Message from Mira

Hey everyone,

As most of you know, I was hired as a Children's Mental Health Case Manager at Washburn Center for Children three months ago and absolutely love it (check out a link about the work that we do: http://washburn.org/about/video.html). Washburn has been named by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) as their Provider of the Year 2009 (check out the attached Washburn Newsletter for more info on this, Washburn and the Holiday Toy Drive)

Yes, it is that time of year again, when the staff here at Washburn Center for Children are looking for individuals to help with our Holiday Toy Drive. Many of the families that we work with do not have any extra money to purchase holiday gifts for their children. Currently we have about 350 kids that need gifts, and only 161 sponsors for those children. So if we do not get more sponsors or money we are going to have to figure out a way to decide which kids get gifts and which do not. I know that it’s not a great time to ask, but I’m hoping that some of you would be willing to either sponsor a child or donate money for a gift. We are asking that people spend about $20 per child.

If you are able to help out, you can:

• Buy gift cards (and mail to me (see below), I'll go buy toys with my team for our kiddos)
• Mail a check to Washburn (c/o me and I'll go buy toys with my team)
• Go through Washburn's Development Team. One plus of going through the Development Team is that your donation would be tax deductible! Either way, makes sure to let it known that you are donating money to the Case Management Holiday Toy Drive and let me know that you are doing so.
• Sponsor a child or family. Please give me your contact information and you will be mailed gift tags and information about the child you will be sponsoring so you can buy a gift for him or her.

The deadline on this is tight- we would like to know in the next two weeks how many kids are going to be able to receive gifts.

Thanks so much for putting up with this mass email and I totally understand if this is something that is just not an option for you this year. If you know of anyone else (parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, companies...) who might be interested in helping out, please let them know about this opportunity as well.

Thanks!

Mira

If you wish to write a check, please mail it to me at:

Mira Swanson

Case Management

Washburn Center for Children

2430 Nicollet Ave S

Minneapolis, MN 55404