WANA

Here is the comment that started it all:

MODG, here is another stat for you since there is only one or two other ones:
We have $37 and some change in our checking account.  We have already borrowed $ from our 2yo daughter’s savings acct.  Rent is due the 15th.  Hubby’s paycheck won’t cover rent + bills.  We are heading to the pawn shop tomorrow to see what we can get for some jewelry to get us through until he gets his quarterly commission check the 10th (ish) of January.

Catherine

And it broke my heart. This comment was left on a very sarcastic post and well  before WANA was created. And little did she know, what a huge movement she would start.

We privately offered to help as well as did a friend of mine. It wasn’t much but there wasn’t a question about it. And from there grew the most important thing that has ever come from this blog. Yep, more important than all of my MS Paint drawings put together.

So this is a small thank you from a select handful of those who have been helped. And I really wanted to share it with all of you. I hope this reminds us all (me included) to help those who need it as often as we can, and not just around the holidays.

Let’s start with Catherine who sent us a Christmas card that I’ll probably keep until the end of time (2012).

My children had a wonderful Christmas thanks to you and Michelle.  I have included a few pictures of them with one of the things we bought with the gift card you sent us.  I hope your family’s Christmas was as wonderful as you made ours. 
Catherine

Rachel’s Need:

my husband has been unemployed for over a year now and I’m a stay at home mom (that can’t find a job either.) and last year i wrote letters like this to everyone and never even got a response. i feel a little silly writing this because I’m sure there are people worse off than we are. I’m expecting any day to get a foreclosure letter from the bank and the only reason we are still in this house at all is my in laws are paying the electric/water/phones/etc… while my parents give me a weekly “allowance” of $50 for groceries (not counting meat which they also give me) for our family of 4 (+a dog and a cat). there haven’t been many extras around here this year, but we have learned to love the library and I’ve couponed like those crazy people you see on tv. my boys are 3 and almost 2 (jan birthday) so they are young enough that they don’t know what’s going on but that doesn’t make it any easier. last year we did manage to get about $40 extra for gifts which you would be amazed at how far that will go at dollar general and i know that some how this year there will be gifts under the tree because my parents wouldn’t have it any other way, but i know that every dollar they give us is one less that they have and they live pretty much paycheck to paycheck. and now that I’ve written this all out the tears are streaming down my face because its not easy to “say” out loud that you have a need.
as i read back through i do want to clarify, when the foreclosure notice comes (and it will, it’s been almost a year since we’ve paid the mortgage and every time we try to talk to the bank they say they’ll call us back) we won’t be homeless. we have a plan to move in with my parents which won’t be easy and we keep putting it off in hopes of a miracle.
thank you in advance and thank you modg for bringing all these wonderful people together.

Rachel’s Thank You:

I am so amazed and grateful to everyone that helped us out. thank you so much for starting this. i can’t wait until we are in a position to be able to pass this forward. here are a couple pictures of my boys Christmas morning. they’re not great, but it’s what I’ve got on the computer right now
Rachel

Shari’s Need:

I don’t even know where to start. I have never asked for help before, but times are tough. My friends and family don’t even know how hard things are for us. My husband is a minister and puts in so much time right now that he doesn’t really have time for a second job, but some how manages to work a little here and there at our local mall for very little. Our church doesn’t even know that he has to do this. Before we moved I was a special education teacher, but since our move I haven’t been able to find a job teaching. I stay at home with our three beautiful little girls. My oldest is 3.5, our middle will be 2 on new years eve, and our baby will be 5 months old on sunday. Our baby has been sick and in and out of the hospital for the past 3 months. We have gone to so many dr appointments and still can’t find out what is causing her so much pain. We are praying for a christmas miracle.
We have to get real creative on how to figure out how to pay all of our bills every month. Right now we have $40 to last us until the 15th and still haven’t bought groceries. I know God will provide. My oldest is so excited about Santa and the toys she is going to get, but I don’t know how to make that happen. I did pull out my fabric scraps and make each girl a pillow with their name on it as a present and we were able to get a Doddle Bear for my oldest from “Santa” but I don’t know how to tell her that santa isn’t going to bring her anything else. I also was able to find a Mr Potato head for my 2year old at a resale shop for her santa gift. I know that my baby won’t know the difference. The biggest thing with her is that it breaks my heart not to be able to get her “baby’s first christmas” ornament like we did with her sisters.
My oldest keeps telling me that Santa is going to bring her a “Cat in the hat game” for preschoolers ages 3+, and needs some clothes. We are able to do hand me downs with my other to, but we don’t have anyone to hand clothes down to her. she is a 4t and anything would help.
I am crying so I hope this makes since. Thanks for reading and if you are able to help then Thanks, and If not I understand and hope that you all have a Very Merry Christmas.

____

I’m sorry that I don’t have any pictures from the family to send as of yet but I wanted to pass along the email below that I received.  I live near Grand Rapids, MI and I found this family who lives in Texas (she went by Mrs. C on the blog). Quick back story = Her hubby is a pastor who is also working evening jobs to make ends meat, she is a special education teacher still looking for a job, and they have 3 girls ages 4 months, 2 years, and 3 years old.
I’m sorry that I don’t have any pictures from the family to send as of yet but I wanted to pass along the email below that I received. I had tears in my eyes when I read this and it truly made my holiday season.

Allyson

____

Shari’s Thank You:

Allyson,
The packages arrived today. I am in awe of you and your family’s kindness. I can’t thank you enough. I never thought my girls would have such a wonderful Christmas.
Thanks again for all the clothing. It is perfect. I am always wrapping my baby up in a bunch of blankets because we don’t have very many warm clothing in her size. I am also grateful that my oldest now has more than 3 pants. God bless and I hope your Christmas is as wonderful as you have made ours.
-Shari
Ps also thanks for the items for my husband and I. It will be nice for us to have something to open Christmas morning with the girls.

____

Jessa’s Need:

As embarrassing as it is to say (and honestly I don’t know why, because our current financial situation shouldn’t detract from my status as a good mommy, which I fully consider myself to be), this year neither of my daughters (1 and 2) will be getting Christmas presents.
We recently moved and spent every last penny providing a safe, and warm home for the winter so there just isn’t a penny extra for all of the awesome toys i wish I could give them.
Since I cannot buy my an children presents, I obviously cannot help out others any… But I can knit, and I can do so wonderfully. I would love to make some special little ones hats/toys/etc I can do pretty much any type or theme based on their favorite animals/characters. My little nuggets have plenty of custom knit dinosaur hats , sock monkeys, and stuffed elephants.
Jessa

Jessa’s Thank You:
MODG! I just wanted to say thank you for WANA; because of you and munchkin, we not only had a beautiful Christmas, but now my children have cups and bowls and spoons to eat/drink me out of house and home with!
In an effort to pay it forward, i saved some of the CRAZY amount of goodies they sent to help another deserving family. I would really appreciate if you could share it with your readers; either families in need can enter or people who know one who needs/deserves some special goodies! (http://www.onceamom.com/2011/12/merry-christmas.html)
I’m so excited, and I honestly cannot hank you enough; this one act of incredible kindness has buoyed my spirits higher than they have been in a long time.
e-hugs and stuff,
Jessica, Casserole and Versy-bear!

Jell Jell’s Need:

I hate to even put my name on here, but my husband and I are about to lose our jobs because of the seasonal slowdown in our field.  So both parents on unemployment as of next week.  We had to sell our car last week to pay some bills.  Our employer owes us both 2 paychecks as of today.  That’s what we get for working at the same place, I guess.  I had planned to give my daughter some old toys of my childhood that I found at in my mom’s attic – and just wrapping them.  Which just sounds so freaking lame now that I’m writing it out.  She’s 20 months old.  She’s amazing.  At least she’ll never know that we’re completely broke.  Thanks to anyone that can help!

Jell Jell’s Thank You:

Hey MODG,
I was one of the thankful readers that commented “in need” on your post.  I was totally reluctant to do it because it was finally admitting how scary things were.  My hubs and I sold our car that week, the company for which we both work is dissolving b/c our boss is a terrible businessman (with a kind heart), and we hadn’t been paid two paychecks b/c there wasn’t enough in the company account.
Things were looking pretty dire for paying the mortgage and for Christmas. Three lovely ladies offered to send my 20 mo old daughter presents b/c I was just going to look through my old crap in my mom’s attic for books and toys.  I couldn’t believe how much stuff they sent her.  I said she liked puzzles and needs the next size up clothes, and they sure came through.  We even got a baby doll and some Leap Frog toys. I feel like I really connected with those gals and will hopefully keep up as pen pals.
It’s still hard for me to accept help, and I still have a strong urge to claw out of this hole we got ourselves into.  My hubs and I are starting our own business so we don’t have to rely on on other people to keep us busy during the slow season for landscape design/build.  We’ve been able to find some quick jobs and potential part time work, but nothing is certain.  All I know is that we have January’s mortgage covered, and that’s all I can worry about right now.
Enclosed are some pics of Christmas this morning.  EB got overstimulated from A) all of the family and B) opening so many presents from “Santa” that she had to take a break and eat a snack.  It’s exhausting getting new stuff!  But she loved it all.  Especially the tissue paper.  Thanks for giving me an avenue to get some help.  There really are some sweet people out there.  Hopefully this time next year I can do the same for another person in need.
Merry Christmas,
Jell Jell

Lindsay’s Need:
My husband is the only one who works as I am a SAHM. We have two children. Paisley who is 2, and Jasper who will be a year old ON Christmas. Thus far, we have not been able to get them any presents whatsoever. We have always struggled and have been promised time and time again that my husband will be promoted, which still has yet to happen. We have moved 3 hours away from family and my son will not be getting a big 1st birthday party like all children (er, parents) deserve. The least I’d like to do is give him and his sister some Christmas presents. I plan to take a course within the next year to make me a certified Medical Transcriptionist as we desperately need the money. I do not drive so this is my only option to bring in some income. I know that it can all be done online, however I have yet to figure which site and school is legitimate. If anyone has any information on this, that would also be greatly appreciated. I live in Concord, North Carolina if that’s important. Thank you so much to all who take the time to read this and MODG, thank you for all that you do. The laughter is enough to get me by day to day. You are an incredible woman and you have some AMAZING readers.

Lindsay’s Thank You:

Wonderful gifts sent by wonderful readers of yours! The last one isn’t a gift, but I think it depicts my Christmas baby thanking the angels. Merry Christmas MODG!
Lindsay

Courtney’s Thank You:

My Christmas tree had absolutely nothing under it before you made all the miracles possible! Now I have all of these awesome gifts for my family and my tree looks a lot happier! You changed my year and showed me that good really does still exist in this world.
Couldn’t be more thankful.

If you have photos or thank you’s or a story that you’d like to share, please email me at modgblog at gmail dot com. I will post THEM ALL. Even if 2000 of you email them to me. They make my heart sing rainbow songs.

Thanks to all of you for not being assholes. And remember, people still need our help. Check regularly here on the WANA page

xoxo

MODG

PS I’d love to hear YOUR recap in the comments below. Whether you were helped or helped someone out. Tell your story.

POSTED IN: Awesome things,WANA