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I N T E R F A I T H O U T R E A C H & C O M M U N I T Y P A R T N E R S
Creating opportunities for all to thrive
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 A 2012 IOCP highlight had to have been our Nov. 30 Holiday Party - a simply wonderful and festive celebration with families and kids of our community.
The evening's festivities included a delicious meal thanks to Jake's City Grille, Domino's Pizza, and community cookie makers.
A visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus and Santa's Workshop where crafts and books and magic tricks and face painting and Bullseye, the Target masco,t were available, delighted little and big kids alike, to say nothing of the Holiday Sing-A-Long with the Tapestry singers. 
Kids donned gift hats, scarves and mittens which lent a gay profusion of color and warmth and joy to the event - including this little beauty caught playing peek-a-boo with her grandma in her brand new homemade hat and scarf.
It takes a whole village to do the really important things. This was one of them. And this village ... well what can we say!
A very special thanks to Julianne Hunter and an amazing team of volunteers, donors and gift givers, Jake's City Grille, Target, The Bookcase of Wayzata, Plymouth Cub Foods, Long Lake Domino's Pizza, Orono Elementary PTO, Otten Bros., West Financial, ReSale 101, the Photo Crew, Tapestry, St. Philip the Deacon Church, and Wayzata Community Church, our gracious host.
Community working at its best!
LaDonna Hoy
IOCP Executive Director
P.S. My blog, What Matters, is live. Check it out! |
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Did You Know?
--So far, we've raised about $802,558 toward our $1.95 million Sleep Out goal. Thanks for your support!
--With your help, we were able to provide Thanksgiving meals, including a turkey, for 625 families or 2,005 individuals. Now we're working to provide food for the December holidays. Find out how you can help.
--The Wayzata Women's Chorus is holding two benefit concerts for IOCP. Learn more. |
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Thanks to area businesses that are supporting the Sleep Out. Upsher-Smith COO and IOCP Board Member Tom Burke sings karaoke as part of his organization's sleep out. |
Peter Returns, Joins Forces with Employees at Loram to Sleep Out
For the first time ever, employees of Loram Maintenance of Way will be sleeping out to support IOCP's annual Sleep Out campaign on Dec. 13. The Sleep Out newbies at Loram will be joined by longtime Sleep Out alum Peter Larson, who is returning from his first semester in college in California just in time to brave a night in the cold for the Sleep Out.
Peter, a 12-year Sleep Out veteran and "wonder boy," agreed to return to his box to encourage all to give, and give again.
Please consider supporting Peter's Sleep Out effort by making a $10 donation on your mobile phone. It's easy. Send a text to 20222, and enter "IOCP" as your text message. You will receive an immediate reply asking you to confirm your $10 donation by texting YES. Our goal is to honor Peter's effort by generating 200 text donations by Dec. 31. Please text your donation today!
Here are some other ways for you to get involved:
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Kids from area schools held a Sleep Out at Gleason Lake Elementary on Nov. 16 - and received a surprise visit from T.C. Bear, the Twins mascot. |
-Support area bankers as they compete in a soup and chili cook-off from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 at IOCP.
-Eat dinner at Sunsets of Wayzata the evening of Dec. 11 to support the Sleep Out. Learn more.
-Shop with a Purpose on Dec. 14, when area businesses are coming together to support the Sleep Out by donating a percentage of their sales. |
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ReSale 101 Midnight Madness
Join us at 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 5, for a special fashion show featuring area clergy modeling the latest fashions from ReSale 101, our new resale shop. It's sure to be an event you won't forget!
It's all part of ReSale 101's Midnight Madness, a night shopping event to benefit the Sleep Out. ReSale 101 will stay open late - from 8 p.m. to midnight - with sales that evening benefitting the Sleep Out. In addition to our regular store merchandise, customized beaded earrings and prayer beads will also be crafted and sold, this night only.
All customers will receive 50% off one item and complimentary refreshments during that time. If you make a purchase, you can enter a gift card drawing.
Clergy and IOCP board members, staff and volunteers will be sleeping out that evening. Come by, shop for great deals, and support us!
Sleep Out Kickoff A Huge Success
 More than 400 people attended the Nov. 10 kickoff at Klapprich Park to officially mark the beginning of our annual campaign. From a maze activitiy teaching the barriers of poverty to hip-hop music and hot dogs, the evening had something for everyone. Many thanks to Laura Betker, KARE 11 meteorologist, for serving as emcee of the evening.
Before the event at Klapprich, dozens of people gathered for simultaneous prayer walks in Wayzata and Plymouth to pray for the families IOCP serves. Participants also had the opportunity to make prayer beads to commemorate the evening. |
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Thanks for Giving to the Max
Thanks to your help, we placed second in the statewide Give to the Max Day on Nov. 15. The annual event is a day when Minnesotans come together to support their favorite nonprofits.
Online giving totaled $370,664 for us, including $150,000 in matching funds from two extremely generous donors. The competition was a nail-biter, with IOCP in first place for much of the day. Cretin-Derham Hall just edged us out in the last five minutes of the day.
"We will gratefully accept the "silver medal" this year, along with the $5,000 in prize money that will help even more families," said Jill Kohler, IOCP's co-director of development. "Though we did not win the contest, the dollars we raised will provide food on the table and a roof overhead for 1,700 families, our neighbors, in the coming year."
We also brought in $135,000 in offline donations. Altogether, more than $500,000 was raised on Give to the Max Day for IOCP - our largest one-day fundraising effort for the Sleep Out campaign ever. Thank you!
Elf at the Ordway
Reserve your tickets today for this special holiday performance of "Elf" on Dec. 13, and support Caring for Kids Initiative. Tickets are $175 (mezzanine) and $200 (main floor) and include priority seating, a hearty hors d'oeuvres dinner and dessert. Of each ticket we sell, $80 goes to support early childhood education scholarships in our community.
For tickets, contact Jeannie Buckner (952-240-4924 or buck6@comcast.net), or call the Ordway (651-224-4222). |
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In My Words
"Without the generosity of people like you who adopt families like ours, we wouldn't be able to celebrate Christmas, and without Christmas, I would have a very sad, depressed, unhappy boy wondering why Santa didn't come. I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
- An IOCP client who has benefitted from our Adopt-a-Family Holiday Gift Program. This year, with your help, we are distributing presents to 521 families with a total of 1,849 people! |
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On Friday, families in our community, volunteers and staff came together for our annual holiday party. From dinner to photos with Santa and great entertainment, the evening had something for everyone. Thanks to all who came out!
Ways to Give Back
Here's how you can make a difference:
- Donate gift cards to help our new clients celebrate the holidays.
- Volunteer at our Adopt-a-Family Holiday Gift Program this coming Friday and Sunday. Learn more.
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Mission
The mission of IOCP is to engage the heart and will of the community to respond to emergency needs and create opportunities for all to thrive.
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Contact Us
1605 County Road 101 N
Plymouth MN 55447
(763) 489-7500
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