Speaking of Change: January 2012

Gathering Change, Inc. Newsletter

January 2012

In This Issue

Donate Now

Your Change Makes A Difference

Capuano & Calnan Help Feed the Hungry

Thank You Volunteers & Donors

Say Thanks with GCI Notecards

Donate Now

Donations can be made in honor or memory of friends and family.

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Your Change Makes A Difference

This month GCI will provide funds to the following food pantries:

Beverly Bootstraps

Blessing Room Food Pantry, Lynnfield
Burlington Food Pantry
Adventist Food Pantry, Stoneham
Grace Ministries Food Pantry, Saugus
Haven from Hunger, Peabody
Middleton Food Pantry
Reading Food Pantry
St. Mary of Assumption Food Pantry, Lawrence
Servant's Heart Food Pantry, Melrose
United Parish Food Pantry, Saugus
Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry

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Sponsors

Thank you to the following businesses for your continued support:

The Book Oasis, Stoneham

Century 21, Wakefield

Christine's Cafe & Confections, Lynnfield

City Cycle, Stoneham

The Chocolate Truffle

D'Amicis, Wakefield

Deborah Capuano's Holistic Massage & Health Therapies

Ernst & Young

Falcon Global Edge, Boston

John Hancock

Liberty Mutual

Louise's Skin Care, Lynnfield

Madison Ave. of Melrose

Mary Briggs Physical Therapy

Melaleuca

Moderno Salon, Melrose

Natural Food Exchange, Reading

Nokia

Rada Boutique

Supino Insurance, Lynnfield & Malden

TaggArt Studios, Wakefield

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We'd love to hear from you.

Catch up with us on facebook

Send Newsletter suggestions, questions or comments to chanshaw@gatheringchangeinc.org

Send general inquiries to

dgoodwin@gatheringchangeinc.org.

Join Our Mailing List

Dear Friends,

To all those that wrapped for us at the North Shore Mall, and Barnes and Noble in Burlington, sent in donations with employer matches, left out a jar at your holiday party or on the counter at your place of business, replaced your holiday grab with a donation bowl, brought in your boxes of change from home, made in honor of donations in loved ones names, left a check in my mailbox, or went around your town and left jars to be filled...we thank you on behalf of all those whose lives are a bit brighter heading into the New Year.

In the last two months Gathering Change, Inc. has experienced something new...our volunteers are speaking up and spreading the word. As a result so are the number of food pantries we are supporting. Right now we can say that because of all of you we have sent funds to over 42 food pantries in Massachusetts. That means you have fed thousands of individuals who otherwise would go without.

As we begin a New Year Gathering Change, Inc. is committed to our mission and our philosophy to educate and inspire others to give. So whether you have shared your talent, your time, your voice, or your spare change, we thank you for believing that you too can make a difference!

Wishing you all a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Gratefully yours,

Dorothy Goodwin

President

What Inspires You?

Deborah Capuano (left) & Erin J. Calnan from Deborah Capuano's Holistic Massage & Therapies and Erin J. Calnan Therapeutic Massage (respectively) located on Albion Street in Wakefield, collect change (and bills) for Gathering Change, Inc. to support their neighborhood food pantry, Wakefield Interfaith Food Pantry. Inspired by a talk Dorothy Goodwin, President of GCI, gave to New England Integrative Medical Collaborative. Ms. Capuano decided to leave a Gathering Change, Inc. collection bowl in her office; an opportunity for clients to give to their neighbors in need. Ms. Calnan followed suit, also motivated to collect with her clientele. Capuano says of her experience: "They (clients) are generous and kind hearted and they understand the need in their own town; they started to put dollar bills in the fish bowl, which in turn everyone did - $5, $10's and $20's too!!! It feels wonderful to make a difference."

In addition, when Deborah heard that people could not purchase toiletries with food stamps and that the food pantry did not always have these items in stock she sent an email asking her clients to consider donating these items as well. She is receiving a steady supply of soap/toilet paper, shampoo, etc.

Learn How You Can Help

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Thank You!

Katherine & Liam Viles wrap at North Shore Mall

Thank you to all our volunteers for helping us wrap this holiday season at the North Shore Mall and Barnes and Noble in Burlington. We know how important your time is; and, we appreciate your sacrifice during the busiest days of the year. Together we raised over $1,200!

Thank you Dr. Bruce J. Goldman, DDS, for donating two boxes of spare change worth over $200 and to your generous staff who in lieu of gifts decided to put their money where it was needed most. At the suggestion of Diane Flynn, the "Goldman Girls" raised $350. Diane has visited the Saugus Food Pantry so she knew first hand what hunger looks like.

Robin LoConte with her boys, Nick and Rob at North Shore Mall wrapping

Thank you Kirk Foley for celebrating your birthday and in lieu of gifts asking your guests to support the St. Mary of the Assumption Food Pantry in Lawrence.

Thank you NECN for taking the time to interview Mary Taggart about Gathering Change, Inc.

Thank you Suzanne Aiken for asking more local businesses to begin to collect....can't wait to see what the totals are!

Thank you Elizabeth Silk, for your unending generosity and support through Melaleuca.

Thank you to James and Lorinda Goodwin for another generous donation and Nokia match!

Thank you John and Cindy Hanshaw for your generosity and employer match from Liberty Mutual.

Thank you Mary Taggart, for including us at your recent holiday sale!

Thank you Patricia McDonald for thinking of us again during this holiday season.

Thank you Patrick, Erin and beautiful Alan Curley for your support and generous donation.

Thank you Cheryl Webb Scott for your recent holiday sale and collection...WOW!

Thank you Stephanie Klove for your continued support.

Thank you to the Saugus Bank, especially your tellers and Buddy, the coin counting machine, who make our job so much easier.

Thank you Bob Winsor of Centry 21 Commonwealth...for the recent surprise donation jar!

Thank you Marie Berardi of Moderno Salon in Melrose for collecting on our behalf.

Thank you Marianne Prochilo for your generous donation!

Thank you to the entire board of GCI who has made 2011 a remarkable year and who continue to look ahead with hope and optimism.

Thank you to all who work at our area food pantries. Your commitment and passion are an inspiration to us all.

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Say Thank You With GCI Notecards
Proceeds benefit local food pantries

Notecards

We offer blank note cards with the above images on the cover. Each set includes 16 cards for just $10.00 (plus $3.50 shipping & handling) and the proceeds benefit local food pantries.

To place an order please use our Donation Page and designate your donation of $13.50 as "Notecards" and we will promptly process your order.

Gift Cards

You can also thank and memorialize friends and family with free Gift Cards from Gathering Change. Choose between printable cards or mail cards.

Send questions to chanshaw@gatheringchangeinc.org

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About Gathering Change, Inc.

We are a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable organization that collects spare change from our communities for distribution back into our neighborhood food pantries and social programs. Since our first collection in October of 2008 we have been able to donate food or funds to over 40 Massachusetts food pantries.