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Seeking "Tremendous Hearts"

 

We have begun receiving our first applications for the 2012 Volunteer Team.  If you are interested in joining Tremendous Hearts in our mission in South Africa during 2012 or 2013, now is the time to start planning. Of course, if you want to come sooner, we always welcome "tremendous hearts, " who can make it happen this year.  Please contact us to learn more.

 

Breaking News
 

One of Tremendous Hearts' service partners, Home from Home was recently named a "Rising Star" by the STARS Foundation. After competing with more than 700 organizations from 50 countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Home from Home was awarded $10,000 in unrestricted funding, with another $10,000 in consultancy services from the Foundation. The STARS Foundation supports organizations that provide services to disadvantaged children around the globe, and awards those achieving in excellence in that mission. Marilyn's organizational development work with Home From Home was documented in the winning application, which she also co-wrote.  Home From Home is using the STARS award to fund development of  a child heath monitoring system and a database. 

 

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Greetings!

Greetings from South Africa!

The last few months have been a whirlwind, and we are off to a running start in 2011.  Since our  newletter, South Africa has given us new experiences and successes - from ziplining through the rain forest canopy and witnessing long-legged lions in the wild, to forging new relationships with unsung heroes like Pumla Gigi, whose daycare center cares for 200 children, most of whom cannot consistently pay the fees. And our growing team of volunteers for 2011 will enable us to spread our wings here and make a greater difference in the lives of the children we have already grown to love. Thank you for your continued support of Tremendous Hearts.

Sincerely,  

Marilyn

Marilyn E. Votaw

Founder


Delivering Hope in an Excel Workbook  

 

Who knew that an Excel workbook could make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children in South Africa? At the start of the year, Tremendous Hearts Founder Marilyn Votaw was asked to consult with a woman trying desperately to keep her crèche (nursery/kindergarten) afloat. 

 Pumla and Marilyn

Pumla Gigi, in her early forties, married and with young children of her own, opened Ubuhle Babantwana, a crèche in Mfuleni, one of the poorest areas of Cape Town, so that families with very little money could still send their young children to school. In some ways, Ubuhle was a great success with nearly 200 children in attendance. They range in age from infancy to six years. Support and counseling are also offered to their parents.

 

However, by December 2010, Pumla did not have the money to pay her hardworking teachers. Recognizing that the demise of her crèche would be a disaster for the children and for the township, another of Ubuhle's community partners, CHOSA, requested that Tremendous Hearts take a look at the budget and propose a financial management system for the crèche.

 

First, Marilyn compared Ubuhle spending against its income. She quickly ascertained that without any business training Pumla, who was stunned by this information, was running a ZAR 300,000 (approx. $43,000) a year organization. Marilyn also tabulated that fewer than 5 percent of the families enrolled had paid their any fees for eight of the ten months due. Even fewer paid for all 10 months. And most were unable to pay at all.  Through their conversations, it also became clear to Marilyn that Pumla needed a system that would help her know where she was financially at the end of every week.

 

Marilyn and Pumla worked together  to establish a list of tasks needed to achieve the longer-term goal of financial stability, which include:

  • Applying for available funding from the Department of Social Development
  • Looking at additional funding opportunities
  • Understanding how many families need to pay in full for the crèche to survive

Marilyn also developed an Excel workbook and taught Pumla how to input and track expenses and income against her budget for the year. That way, as the year progresses, she will be empowered with the knowledge needed to ensure that

Pumla and Rob

her teachers can still be paid at the end of the year.

 

Armed with better financial information, Pumla also will be able to develop a fee strategy that will prove more stable. She plans to build a cash reserve of two months so that she can respond to emergencies without risking survival of the crèche.  Two new staff members at CHOSA will meet with Pumla on a monthly basis to ensure that her financial plans are moving forward.


Focus on Volunteers

 

Tremendous Hearts has been working closely with confirmed volunteers Jason Musselman and Rebecca Laders to solidify their projects in South Africa. From Concord, MassJason and Beccaachusetts, Jason and Becca are currently raising funds for their trip, with a planned July departure from the States.

 

At Home from Home in Khayelitsha, Jason and Becca will start a photography club for pre-teens and teens.  The plan is to help these vulnerable children develop self esteem by using photography to tell their perosnal stories. They will also leverage their own photography skills to help Home from Home and similar agencies to develop marketing materials that will enhance their fundraising capabilities.

 

In addition, Jason will mentor the older boys in care with the Home from Home through the development of a soccer team. The Khayelitsha community suffers from a lack of male role models and mentors, who can help to guide the boys through adolescence.  Jason's ability to reach out to the boys through their beloved soccer will be a great asset to the community. 

 

Becca, an educator, will also work closely with the children in the Home from Home community. Many of the children suffer from an intermittent or compromised educational life, due to the effects of poverty, their family history, and their health. Becca will provide academic support in the form of homework assistance and extra tutoring for those affected by such lapses in their learning. She will also provide psycho-social support for the children. "There is a great need for teachers in South Africa, and my future plans include teaching overseas. I am looking forward to applying my education and experience in the after achool program in Khayelitsha," offered Rebecca. 

 

When asked why he's volunteering, Jason offered, "After fundraising for Tremendous Hearts for two years, I felt that I wanted to give more. I am going to work in Khayelitsha in hopes that others will follow my lead. Although the suffering many orphans and vulnerable children face in South Africa seems insurmountable, I believe that together we can overcome such suffering." 

 

The Home from Home staff and growing Tremendous Hearts team in South Africa are eagerly awaiting their arrival.

 


New Gift in Honor Program

   

To kick off 2011, Tremendous Hearts has launched a new Gift in Honor giving program.

 

We all have friends who have everything. Why not give them the gift of helping orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa? There are so many things to celebrate with a gift that honors their charitable spirit - weddings, anniversaries, births and birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah and more.  Make a  gift today through the Gift in Honor program,  and your honoree will receive a special acknowledgment card from Tremendous Hearts that lets them know that you are celebrating their special occasion with a donation in their name. Your gift can come with a personal message from you, or remain anonymous. And your Gift in Honor  gift is tax-deductible.

 

Many of you have already given so much to Tremendous Hearts - your time, your energy, your creativity, and your financial support. Let's give our friends and family and colleagues the honor of joining our team, so that they may learn the rewards of helping some of the world's most vulnerable children.

 

Thank you, as always, for thinking of us in 2011!

 

Promises to Keep...and Miles to Go

 

The greatest challenge of non-profits, like Tremendous Hearts, is not the hours we put into working to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa.  Often it is raising the funds to do so.   This why we hope that you will share our mission and our appeal for  support with those you know and love.

 

Over the last year, we have found many exciting ways that people are able to donate, always digging deep, but sometimes leveraging relationships to turn a small donation into big support for Tremendous Hearts.

 

Here are some examples of how people double, triple, and multiply what they give:

  • TD Bank, located in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida, has recently welcomed Tremendous Hearts into its Affinity Program. By connecting your TD Bank accounts with Tremendous Hearts, the bank will make an annual donation, based on the average balance in your eligible accounts.  Our' Affinity program membership code is R7.  We hope you will call the Arlington, MA branch at 781-641-0050 or your local branch to register today.
  • Many companies offer matching programs for the charitable contributions you make during the year. Ask your HR representative to see if your company will match the contributions you make to Tremendous Hearts.
  • If you don't have the funds to give, you might have frequent flier miles from extensive business travel. Tremendous Hearts is seeking miles, so that our volunteers can travel back and forth to South Africa without taking on the additional financial burden of high airline prices.
  • Give the gift of Tremendous Hearts.  We have just launched our new Gift in Honor program allowing donors to remember friends and family occasions with donation to support our work in South Africa.   

Make your tax-deductible gift today, and make a change in the lives of South Africa's orphans and vulnerable children.


Our Mission
Tremendous Hearts' mission is to provide highly-skilled, long-term volunteers to South African children's homes and other agencies that care for orphans and vulnerable children. Our aim is to improve the standard of care in children's homes and to increase the number of children who are able to transition out of residential care. We provide eligible volunteers with scholarships so that all who want to serve are able to volunteer regardless of their financial circumstances.

Please make your gift today!  Thank you!

Tremendous Hearts, Inc. is exempt from tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.  Your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Please consult your tax professional for advice.  EIN: 26-2447884