Hey everyone. I hope you all have had amazing holidays. I'm actually not opening presents for another hour, so I haven't really partied in the traditional sense yet. However, I'm so happy I got anything at all. I just got a letter from a friend I made in New York a few weeks ago. She lives in a really run down part of town and hasn't had a birthday or Christmas celebration for years. Actually, no body in her family has. All the money they make over the year or get from people over the year is saved for rent, food, and needed clothes and house fixtures to live. She only got to buy the stamps for the letters she's made in school after spending weeks trying to sell little things she's found at the near by park and around the street. She made about $15.00 in all and that's three months of looking and finding things. She told me all about how life has been and about her sister and two younger brothers. Apparently this year they finally started asking why they don't have a tree or pretty lights like everyone else. Her parents had to explain what poor was and why they didn't have other nice things like their friends at school did. After reading this I was so heart broken and sad. Then, I got an idea. I had a few of my neighbors help me out and together with them we gathered about $300.00 from the surrounding houses. We paired this with 6 or 7 pieces of art from me, canned goods and other non-perishable food, blankets, shoes, and other clothes, and a few gift cards to add up to over $2,500.00 worth of materials. We sent it out a week ago and today I got her letter. She's so happy and her parents are so grateful. Apparently with the money they were able to buy enough food to eat nicely and help feed the neighborhood. They were also able to cloth some of the smaller families and themselves and buy a couple presents. This made me so happy to just be able to help like that. I mean I've never felt more helpful than this. I omg I wish everyone in her families position could find someone to help like my little neighborhood did. ;;;;; This is the giving season guys. If you know someone or have seen anyone in that kind of place, please think of them. Instead of getting birthday presents for yourself or getting other gifts for yourself, ask for blankets and other helpful things for others. I asked for a lot of clothes this year. Half of it isn't going towards my closet, it's going to a near by shelter where you can donate. I just thought you all should know how my holiday has been going So there you go. <3 Love you all for following me and giving me feedback and comments. I'm proud that you guys like me and my art. Thank you all. <33
EDIT: I figured for anyone who was wondering what I got I'd list it here.
I got a new laptop to better do school. I'll set it up tomorrow or this weekend. I got two shirts and a nice tank top. They're all so pretty, I'm so glad. My mum also got me a packet of sharpies, a large pack of markers, colored pencils and some boy-shorts ;> I also got a pair of adorable ankle-high-heel boots. They're brown and I love them. c: Oh and a pair of Pajama pants. They're so fuzzy and warm <3 Then of course my dad and aunt sent a big box from Illinois where they live. I'll have that by at least Friday. My birthday is also January 10th so I feel very fortunate to have my family who loves me. ;//v//;
What a sweet story! That's very nice of you and your neighborhood, I wish everybody was as kind as you. Great to hear you did that I hope you have a very merry Christmas!
I'm glad you had a good day and got some nice stuff though uvu <3