This Is How YOU Can Help
Many of the readers of this blog have expressed an interest in helping to fund "Bryan's Home" so here is more information and specifics.
MaryLou and Jack Stober are the founders. They have been working with the poor and impoverished in Los Algodones, Mexico for 11 years. This has meant taking food (mainly rice and beans) to individuals and families, carrying blankets and warm clothes to these people when winter temperatures dip into the 30's and 40's, and doing whatever they can to make life easier and keep these people healthier. MaryLou takes children to doctors and dentists and Jack tells about making the trip across the border everyday for several months to treat a woman who was severely burned. For these 11 years, this couple from British Columbia has spent their own money and donations from winter visitors to Pilot Knob RV Park. People across Canada and the United States have contributed handmade quilts and afghans and warm caps. Last week we were with MaryLou and Jack as was a woman of 91 who has made over 400 stocking caps of all sizes and colors. In addition to the weekly Wednesday trip into Algodones, they have done a Christmas outreach where gifts are distributed to all who have a need. Along with donated toys are blankets and caps, rice, beans, school supplies, and whatever else has been donated in the past year. The Stobers have also worked closely with Maria, a woman who operates CREDDA, which is an acronym for something, and is a home for addicted adults seeking recovery or those who are mentally unable to function in society. MaryLou tells about first walking into this facility and wanting to run - no sheets on the bed (a mattress on the floor), no one had any underwear and there was little to eat. They didn't run, they have helped this home for many years and continue to do so.
During the past 11 years, MaryLou's heart has gone out to the children. As a former foster mother and daycare provider, she knows what children need and has seen what many in Algodones do not have. For the past couple of years, MaryLou has been praying that God will give her what is needed to start a home for childen; a safe place where children can be feed regularly and experience love. Two years ago, a young boy was born to an addicted mother. He was born prematurely and was not expected to live. But God saw it differently. This little boy lived and there is now a safe home for children, started by MaryLou and Jack, named Bryan's Home in honor of him. The prayer has been answered and now the prayer changes. Now what is needed is continued funding to keep Bryan's House open and help for all those children, yet to come. In the past several weeks MaryLou has met wih the Mexican government officials several times. Most recently, she met with those in charge of what we would call Human Services. They want to place children in Bryan's Home when the need arises - it is a licensed facility and it has nonprofit status in Mexico. That fact, however, does little good in the United States. I called the IRS and they only recognize nonprofits who are legally registered in the U.S. Therefore, donations made to Bryan's Home or Papa's Missions (the name for all of their work in Algodones) are not tax deductible. I am currently working with MaryLou to determine how we can establish a 501c3 - that may take some time and it may cost more than we want to spend right now. It also gets complicated because she is a Canadian citizen. In the meantime,
MaryLou has estimated that Bryan's Home can function on $1,000 U.S. a month. That is only $12,000 a year. The rent for the conservative, by our standards, home is $250 a month. Electricity, which is very expensive, food and a small stipend for the House Mama, Dalia, will consume the rest of the monthly allowance. The goal is to get 100 people to donate $120 a year. If any of my readers want to contribute, a check (of an amount) can be written to:
MaryLou Stober
% Pilot Knob RV Resort
3707 West Highway 80
Winterhaven, California 92283
In the "Memo" line please indicate: Bryan's Home
If you want your donation to be used for any of the other work with the disadvantaged in Algodones, please write "Papa's Missions" in the memo line. ( Papa's Missions is in honor of our God - Papa, not Jack)
If you are concerned about what happens during the 5 months of summer when MaryLou and Jack are in Canada, don't be. This summer, she plans to fly down every 6 weeks and Maria and Dalia are very trustworthy, reliable adults. They communicate regularly via text messages. It is a small world when we want it to be.
Since shipping is so expensive, it isn't practical to send "stuff". But...if someone is knitting or crocheting an afghan or making a quilt they would like to contribute, feel free to send it down.
On behalf of those in need in town of Los Algodones, in the state of Baja Califonia, in the country of Mexico, Gracias!
P.S.
Donated hats and quilts and afghans recently were given to the homeless shelter in Yuma. When temperatures dipped so low, they put out a call on a local television station. I happen to hear the request for warm items and contacted MaryLou to see if there were any "extras" in the clubhouse. The next day, 100 hats and 30 warm coverings were delivered to this Yuma, AZ shelter for the homeless. This is not the first time, and I know it won't be the last time, that a call for help has been answered by MaryLou. And it is only possible through the donations of many...
MaryLou and Jack Stober are the founders. They have been working with the poor and impoverished in Los Algodones, Mexico for 11 years. This has meant taking food (mainly rice and beans) to individuals and families, carrying blankets and warm clothes to these people when winter temperatures dip into the 30's and 40's, and doing whatever they can to make life easier and keep these people healthier. MaryLou takes children to doctors and dentists and Jack tells about making the trip across the border everyday for several months to treat a woman who was severely burned. For these 11 years, this couple from British Columbia has spent their own money and donations from winter visitors to Pilot Knob RV Park. People across Canada and the United States have contributed handmade quilts and afghans and warm caps. Last week we were with MaryLou and Jack as was a woman of 91 who has made over 400 stocking caps of all sizes and colors. In addition to the weekly Wednesday trip into Algodones, they have done a Christmas outreach where gifts are distributed to all who have a need. Along with donated toys are blankets and caps, rice, beans, school supplies, and whatever else has been donated in the past year. The Stobers have also worked closely with Maria, a woman who operates CREDDA, which is an acronym for something, and is a home for addicted adults seeking recovery or those who are mentally unable to function in society. MaryLou tells about first walking into this facility and wanting to run - no sheets on the bed (a mattress on the floor), no one had any underwear and there was little to eat. They didn't run, they have helped this home for many years and continue to do so.
During the past 11 years, MaryLou's heart has gone out to the children. As a former foster mother and daycare provider, she knows what children need and has seen what many in Algodones do not have. For the past couple of years, MaryLou has been praying that God will give her what is needed to start a home for childen; a safe place where children can be feed regularly and experience love. Two years ago, a young boy was born to an addicted mother. He was born prematurely and was not expected to live. But God saw it differently. This little boy lived and there is now a safe home for children, started by MaryLou and Jack, named Bryan's Home in honor of him. The prayer has been answered and now the prayer changes. Now what is needed is continued funding to keep Bryan's House open and help for all those children, yet to come. In the past several weeks MaryLou has met wih the Mexican government officials several times. Most recently, she met with those in charge of what we would call Human Services. They want to place children in Bryan's Home when the need arises - it is a licensed facility and it has nonprofit status in Mexico. That fact, however, does little good in the United States. I called the IRS and they only recognize nonprofits who are legally registered in the U.S. Therefore, donations made to Bryan's Home or Papa's Missions (the name for all of their work in Algodones) are not tax deductible. I am currently working with MaryLou to determine how we can establish a 501c3 - that may take some time and it may cost more than we want to spend right now. It also gets complicated because she is a Canadian citizen. In the meantime,
MaryLou has estimated that Bryan's Home can function on $1,000 U.S. a month. That is only $12,000 a year. The rent for the conservative, by our standards, home is $250 a month. Electricity, which is very expensive, food and a small stipend for the House Mama, Dalia, will consume the rest of the monthly allowance. The goal is to get 100 people to donate $120 a year. If any of my readers want to contribute, a check (of an amount) can be written to:
MaryLou Stober
% Pilot Knob RV Resort
3707 West Highway 80
Winterhaven, California 92283
In the "Memo" line please indicate: Bryan's Home
If you want your donation to be used for any of the other work with the disadvantaged in Algodones, please write "Papa's Missions" in the memo line. ( Papa's Missions is in honor of our God - Papa, not Jack)
If you are concerned about what happens during the 5 months of summer when MaryLou and Jack are in Canada, don't be. This summer, she plans to fly down every 6 weeks and Maria and Dalia are very trustworthy, reliable adults. They communicate regularly via text messages. It is a small world when we want it to be.
Since shipping is so expensive, it isn't practical to send "stuff". But...if someone is knitting or crocheting an afghan or making a quilt they would like to contribute, feel free to send it down.
On behalf of those in need in town of Los Algodones, in the state of Baja Califonia, in the country of Mexico, Gracias!
P.S.
Donated hats and quilts and afghans recently were given to the homeless shelter in Yuma. When temperatures dipped so low, they put out a call on a local television station. I happen to hear the request for warm items and contacted MaryLou to see if there were any "extras" in the clubhouse. The next day, 100 hats and 30 warm coverings were delivered to this Yuma, AZ shelter for the homeless. This is not the first time, and I know it won't be the last time, that a call for help has been answered by MaryLou. And it is only possible through the donations of many...
posted by jf and me | 5:37 AM
<< Home