Always Wanted to go to Kenya?

It has always been a dream of mine to go to Kenya since I did my 5th grade report on that country. It is now looking like that dream might become a reality. I want to see if there is an interest in people wanting to go there as well. The itinerary would be to work in an orphanage, do a safari, and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The cost for the trip is estimated between $1,500 to $2,000. I am planning to be there for a month but those that can't stay as long can leave early. We would be going next year in the spring or

summer. Just keep this in mind and let me know

if it is something of interest so I can start finalizing details on the trip.

Volunteer Opportunties

Doing the BBQ at the Road Home was such an amazing and fulfilling opportunity. The appreciation and love that you feel from the people makes it worth every minute of helping out. There are many opportunities to volunteer at the Road Home. Below are a list of things you can do! Please look them over and get involved!

Literacy Night

The Goal of this program is to help children, ages 5-11 years old, become interested in reading. Volunteers read a story with the children. Afterward, art and snack activities centered on the theme or characters in the story follow to reinforce the enjoyment o reading.

• Mondays 7-8pm
• Must be 16 or older
• Minimum of 3 months commitment

Playroom Activities

Play games, coordinate learning activities, facilitate arts and crafts, be a mentor to the children who live at the shelter. Children are between age 3 and 11 years.

• Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7-8pm
• Must be 16 or older
• Minimum of 3 months commitment

Teen Night Out

Volunteers plan and carry out special activities geared to the preteen and teen (12-17 years old) residents. Activities generally are off shelter grounds.

• Tuesdays 7-8:30pm
• Must be 18 or older
• Minimum of 3 months commitment

Kids Activity

The playroom is available on Wednesdays from 7-8pm to schedule for group activities with the children. In the past, groups have decorated cookies, brought in craft projects, made presents to give to families during holidays, and much more!

Prepare a Dinner

Prepare a meal, bring it to the shelter, and serve the residents! You can serve the Men's Shelter, Women's Shelter, Family Shelter, or all three!

Donation Drive

There is a continuous need in the shelter for donated items. A Needs List is updated seasonally and available at www.theroadhome.org. There is also a list of service project ideas that include putting together Move-In Kits for residents moving into a new home.

Be Creative

Design your own project! The Road Home is very flexible to try and accommodate any ideas!

If you are interested in any of these you must first complete a volunteer orientation! They are held every third Monday of the month at 5:00pm. Please RSVP to Ashley Farmer, the Volunteer Coordinator at 801-819-7298 or afarmer@theroadhome.org

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me at 801-205-4541 or tracymarikobarnes@gmail.com

Update on Joplin, MO

My friend Jonathan Campbell went to Joplin with our group. He sent me a couple really interesting e-mails updating the conditions of Joplin. The people of Joplin really inspired me with how they dealt with such a devastating situation.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-08-14-Joplin-tornado-schools-resume_n.htm

This link shows before and after pictures of the tornado hit areas just months after.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44153478/ns/us_news/

Teaming Up With Brighton Bank

Please check out the article on Brighton Bank's website regarding the homeless BBQ! Thanks to everyone that made it happen!

http://www.brightonbank.com/home/community

Homeless BBQ

I have noticed more and more homeless on the streets of Salt Lake City the past couple years, especially since3 the economy took a turn for the worse. I heard from one of my customers at Brighton Bank that everyday she sees a homeless family at the park across the street from his business. Like many others in Utah, the father lost his job recently and couldn't find employment. Despite having a new baby to care for, the family was out on the streets. This story touched me deeply. It gave me the spark I needed to do what I could to help.

What started as a faint idea developed into action after talking to Wayne from the Salt Lake Mission Home. He taught me that there are close to 5,000 homeless in Salt Lake City, 27% of them children. The average age of the homeless in Utah is 9! A lot of these people need direction and information on how to get back on their feet. Most ended up homeless due to circumstances beyond their control, and many are victims of abuse.

Wayne informed me that on holidays the homeless shelter is closed from 7am-7pm. The homeless have no food provided and nowhere to go for the day. I reached out to my coworkers and friends for help. We organized a BBQ for the 24th of July to show the homeless that we are thinking o them during the holiday. We purchased 500 hot dogs, chips, granola bars, and drinks. Alongside a meal we had 150 hygiene kits donated from Little America, complete with shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion.

The event was a huge success. We went through the 500 hot dogs in a little over an hour and purchased 200 more to make sure everyone received a meal that day. The 150 hygiene kits were gone within 15 minutes of the BBQ kicking off. There were about 15 volunteers, each one busy with an integral role in making the event a success. The Branch Manager, Mike Holt, entertained the crowd by playing his guitar. The homeless loved the compilation of music and Mike instantly had fans. The rest of the volunteers were busy handing out food, restocking supplies, and cooking hot dogs.

The homeless community was very appreciative of what we were doing. I hope that everyone involved will continue to keep them in mind throughout the years to come. A special thanks to all of the volunteers, Brighton Bank, and Little America. It would not have turned out the success it did without everybody involved.

If you are interested in helping out with the homeless there are a lot of opportunities to help! Please let me know if you have any questions and I will post a list of things you can do to get involved!