We are active supporters of charities that positively affect the lives of children, giving as we have received.
Prior to our son's birth, we were blessed to be foster parents to six children over the course of several years. The above photos are of my bride and I on two medical mission trips for children in Haiti, during the summers of 2013 and 2014. We assisted a pediatrician from our local church and were 100% self-supporting in travel, room and board.
When our son was born, he was life flighted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), 5 1⁄2 hours away from home. During our first three stressful days/nights, as we traded off sleeping in his room or at the hotel, the doctors suggested we stay at the nearby Ronald McDonald House (RMD) at no charge. Pride got in the way and we said no, we’re good, save the room for families that really need it.
After the third night, exhausted, we asked, “How long will he be in NICU?” The Doc said, “He could be here 90 days.” Oof. Sobering. (self-employed, in sales, no work, no pay and 3 months in a hotel?) We moved into RMD House that night, with a simple “donate later if you can, no requirement to pay, $50 a night would be helpful.” Thankfully we were only there 14 more days before he was released.
We can’t tell you how much relief this gave us during the next two weeks, as a piece of the financial “unknown” was lifted.
Once home safely with our son, we couldn’t mail our gratitude check back to RMD House fast enough. We’ve written many $50 and $100 checks to various charities, friends and co-workers in recent years, with the aspiration of writing $500 and $1,000 checks with as much ease.
Our current goals for One Nation Under Shirt are to;
- Stimulate more unity among humanity.
- Donate 10% of the net profits to charities that positively affect the lives of children.
- Speak with Dr. Brene Brown.
- See Bono and U2 play at the Sphere = Achieved 12/16/23.