Happy birthday Mom! 97 years young today. She always looked younger than she was. Wish I could know what she looks like at 97. I got to talk to her last remaining sister Marylyn today. Almost like a visit with mom!
Had a phone call this morning. A sweet lady who is very familiar with nonprofits and runs a huge nonprofit in KC gave me permission to call her and ask her some questions about Love in Action. She helped me understand the ramifications of applying for grants and the various types of grants. She breaks things down in a way that I can understand them and patiently answers all my questions. What a treat to get to visit with her and I am grateful she is willing to share her time with me.
This afternoon I had a phone doctor’s appointment. We were going to do it via Zoom or the doctor’s office equivalent of Zoom but it wasn’t working. I guess their system had an upgrade this morning and less than half of the calls went through as scheduled. We were able to talk via the phone and that worked. I got a few questions answered and was pleased with the action plan we put together. We will chat again after my vacation the end of November.
The sweat pants I ordered last week came in already. They will be perfect. The medium size looks small to me but the XL look good. The bank had scared me a bit as they were concerned this company was a fraud. Grateful they came through with flying colors.
But the company that I ordered the no string hoodies from sent me an email today and let me know the hoodies are out of stock and don’t know when they will be back in stock. They are to refund my money in a couple of weeks. I don’t like that it is going to take that long to get the money back but it is what it is. I will be grateful when the money comes back.
Now I get to look again for no string hoodies. I have almost decided to just go with sweat shirts instead. The same company that I got the sweat pants from has sweat shirts at a very reasonable price. I may go ahead and order them tomorrow from them. I want to sit on it overnight and then place an order tomorrow.
The sweat pants and hoodies/sweat shirts have been the biggest challenge of the Go Bags for me. If I can find a reputable supplier for both, I think that is the way to go. The pants got here quickly and I can order as few as 96 at a time. Think I will call it good and go with them.
If I knew where the detainees were being deported to, I would add a hat to the Go Bags but some are going to hot weather countries. I have no way of knowing where the detainees are being sent when I drop off the Go Bag. Adding a hat would add to the expense yet again. I will sit with it and see what my intuition guides me to do.
I need to take a check for $1,700 to the Detention Center tomorrow so they can order 170 phone cards for our Christmas gift to the Detainees. It will be good to get those ordered and know the Christmas gift is taken care of. Still need to talk to the Sergeant about the November cheese cake. I will need 17 of them so will need to get them ordered from Costco before I leave on vacation. I still have a bit before I need to take care of that. Sometimes she is a bit slow to get back to me.
Several people have donated the $90 they got from the payout for their prescription plans. That was generous of them as I know their prescription costs for next year will cost them way more than the $90 they got to offset them.
Have several thank you notes to write. I started them this morning while I was waiting on the call with the doctor’s office but didn’t get them finished. Got another donation today to add to my list of notes to write.
Got the plans set for KC Wednesday. I am going to Nicole’s house at 11:00 so she can do whatever she needs to do with my passport. Then I am meeting a lady at Costco at 11:45 to get a box of donations. After I meet with her I will go in Costco and get a few things, stop and have lunch and then come home. It will be a quick trip to KC.
I really need to make a packing list and make sure I have everything I need for the trip. The next two weeks are busy and I won’t have time to think about it then. Best take care of that this week while it is still relatively calm around here.
I have a prescription that needs picked up so will try to remember to get that Wednesday on my way home from KC. I need a few groceries so will make myself go in and get them too while I am in town. That way I can stay home a couple of days. Saturday I have to go to El Dorado to pick up more donations.
I would like to get my house cleaned before the work days begin. My house is so cluttered right now it is hard to clean. Maybe the volunteers won’t notice the dust and dirt with all the boxes. It would be embarrassing though if they move boxes and find dust bunnies.
This heat wave is finally suppose to break this week. I am so ready for fall temperatures. It may rain on Wednesday when I go to KC. Guess I will deal with whatever happens on that short trip.
Formulating plans for Love in Action for when I return from vacation. So many variables going on it is hard to know what direction to go. If the election results are favorable I wonder what that will do to ICE and the number of people being deported? I won’t know until December how fast the Go Bags are going out and I don’t want to resupply until I know we will use them. Do I write for grants not knowing how many Go Bags we will need? I guess if the election results don’t change anything, I will know to go full speed ahead when I come back from vacation.
I talked to my mentor today about my succession plans. There may come a day in the future where I don’t want to do this anymore. She told me about that process and that it can take a year or more to close down a 501(c)3 if I can’t find someone to run it. I have to find a similar nonprofit to give the assets to. Another thing to explore on another day.
Reminder to self to stay in the moment and take things one step at a time. Solutions present themselves when I need them if I slow down and allow them to come in. Staying present keeps me out of monkey brain and keeps things manageable.
Grateful the sweat pants came in today, grateful for the phone call with Aunt Marylyn, and grateful for a mentor that freely gives her time to help me.