that's not all! Dorothy's creative retail contributions have also inspired crafters at a Children's Summer Camp in Pennsylvania; with her collaboratively custom-designed and handmade Camper-Scamper Scrapbook and Cardmaking Kits.

So why doesn't Dorothy just give supplies and cash donations directly to the children's programs? Because as a retired school teacher, Dorothy already knows that there is an un-ending need for supplies and resources wherever children and elders are involved. By generating fundraising revenues, she is often able to double her own donation's value, and do something which she enjoys at the same time.

So, do you have leftover craft or gardening supplies, (which are clean and in allergen-free and odor-free condition) that can be enjoyed by elderly patients or hospitalized children, young campers, or school-aged shoppers? Please contact Helpertunity directly to discuss details for making an in-kind contribution of craft and gardening resources to Dorothy's ongoing project efforts.

Better Yet: If you would like to help Dorothy multiply her creative donation-funding efforts, so that she may continue to "Pay it Forward" with her inspired energy and enthusiasm, then please make a cash contribution via e-banking, check, or credit card to: Helpertunity, PO Box 1956, Apopka, FL 32704 with "Kid & Eco Friendly Creations" in the memo line.

storres4365 Thu, 02/09/2023 - 18:45

Project Type

Target Population

City

Apopka

State

Florida

Inspiring Local Artists

storres4365 — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 00:06:41 +0000

Inspiring Local Artists

Any time is the right time to discover a new talent or interest!

A participant learns jewelry-making as a healthy way to relax and socialize in the evenings

People cope with the challenges of life in many different ways, and for some, that means using their free time to be creative. For Helpertunity's Founder & President, Eileen Callejas, that includes making the opportunity to share her love of teaching art, and pass on her business school experience, with other women who are on life's journey of twists and turns and unexpected challenges.

A participant recalls being taught how to crochet as a way to unwind after a long day

From crochet to crafts, to micro-business and marketing skills, women through the ages have relied on creative cottage-industry ideas to help them get by during tough times, or merely get inspired after a difficult day.

Social crafting can become a relaxed gathering where other valuable communication and supportive-ness can often take place

Creativity and cottage-crafting is a skill that can serve a woman great value at any age; it can generate pocket money when one is young, clear the mind of stress when one is an adult, and offer purpose and pass the days as one begins to slow down and reflect on a life well-lived.

Sharing an artistic talent can be a rewarding way for one generation to show care for another generation

To support the efforts of Inspiring Entrepreneurs, and to provide them with the resources to discover new talents and provide seed-capital for their creative micro-entrepreneurial endeavors, please mark your contribution to Helpertunity with "Inspiring Entrepreneurs" written clearly in the memo section of your check or online donation.

storres4365 Thu, 02/09/2023 - 19:06

Project Type

Target Population

Bottle Brick Builders Guild

Eileen — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 19:40:52 +0000

Bottle Brick Builders Guild

In 2020 Helpertunity realized that all of its kit-packing projects were producing an excessive amount of plastic bags. So, the charity began looking for fun ways to recycle and upcycle waste plastics. Today, volunteers help hand pack plastic bottles with clean, dry plastic bags and wrappers. After turning these bottles into bricks they are used to make practical and decorative items.

Our friends from AmeriCorps RSVP have been crocheting covered abstract bottle people. They are being made to adorn a planned parade float in the coming year.

The bottle bricks have also been used to build obstacles, mazes and bot-ball arenas for creative cooperative team games with our friends from the Family Cafe Expo Events held in Orlando, Florida.

Eileen Fri, 04/28/2023 - 15:40

Project Type