God bless you all...see our latest slide shows below... the one toward the end of the page is the one to Biloxi that we just took- the sights still leave us speechless. The damage was horrific...yet the American spirit prevails.
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We're in the news because of all of you and your hard work bringing a smile to the Kids of Katrina,Rita and Wilma !
We are starting again to prepare for the 2008 Hurricane Season and ask that we begin slowly collecting lunchboxes and backbacks.Please remember to write the personal notes to tuck in them with a stamped postcard so they can write you back! We need you for the 2008 hurricane season preparation.
Here are some more news articles:
THANKS AGAIN AMERICA - WE ARE UNITED AND AS STRONG AND KIND AS EVER.
FREEDOM ENDURES.
OUR TROOPS -OUR HEROES AND NOW ALL OF US ARE SHOWING WE SHINE BRIGHTER THAN EVER AFTER CRISIS .
START PREPARING WITH US TODAY ! |
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Homefront Lunchbox Hugs for Katrina Kids
Welcome...
I just sent out a thank you to all who have participated so far with
their children,grandchildren, soul mates and spouses....classrooms and churches,
synagogues and workplaces...and our incredible 9-11 families in our special
project: Homefront Hurricane Hugs .
The anniversary of 9-11 has come and gone- yet let us never
forget and treasure the gifts we do have in life....like our children and loved
ones.
For all of you who participated in 2005 - THANK YOU.
We were blessed in 2006 and 07 and are praying for this again this hurricane season.
Please make sure you submit your names and childrens'names
if you wish to have a volunteer card in an SASE.
Each child receives a volunteer card as well and you do too!.
The smile and hugs from afar these children felt the weekend
when we delivered the first batch to a long term shelter in Pensacola...
were incredible ! Many read the attached notes too and loved your photos.
Here is another slide show below to show you our trip to Mississippi - also a wonderful moving and super success thanks to so many of you!
.
WHY did we not just give cash?
This was a meaningful project children could understand with all five
senses- learning what giving back means as an American...and
what our country is all about...and that we are all God's children.
HINT for our parents:
Please do not pack the lunchboxes or backpacks for the children. Write the notes
with your kids instead and allow them to choose and talk about why they are
packing this for a child they have never met. The earlier
our children learn to give back to others, the more sure we can be that
these children will blossom into kind, strong adults who play an
active role in their communities - finding inner confidence and peace.
****
My heart was warmed once again in 2005 Hurricane Season reminding
me why I am so proud to be American .
And God bless our silent heroes- the United States Coast Guard as
they once again with the National Guard serve
before,during and after hurricanes. So many lost all
they had as well and we owe them a huge thank you and unconditional support.
This summer and fall of 2008, a special request , please give a small or large tax deductible contribution
directly to :
Thanks for helping in so many ways and honoring the special sacrifices of the
Coast Guard and all the branches now joining them with honor and service...
They are about to start the hurricane season again and need and deserve
our support again.
In friendship,
Alessandra and my sunshine Ed
Alessandra Kellermann
President
Homefront Hugs USA
email: info@HomefrontHugs.com
As a child crisis intervention specialist and early education specialist, I
know sometimes just a small bit of comfort and normalcy goes a long way
during traumatic times of loss and shock mixed with fear.
We delivered these to the 2005 hurricane evacuees in the shelter here in
Molino/Pensacola,churches and synagogues and to Mississippi to distribute... as well as
all the public schools in Santa Rosa and Escambia County and Jackson County,Mississippi, and
children affected by the hurricane stress in Child Protective Services here in our counties.
**
NOW WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE 2008 HURRICANE SEASON
AND THIS TIME WE PLAN TO BE READY WITH THE TREATS
EVEN BEFORE THE STORMS HIT.
Here's what you can choose to include in a lunchbox
or backback as we prepare for the hurricane season:
(** please label for age range,sex, )
*** First: a note or even better: photos of you so they know who sent them this special hug !***
We've highlighted the most important that is a must to include if you can ! Thanks so much.
Stickers
St***
Dried Snacks
Stickers
Chapstick
Sippy drinks
toothbrush
toothpaste
flashlight with batteries
word search
washable markers or crayons
chalk
a lollipop
crackers and cheese or peanut butter
Slim Jims
small gift card to Walmart
Vitamins
Sunlotion
travel games
yoyo
battery operated mini fan with batteries
Granola Bars
small canned peaches or fruit with a plastic spoon
beanie baby or some small stuffed animal to bring a smile
Homefront Hurricane Hugs for Kids
c/o Kellermann family
1449 Tiger Lake Drive
Gulf Breeze, Florida 32563
For Parents/Teachers- If you wish to include something special for our Moms or Dads,
a small gift card of $5 or $10 for Wal-Mart or Target would be nice . Or include
even a small box of chocolate,body lotion,perfume or cologne and a personal note.
The adults are exhausted too and overwhelmed but so very grateful at the
smiles you are bringing their children. They asked me last season to be sure to post their thanks
and heartfelt emotion at such warmth from total strangers.
Remember, our deployed troops who have families in all of the
hurricane prone areas in the USA are counting on us to do our part!
SPECIAL THANKS:
1. 
( Tiger Point soccer team of 6 year olds with Coach Lee- joining in the fun !)
2. Mom's Club of Gulf Breeze, Florida
3. Blue Sky Gift Shop of Gulf Breeze, Florida
4. WEAR TV - Sue Straughn for her constant support !
5. 
Thanks Miss Kitty- you're the best !
6. Many thanks to St.Ann's Catholic Parrish of Gulf Breeze for your support.
7. Many thanks to Walmart,and the Blue Sky Gift Shop in Gulf Breeze for donating backpacks and supplies to some new kids at the last minute -helping in so many ways with the Katrina relief efforts!
8. Special Thanks to Jackson Hewitt Tax Services for the 300 plus lunchboxes donated to fill with goodies when we were having such trouble finding lunch boxes!
9. Thanks to the Keyette Club of Gulf Breeze High proving once again how our teens shine !
10. Thanks to Cub Scout troop 418 from Pensacola for helping us pack and deliver these hugs to kids in the community!
11.
Special Thanks to Sara Plants and Jayme Bateman and their wonderful Chico Mother's Club in Chico, California for the wonderful boxes sent continuously to us for the children !
12. Special thanks to Carol Barbee of Caring and Sharing... and family for helping us get these hugs to Mississippi too !
13. Huge thanks to the University of West Florida Student Association in Pensacola!
14. SUPER THANKS to our Brownie angels of Brownie Troop 332 in Huntington Beach, California and their fearless leader- Kari Kent ! ( ...
especially that EASY button !)
15, A very special hug and thanks to our senior cherished volunteer- Reverend Cheryl Bakker,Deacon of St.Ann's Episcopal Church in Crystal River Florida and her youth leader Elaine Diesing and their wonderful youth group!
16. Super thanks to the RSVP of Milton as they are also already helping us stuff stockings for Homefront Orphan Hugs as well....what a fabulous group of volunteers! This was organized by Sandy Wenner and her daughter Caitlyn,her father- Richard Stansbury...and we were very appreciative.
17. Special Thanks to the wonderful angels of Michigan- (not a surprise as the Homefront Hugs President graduated from University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)- from the angels of Hazel Park,Michigan PTA COUNCIL and the Monroe PMP !
18. Special hugs to our angel delivery families to include Carol Barbee and family (Michael-11,Jennifer-13 and Chris-8), Kelsey H, Bob Cohen, Baker and Liz Clarke and friends, including their chihuahua Dinky ! These Gulf Breeze Florida angels came to our rescue as the semi rolled in with the surprise shipments !
To contact us: info@HomefrontHugs.com
2001 Trademark and Copyright- Homefront Hugs USA
Special Announcement and UPDATE on school adoption:
The new friendship and alliance of two elementary
schools - one affected by Hurricane Katrina and the other wanting
to send hugs long term...was an incredible friendship initiated by us and continued by our top volunteer, Mary Ellen Esquino of Pittsburgh... !
The support meant endless school supplies, snacks, lunchboxes,
and new books sent to the students which continued into 2006...
pleased to announce their alliance with hundreds of children
benefitting in both states from reaching out to each other !
United we stand and all due to some incredible volunteers and
children who were all too eager to help and make a difference !
