PWB Joy of Hope Foundation

Happy Valentine's Day! The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings joy and hope into our minds.

Such a wonderful idea. You can create a free Valentine’s Day card for a St. Jude child! It only takes a few seconds and it’s fun too. They have both English and Spanish templates if you’re not sure what to write!

A Glimpse into 2021: PWB Joy of Hope Foundation ended 2020 strong and we’re gearing up for an even stronger 2021! Through the love and support of PWB we were able to raise an impressive $36,000 our first year! Some of the initiatives that we participated in last year will continue, but on a grander scale this year. We are still in the midst of Covid, so we want to be sure that we are in tune with the current needs within our community. We want to continue to build deeper ...and wider relationships with our partner charities. Below you will find our Foundation short term goals for 2021: 1. Continue our fundraising efforts with North Georgia Community Foundation (NGCF) in hopes to raise additional capital that can be dispersed into our local community. 2. Continue providing Covid-19 relief in any form (monetary support, food donations, and/or volunteering time) to Meals by Grace and The Place of Forsyth. 3. Sponsor a Meals by Grace Service Day so that volunteers of all ages can participate in giving back to those in need. PWB Joy of Hope will assist in preparing, packaging, and delivering food to families who have fell on hardship. 4. Provide nourishment to our community and awakening hope by preparing and delivering a delicious Easter dinner to the patrons of The Place of Forsyth. Last year we were able to serve 80+ patrons; due to Covid we expect that number will increase due to the economic impact on our community. 5. Serve as the featured charity for the Georgia Healthcare Financial Management Association (GA HFMA) Spring Institute. We will be able to promote and educate participants about PWB Joy of Hope Foundation as well as our partner charities. 6. Donate a minimum of 225 backpacks to school aged children in need of assistance within Forsyth County Schools in conjunction with The Place of Forsyth. Last year we were able to donate 163 backpacks; due to Covid we expect that number will increase due to the economic impact on our community. 7. Donate a minimum of 75 Thanksgiving boxes to The Place of Forsyth County. Last year with your help and generous donations we were able to fulfill 52 family boxes so patrons were able to enjoy a less stressful holiday without trying to figure out how to put a meal on the table. 8. Hold our 2nd annual PWB Joy of Hope Golf Tournament to raise money to help support local organizations and their initiatives. Last year, due to Covid we were only able to conduct a small scale tournament, but we are hoping restrictions will be lifted so we can reach our full potential this year. 9. Organize an Angel Gift Card Tree for the young ladies at Jesse's House. These gift card donations can be used for the resident’s needs throughout the year. Last year we were able to gift all 8 residents their own Christmas tree with $350 worth of attached gift cards to various locations as well as a handmade bracelet for all residents and staff members.

2020 Year in Review *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation was started late January 2020 as a way to honor the memory of Parker Wade Burch. *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation partnered with 8 very special organizations that will allow us to spread Joy and Hope within our community as we keep Parker’s light shining bright. ... *Launch Digital Marketing {LDM} created an amazing website that gives us the ability to share our mission and vision for the foundation. www.pwbjoyofhope.com. We are honored to have Parker’s Tech Heroes guide us through this endeavor. *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation donated 35 family dinners to Meals by Grace during the early months of Covid-19 and have continued to purchase, deliver, and volunteer on a routine basis as members of our community have been dependent on the client choice food pantry. *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation teamed up with The Place of Forsyth to deliver a delicious Easter dinner to over 80+ patrons. *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation teamed up with T3packaging to donate 163 backpacks to help aid school age children for the 2020-2021 school year. *With the outpouring love and support from our community, PWB Joy of Hope Foundation was able to donate 52 Thanksgiving boxes to The Place of Forsyth. This generous donation made it possible for 52 families to enjoy a less stressful holiday without trying to figure out how to put a meal on the table. (Approximately $2,600 donation!) *In early December, we held a revised version of the 1st annual PWB Joy of Hope Golf Tournament at Bears Best due to Covid-19 restrictions. We were able to raise an amazing $4,500! * PWB Joy of Hope created a Christmas Angel Gift Card Tree in honor of the girls at Jesse’s House of Forsyth County. With the generous outpouring of love and support, we were able to gift all 8 residents a gift card tree valued at $350 plus a handmade bracelet for all residents and every staff member. PWB Christmas donation totaled an astonishing $2,800! *2020 was a year of love, a year of grace, a year of fulfillment, a year of joy, and a year of hope. Over the past year, we are so very honored and blessed to announce that PWB Joy of Hope Foundation raised an impressive $36,000!!! The impact that we can make upon our community is mind boggling; and that is THANKS to YOU and your generous donations. Thank you to each and every one of you for supporting our foundation. We look forward to sharing our goals for 2021 and continuing to keep Parker’s light shining bright!

Someday we will meet again...and we will no longer be separated by time or space. But until that day, I'll find comfort in knowing that you are still with me. Your heart tucked safely inside mine.

During Christmas the light of PWB shined brightly for the girls at Jesse's House, a local non-profit that works with neglected and abused youth females. In mid November, we announced our PWB Angel Gift Card Tree and with the help of many outstanding community members and Foundation supporters these girls were given a Christmas we hope they will never forget. It was our hope that these special young ladies know they are strong, they are beautiful inside and out, they are lov...ed, and most importantly they are worthy. It brings us immense joy to announce that each resident at Jesse's House received the following: *An individual Christmas tree for each of their rooms that they were able to decorate. *Each tree was adorned with the following gift cards: *$200 Visa *$50 Walmart *$50 Target *$25 Target *$25 Five & Below * Handmade Bracelet **Not only did every resident receive a handmade bracelet, but every staff member received one as well, thanks to Stephanie and Ashton Beeghley with Ashton Leigh's Beads. **The girls were also gifted a special dinner that they enjoyed from one of their favorite places! As we were leaving from dropping off the food and gifts, one of the staff members made a comment that resonated deep inside our soul...The generosity of PWB Joy of Hope Foundation will not go unnoticed because the girls of Jesse's House will most definitely have a very Merry Christmas but especially for a 14 year old resident who had never celebrated Christmas before. The true meaning of Christmas will be brought to light through the kindness of giving to others. We all have the responsibility to be participants in a world that gives back to others, to use our voice and actions as an advocate for people who aren't always heard. Just think of the lessons that are being instilled into our children. For this is why we chose to spread the Joy of Hope in Parker's honor. A HUGE THANK YOU to all the supporters of PWB Joy of Hope Foundation. Without your love, kindness, and generosity we would not have been able to grant as many holiday wishes.

Dear Santa, Do you know where heaven is? Maybe your reindeer know the way. For we have special presents we need delivered tonight for Christmas day. For Christmas is a time for sharing with those we hold so dear. Please take these gifts, with all our love for all the angels who are no longer here.... They are wrapped up in all our memories we once shared from the past. The ribbons and bows are all our dreams. Inside is filled with hugs and kisses. These are considered a very special parcel. Please Santa don't delay. We would love them to be in heaven in time for Christmas day. In loving memory of those we love, but forever live in our hearts.

When we started the PWB Joy of Hope Foundation we decided upon several short term and long term goals that we would like to accomplish. One of those short term goals for 2020 was to hold our First Annual PWB Golf Tournament. Due to Covid, we quickly realized that this was not going to become a reality with all the restrictions that are still in place. With that being said, our amazing village was there to help us think outside the box and come up with a way to fundraise a...nd honor Parker's memory on the golf course! On December 2, 2020, the dueling golf match between Patrick and Anthony Hawksby came to fruition at Bear's Best Country Club. These two have had a long standing bet about who could come out on top after a round of 18 holes. Other side bets were placed based on the number of birdies, boagies, etc. In the end, PWB Joy of Hope Foundation was the real winner! After 18 holes, the Foundation raised an amazing $4,500+!!! We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to the following people to made the 1st Annual PWB Golf Tournament a huge success!!! THANK YOU!!! Anthony Hawksby, Brett Burch, Chris Margelli, Shannon Sibbitt, Rob Fiorillo, Steve Robinson, Steve Cseplo, Ryan McArdle, Damien Mollere, and Head Golf Pro James Morra. Also THANK YOU to the golf cheerleaders who came out to celebrate afterwards! Thank you, Shelia Burch, Ali Margelli, KB Robinson, Jenny TBird Gabriel, MK Fiorillo, and Mandy Boring!

The one precious ornament that no parent should ever have to hang on their Christmas tree... Although it's so sad to see the empty chair, it also brings back so many fantastic memories. This was Parker's favorite seat in the house. This was HIS rocking chair! Parker’s seat is saved in front of our tree as a reminder that he indeed is always here wrapped up tightly in our hearts. The chair itself is also very special indeed considering that it has been passed down through t...he years to every Burch grandchild. This morning a video memory popped up that reminded me that even though we all complain about the Elf on the Shelf, it's these little moments of magic that we all remember and cherish that provide us joy and hope. Enjoy the video here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8FgzN5Mj37ahSDsP9

*********UPDATE********* Good morning! We wanted to give a quick update about the PWB Christmas Angel Gift Card Tree benefiting the young ladies at Jesse's House. We'd love to gift each girl a total of $200 worth of gift cards. We hope this will bring them a little hope and joy during this holiday season. ... As of this morning we have been able to help and support 3 1/2 girls; we still have 4 1/2 girls that we'd love to spread joy and hope to. We are still in need of the following: *19 - $50 gift cards OR 38- $25 gift cards We need your help to ensure that these very special young ladies are blessed this holiday season. If interested in helping donate gift cards for one of these precious angels please let us know. If you'd like to send donations via PayPal or Venmo we will be happy to do the shopping for you as well! For those that have already sent monetary donations or have mailed/dropped off gift cards we can't THANK YOU enough!!! We'd like to have everything collected by Friday, December 18th so everything can be delivered the week of Christmas!

Tomorrow we will be thankful for the tears that have been shed because they remind us of the loving connection that reminds us of your every lasting light. Tomorrow we will be thankful for the memories, they brighten the road of grief, they remind us of the love shared and provide a small relief. Tomorrow we will be thankful for the love felt so strongly in our soul, love continues living forever, keeping us together and whole. ... Tomorrow we are thankful for friends, those who haven't walked away, they saw our broken hearts and chose to sit and stay. Tomorrow we are thankful for the precious time, for the moments that were too few, through the tears that are shed, we are so very thankful for you. Tomorrow we will confess our thanks, but also our sadness because of the empty place at our table. We may not ever fully understand why you were taken so early, but it has definitely taught us to savor the moments we have with one another, to rightly remember what we have lost, but also to look forward in joy and hope that we are one day closer to being reunited. We are truly thankful for our family and friends near and far and we hope that each and everyone of you have a very blessed Thanksgiving.

We are super excited to share our PWB Christmas Angel Gift Card Tree. We have partnered with Jesse's House, a local non-profit that works with neglected and abused youth females. We'd love to gift each girl a total of $200 worth of gift cards. We hope this will bring them a little hope and joy during this holiday season. Here is a breakdown of what we need:... *64 - $25 GC's OR *32 - $50 GC's We need your help to ensure that these very special young ladies are blessed this holiday season. If interested in helping donate gift cards for one of these precious angels please let us know. If you'd like to send donations via PayPal or Venmo we will be happy to do the shopping for you as well! We'd like to say a HUGE Thank You Ashton Leigh Beads for donating a handmade piece of jewelry to add to the gift card tree for each resident! If you make or know someone who would love to contribute a special item we'd be more than happy to include it within the gift card trees. The Burch Family will also be providing a very special Christmas dinner that will be delivered to the residents from their favorite restaurant the day that their gift card trees are delivered.

Looking for an easy way to provide a shimmer of Joy and Hope this holiday season? What an amazing impact this could have on your children...seeing you 1st hand giving back to those that have fell on hard times...this is how we bring about positive change, this is how we instill gratitude, and this is how we choose to raise our daughter. Walmart always has these plush blankets for $2.50, at pretty much any location. I know it may not feel like it right now, but sooner rathe...r than later it’s going to be getting unbearably cold. These are a nice thing to have in your car for when you’re stopped at a light and making uncomfortable eye contact with that man or woman holding a sign asking for help. Two dollars and fifty cents is less than what most people pay for their coffee in the morning. I know a lot of people shy away from giving money, so I thought this was worth sharing as an alternative. We all know being cold is the worst, imagine not having anywhere to go to escape it. See more

On this Veterans Day, let us all take a moment and honor our heroes in uniform serving today and to those heroes who have served in the past, let's remember our national promise to fulfill our sacred obligations to our veterans and their families who have sacrificed so much so that we can enjoy the freedom we treasure today. It's about making sure Veterans have the care they need and the benefits that they've earned when they come home. In war, there are no unwounded soldier...s. PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is so incredibly honored to support Shepherd’s Men, an organization that raises funds and awareness for the SHARE Military Initiative at Shepherd Center, a treatment program for veterans with TBI and PTSD. http://www.shepherdsmen.com/

To say that I am completely humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude for Meals by Grace is an understatement. This morning Courtney and I volunteered at the Meals by Grace client choice food pantry. Our eyes were definitely opened to the needs of our fellow community members. During our 4 hour shift, we helped pack roughly 80 family pantry bags (that's an average of 320 people), pack snack bags for student break bags, deliver bags to the clients cars, and restock the pantry s...helves. There were definitely moments when I felt myself getting teary eyed looking into the eyes of my fellow neighbors and seeing that they looked the same as you and I, they talk the same as you and I, but they have fallen on hardship and need our assistance. They were still gracious, humbled, blessed, and most of all human. After reading this article https://herviewfromhome.com/living-i-was-the-angel-on-the-/ and volunteering today it has made me completely rethink what I need to give for food drives. Like you, I’ve been guilty of giving the pie filling in the back of the pantry. But not anymore...when I know better, I do better. My eyes are wide open now to something I should have thought of on my own. If you are local, I challenge you to grab a few extra jars of pasta sauce (HUGE need every week) and drop it off to help Meals by Grace prepare to feed many families this holiday season. If you live out of town, you can always donate using this Amazon wish list and everything will be shipped directly to Meals by Grace: https://amzn.to/3kdetWv If you are interested in volunteering with Meals by Grace, please check this out link: https://mealsbygrace.org/Volunteer.aspx

In honor of Veteran's Day that we will celebrate this Wednesday, if you have 2 minutes of free time, visit pack.crownroyal.com! For NO charge, they will send a care package to military personnel consisting of the 4 snacks that you chose!... It’s totally FREE, takes a small amount of time, and sends some good vibes to those that are serving our country! I chose beef jerky, peanut butter packets, assorted nuts, and tea! What did you choose to send?

Check out the video that PWB Joy of Hope debuted in! So thankful, grateful, and blessed to be part of something way bigger than we could ever imagine!

The Joy and Hope of Election Day If you are like me, you probably feel that our country feels chaotic, messy, and unrecognizable.... We HAVE to be better...not for us but for our kids... All they know is news of violence and chaos because apparently those two things are so prevalent that no one bothers to report on anything else. All they know is images of business owners boarding up their windows in preparation for the outcome of an election. All they know is that adults can’t discuss opposing beliefs respectfully, without hatred being flung back and forth and superiority being worn like a crown. All they know is that love and kindness reign only when someone shares your exact beliefs. All they know is campaign signs that use foul language and hate speech. All they know is that differences divide us. This should not be. We have to do better for our kids. I am certain that the way of hatred and bickering and violence and riots and disrespect and bullying is not the path we want our kids to follow. Adults need to demonstrate the ability to live peacefully despite inevitable differences and disagreements. It’s my prayer that they’ll live amongst people who love each other deeply knowing that it covers a multitude of sins (and differing beliefs.) We’re not going to agree on everything, friends. But I hope we can teach our children that we don’t have to agree in order to be decent to one another. So, no matter the outcome of this election...let's come together as One Nation Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for ALL.

Happy Halloween! Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and spooky night filled with all your favorite treats!

I am usually not at a loss for words...but the outpouring of love and generosity for our community has left me speechless and overwhelmed with emotion! We are so honored, humbled, and blessed to announce that PWB Joy of Hope Foundation just dropped off 52 Thanksgiving boxes to The Place of Forsyth County! That's right...with your help and generous donations 52 families will be able to enjoy a less stressful holiday without trying to figure out how to put a meal on... the table. A wise man once said, "The sum of many is greater than one." When we are able to put our resources together, the more people will benefit. We did not do this alone...A HUGE THANK YOU to the following supporters: *PWB Joy of Hope Foundation *Jennifer Sibbitt *Adrienne Capers *Kelly Bullard *Tanya Therriault *Wendy Sarlay *Jeff and Dana Baum *Juile and Mitch Stephens *Traci Galatas *Tami Huntley *Heather Steve *Lamar Sibbitt *Jim Marrow *Laura Elder *Annalyce Flynt *Shelia and Brett Burch *Peyton and Reesie Burch *Carlos Perez *Ali and Chris Margelli *Sue and Steve Cseplo *Lynda and Ryan Hurt *Lisa and Paul Westerlind *Steve Lesser *Jimmy Johnson *Mandi Falat *Alison Workman *Jackie Schuler *Kim Paquette *Courtney and Damien Mollere *Brenda and Johnny Kenyon *MK and Rob Fiorillo *Jenny T Bird Gabriel *Laurel and Jason Latta *Ryan McArdle

Have you taken a moment to pause and truly understand what you have to be grateful for today? PWB Joy of Hope is grateful for YOU! Thank you for the continued love and support!

It's hard to turn the page when you know someone won't be in the next chapter, but the story must go on. Parker's life was a blessing, his memory is a treasure, he is loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. So very thankful for the amazing memories

Who is ready and willing to adopt a family in need this Thanksgiving season? Below you will find the requested Thanksgiving shopping list from The Place of Forsyth. The estimated food cost is $23.54 + $25.00 gift card= $48.54 (Walmart prices.) ... We will be collecting Thanksgiving boxes at our house that will then be delivered to The Place by Oct. 30th. If you don't have time to go get the needed supplies, we will also do the shopping for you! Simply send me payment via PayPal or Venmo and your Thanksgiving box will be filled and delievered! Please feel free to PM me if you need info on our PayPal or Venmo accounts. Let's come together and serve our community with a holiday filled with Joy and Hope.

You just don't know the stories of those around you. You don't know the burden they carry. You don't know the heartache behind the busy. You just don't know. And sometimes people are doing their very best in the moment. Maybe they cut you off with the cart at the grocery store, but maybe they are rushing somewhere because of an emergency. Maybe they don't respond with kindness, but maybe they just received devastating news. So I remind myself, "not everything is about you." ... Because there are moments where I just need that grace too. That ability of another human to just love, to just be kind, to just forgive my impatience. Be kind. Be patient. We all have stories that are so often unseen. It's a lot easier to find joy by spreading hope to those around us.

October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. 1 in 4 women experience pregnancy or infant loss. This month we remember and stand beside all mothers around the world who have experienced the pain of losing a child. On October 25th, 1988 President Ronald Reagan declared October Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month by saying the following:... When a child loses his parent, they are called an orphan. When a spouse loses her or his partner, they are called a widow or widower. When parents lose their child, there isn’t a word to describe them." At 7 P.M. many from all around the world will light a candle in remembrance of all the babies who have passed... It's called the "Wave of Light". If everyone lights a candle and keeps it burning for at least one hour, there will be a continuous wave of light over the entire world. Please join in and light a candle to help remember all of the sweet babies who left too soon.

When you look at this photo you probably just see Emerson and Camille goofing off in a photo booth...for us it's a true blessing in disguise. This photo was taken the night of January 30th, the night we received friends and family at Parker's service. We made arrangements for Emerson to attend the service for about an hour and then she left so she could go to Stars and Strikes for an unbelievable evening of fun, laughter, smiles, popcorn, cotton candy, slushies, arcade game...s, bowling, and pure innocent enjoyment along with Camille, Porter, Jake, and Jack. These amazing members of our village took on the task of entertaining Emerson on one of the hardest days for our family; and for that we are eternally grateful. When they dropped Emerson off the guys stated that their only goal for the night was to earn as many tickets as humanly possible so that Emerson could get the Princess LED Light that she saw along the top shelf of prizes...let's just say that the light is in her room so mission accomplished! As you can see by the huge smile in the photo booth picture, Emerson had the night of her life! We will always consider you as Emerson's Heroes For that, we say Thank You!

These amazing young athletes are definitely Parker's Heroes! They may not wear super hero capes but they wear their helmets with PWB pride! We are so incredibly blessed to see Parker's light shining bright when they hit the field. I couldn't agree more that children are God's expression of hope. These young athletes give us joy and hope knowing that our sweet little Parker touched many lives.

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is happy to introduce yet another partner charity that we are honored to team up with. Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is a not-for-profit organization that provides specialized care to kids from all walks of lifebut we don’t do it alone. The mission of the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through the philanthropic support of individual donors, charitable foundations and corporations.... Every day, lifesaving work happens at Children’s Healthcare of Atlantafrom pediatric cancer treatments and organ transplants to fracture care and appendectomies. The Children’s Foundation relies on volunteers in the hospitals and in the community. Each year, in-hospital volunteers donate more than 127,000 hours of their time and community volunteer groups raise millions for Children’s through fundraising activities and events. As a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing high-quality pediatric care to the kids in our community, we depend on the generous support of donors to help uphold our mission and perform the work we do each day. We are grateful to all of our donors for their support. When Emerson turned 6, instead of asking for gifts for herself she asked for donations of games, puzzles, etc for CHOA. We delivered them CHOA Scottish Rite and was able to take a quick tour of the inner workings of the hospital as well as visiting The Zone where patients go to have fun and get away from the hustle and bustle of their hospital room. The Zone is a special recreation room where doctors and nurses are not allowed.

We couldn't have been more blessed by the LDM Tech Heroes who developed PWB Joy of Hope website. www.pwbjoyofhope.com

THE TRAIN: At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel by our side. As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, strangers and even the love of your life. However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone. Others will step down over time and leave a permanent vacuum. Some, however, will go so unnoticed th...at we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves. The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life. I wish you a joyful journey for the coming years on your train of life. Reap success, give lots of love and be happy. More importantly, thank God for the journey! Lastly, I want to thank YOU for being one of the passengers on my train!

Who is ready for Fall Fun on the Farm? PWB Joy of Hope Foundation has sponsored a scarecrow scene at Warbington Farms! ... Want to win 4 free Family Park passes? The 1st family who takes a selfie in front of our scarecrow scene and posts a picture on either of our social media pages WINS!!! Passes can be used this Fall or Spring. A huge THANK YOU to all the amazing ladies who helped put together these very special scarecrows!

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers....Continue reading

Joy. Hope. Faith. Love.

On this day... 19 years ago 246 people went to sleep in preparation for their morning flights. 2,606 people went to sleep in preparation for work in the morning. 343 firefighters went to sleep in preparation for their morning shift. 60 police officers went to sleep in preparation for morning patrol. 8 paramedics went to sleep in preparation for the morning shift. None of them saw past 10:00am Sept 11, 2001. In one single moment life may never be the same. As you live and enjoy the breaths you take today and tonight before you go to sleep in preparation for your life tomorrow, kiss the ones you love, snuggle a little tighter, and never take one second of your life for granted. #wewillneverforget

Finding JOY: A single drop of HOPE can be a very powerful thing - the universe loves a persistent heart.

We're truly honored and humbled that PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is in the news! https://www.forsythnews.com//forsyth-county-couple-wants-/

You gave my a place to land. You gave my something to hold. I am because of you.

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation would like to introduce you to another PWB Hero, Matt Thomas with PTS Promotional. Matt and his team have assisted in the design of the PWB Joy of Hope promotional gear. This hat is more than just a hat; it's a conversation starter for our journey; a way for us to educate and spread joy and hope in Parker's honor. It's a way we advertise the amazing ways we plan to make Forsyth County and North Georgia communities a better place for all. We are forever grateful that you are part of our village and walking this journey along side with us. Thank you SO very much PTS Promotional!!! *As of right now, we have not added promotional gear to our website or social media pages, but stay tuned!*

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation would like to introduce you to another PWB Hero, Kelly Craft Hayes. Kelly took our vision for the PWB Joy of Hope logo and worked her magic and produced a masterpiece for us. The logo far exceeded our expectation but it's absolutely perfect for our family and Bubba's Foundation. We are forever grateful that you are part of our village and walking this journey along side with us. Thank you SO very much Kelly!!!

Meet our AMAZING LDM Tech Heroes There are not enough ways for us to say Thank You for this special gift. We are completely blown away by the compassion, love, and generosity by these phenomenal heroes!!... Caitlin DiMare-Oliver: VP of Non-Auto Services Deb Mitchell: Senior Project Manager Ian Merlak: Analytics Team Lead Crystal Mack: Senior Copywriter Allison Hartman: Social Media Manager Mark DiMare: Web Developer Bert Berousek: SEO Team Lead Deepayan Bose: Graphic Designer

We are thrilled to announce that the official PWB Joy of Hope Foundation website has gone LIVE!!! We were beyond blessed to have worked with LDM (Launch Digital Marketing) on this endeavor. We had an amazing team of Tech Heroes that built a beautiful platform for us to be able to keep Parker’s light shining bright within our community. We now have one common place to fundraise, advertise upcoming volunteer events, and show everyone how we’re making an impact in Parker’s honor. Please join us as we launch https://www.pwbjoyofhope.com/

An absolutely beautiful reminder that You Are Loved and Not Alone.

Emerson and I had the privilege of volunteering this morning with Meals By Grace on behalf of PWB Joy of Hope Foundation. Our job was to sort, organize, and pack age appropriate books to be given out to struggling families who are in need of assistance with school supplies and student break bags. Break bags are supplemental meal bags for school aged children that assist families during breaks from school. ... Volunteering is a way to plant seeds of love that help countless hearts to grow. This is the first of many seeds that will be planted in Parker's honor! If interested in volunteering with this amazing organization, take a look at the upcoming volunteer calendar: https://mealsbygrace.org/Calendar.aspx

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is truly honored to be partnering with an organization called Shepherd's Men. Shepherd's Men is an organization comprised of dedicated patriots committed to creating advocacy and opportunity for our nation's veteran heroes who have been affected by the hidden injuries of war. They serve our noble warriors by means of outreach, empowerment, and funding of treatment. It is their belief that victory in combat is achieved on two fronts; on the field and... in the mind. They share the burden and lift up our warfighters in need, who have protected our freedoms and sacrificed so much for this country. They strive to identify those veterans who are at risk and have not yet found effective treatment to restore them back to health, either physically or emotionally. Each day 22 American Veterans make permanent decisions to end their own lives. That's unacceptable to us and the team at Shepherd's Men. As an organization they are fighting to take that horrific statistic to zero. As children of war heros, we are committed to spreading joy and hope to those who gifted us our freedoms.

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is excited and honored to partner with another amazing community organization called No Longer Bound. For over 27 years, No Longer Bound has been at the forefront of addiction recovery. As one of the few long-term, faith-based, clinical, and residential programs in the nation, NLB is a place for men battling addiction to find acceptance, connection, and new life. Their mission is to rescue addicts, regenerate men and reconcile families. As a 12-mo...nth program, men have ample time to gain valuable vocational training in one of their four revenue generating industriesCars4Recovery, NLB Furniture, NLB Thrift or NLB STUDIOS. With 100% employment at the time of graduation, men completing NLB leave free from addiction and ready for a second chance at life. If addiction breaks your heart, there is help and a resourceNo Longer Bound. Located in Cumming, Georgia (a northern suburb of metro Atlanta), NLB is situated on an 8-acre campus and has capacity for 40 men. NLB’s regeneration program reaches beyond the symptom of addiction and ministers to the whole man--mind, body and spirit. In addition to the 12-month residential program, NLB offers Family Recovery classes and a 6-month internship program for men who've graduated the program. For more information, about No Longer Bound’s life saving ministry, please visit: www.nolongerbound.com or call: 770-886-7873.

Family Family can be defined many ways, but our family encompasses those that are related by birth, marriage, and friendship. We are extraordinarily lucky to be blessed by an amazing support group we call Framily! We each and everyone of you and grateful to have you by our side guiding us through this journey called life!

Without a shadow of doubt, we know that Parker created numerous "ripples" in his short little life. We are honored and blessed to keep his light shining on through the creation of the PWB Joy of Hope Foundation. Thank you for your love and support.

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is honored to be partnering with Meals by Grace. This amazing organization is a true asset to Forsyth and Dawson County. Keep on the lookout for an upcoming PWB Service Day to be announced! Meals by Grace works to ensure children go to bed happy, not hungry by working in a reciprocal partnership between the community and families to learn and to grow, with the goal of moving toward self-sufficiency. Meals by Grace meets from 1pm-3pm every Sunday... and the 2nd Saturday of the month to prepare a hot meal, assemble other food items, then go deliver the food to the children in their program. Meals by Grace is creating a meaningful relationship with the hungry children and their families with meals to end their food insecurity, utilizing the community as a holistic resource to nurture under-resourced families to self-sufficiency. Meals by Grace brings food, hope, and transformation to children and families in need with resources from our community and aquaponic farm. Please check out their website https://mealsbygrace.org/Default.aspx so that you can sign up to volunteer your time preparing meals for those less fortunate. Meals by Grace also has a client choice food pantry that feeds about 900 people a week, two mobile pantries, and through delivery to the homes of children determined to be food insecure by school social workers. To donate to the client choice food pantry, take advantage of their Amazon Wish List located here: http://bit.ly/MBG_list, or add a few items to your family's buggy and drop off 10 to 4 Tue through Fri at 432A Canton Rd., Cumming (left end of Ingles). Or 24/7 at 775 Sanders Road, Cumming. They can only keep the Pantry open because of your generosity!

PWB Joy of Hope Foundation is proud to be an active participant in the Flags for Education program. It not only helps many deserving school aged students in our county, but also spreads a life long love of patriotism. Please join us as we introduce another fantastic community organization that will benefit from donations given. The Sawnee-Cumming Optimist Club’s Optimist Flags for Education program is a fundraiser that provides three-by-five-foot flags in people’s front yar...ds during six national holidays, with the proceeds benefitting the Morrow Community Foundation. The foundation supports the Forsyth County Schools Bring Your Own Technology, or BYOT, initiative, which provides internet access and hotspot devices to students in need. Through BYOT in the past couple years, internet has been provided to several hundred homes. FCS uses modern technology in the classroom and expects students to use that technology outside the classroom, however some students don’t have internet technology, so they joined with the Morrow Foundation to help provide internet access and devices to students who need them all while remaining true to their initiative of bringing out the best in kids. Jim and Peggie Morrow, who own Morrow Family Medicine in Cumming, formed the foundation in 2013 when they learned that more than 2,000 families in Forsyth County did not have internet in their homes. Since starting the Morrow Community Foundation and raising funds to provide the internet for these deserving students, they have been blessed by sponsors, volunteers and participants who are helping make technology a reality for those who did not have it. A subscription to the Optimist Flags for Education program is $40 per flag per year. For more information, email [email protected].

With great respect in our hearts, let's give our thanks to all the great soldiers who have made and continue to make our land free on this Fourth of July. Stay safe everyone and enjoy the time with your friends, family, and loved ones!

We would like to take a moment to introduce you to an amazing organization that will benefit from PWB Joy of Hope Foundation. Jesse’s House Inc., originally known as the Forsyth County Youth Shelter, was founded in 1998. They currently serve girls up to age 21 who are still in DFCS care. Their new shelter serves a capacity of 12 female youth. Each youth is provided with an individual bedroom as well as a library/computer lab, fitness room, game room, basketball court and comm...on room. They are allowed to remain in their care until more permanent housing can be found. Since inception in 1998, Jesse’s House has served over 900 female youth from over 21 counties in Georgia. Jesse’s House takes pride in providing a safe haven and excellent care of these young ladies during a difficult period in their lives. Although they are not currently accepting drop off donations right now due to Covid-19, they would greatly appreciate anything sent via Amazon. Please email [email protected] for delivery mailing address. Dream Dinners offers virtual e-gift cards as well to help with meals. Please enter the email: [email protected] when purchasing. https://dreamdinners.com/main.php?page=gift_card_order During this difficult time, food donations are extremely helpful as well. Grocery store food or treating our girls to a meal from a local restaurant is a special treat for them. It helps us and the economy. Thank you for your consideration and stay well! Email us at [email protected] to coordinate a time to drop off your items. Jesse's House always appreciates gift card donations that can be used for girls needs throughout the year. Gift cards could vary from Visa, Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Academy Sports, AMC, Nail gift certificates, etc. Please find a Donation List of Resident Personal Items that are always a necessity: Exfoliating Face Cleanser, Face Cleanser for Sensitive Skin, Teen Multivitamins, Popular Teen Body Sprays and Perfume, Slippers (Women’s Sizes 8, 9 and 10), No-show socks (Women’s Sizes 6 12), Underwear (Women’s Sizes 5 9). Please find a Donation List of Resident Shelter Items that are always a necessity: Clear Hand Soap (Refill Bottles), Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Laundry Pods for HE Washers, Lysol Wipes, Lysol Spray, Swiffer Wet Cloth Refills, Pledge or Furniture Spray, Sanitary shoe covers, Please find a Donation List of Resident Panty Items that are always a necessity: School snacks individually wrapped (crackers, granola bars, yogurt, cheese its, individual chip bags, pop tarts), Fruits (bananas, oranges, apples, peaches), Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes, Alfredo Sauce, Ketchup, Honey Mustard, Mayonnaise, Italian Dressing, and Low-sugar Fruit Cups. Please find a Donation List of Resident School Supply Items that are always a necessity: 2020 Student Day-planners, Mechanical Pencils, Printer Copy Paper and Dry-erase Expo Markers Thank you for your support of the children placed in the care of Jesse’s House!

The smell of new crayons. The precision point on new colored pencils. The sturdiness of a new backpack. The potential of that new calculator. The blank slate of possibilities in that new spiral notebook. We remember fondly the joys of selecting school supplies and the confidence we felt walking in on the first day with our brand new superhero backpacks and princess lunch boxes. For many students in our county, however, the joy of selecting schools supplies is not known and ...more importantly the confidence on that first day is not felt. The goal of providing over 2000 school supply kits to our local schools has been set. Will you help us meet that goal? Your generosity is their success. Purchase a school supply kit at the link below or bring in a new backpack, and give an incredible kid the confidence needed to face their face day of school. https://theplaceofforsyth.flipcause.com//cause_pd/ODUzMjQ=

SUDC is the fifth leading category of death among children ages 1 to 4 in the U.S., yet receives no targeted public funding for research. Please help us urge the National Institutes of Health to support targeted research funding for SUDC. Thank you for signing and sharing our petition to make this happen! Sign the petition here:... https://p2a.co/kXYbb7S See more

It's time to spread some joy and hope with positivity to overshadow all the negativity. Always remember to be the rain to someone's flower...

Over the next few weeks, we would like to highlight various organizations that we have chosen that are near and dear to our family that will benefit from the PWB Joy of Hope Foundation donations via volunteering our time, monetary support, and/or home and food donations. We are happy to announce that we have teamed up with North Georgia Community Foundation who will host our 501c3 taxable donations account. NGCF helps people with a heart for giving back, invest in organizat...ions and causes they care about most, invest in building strong nonprofits that address the needs of our community, and keep our finger on the pulse of local issues to identify opportunities for change. NGCF will serve as a connector to local issues because it takes us all working together to bring about change. We are excited to bridge this relationship as we begin to share Parker's legacy within our local community. See more

Welcome to PWB Joy of Hope Foundation! We are truly honored and blessed to have the ability to keep Parker's light shining down on our community with this foundation. We are in the process of building out all the social media platforms (official PWB Joy of Hope website, Facebook, and Instagram pages). Thank you for showing your support of our family's vision of how we will continue to support local initiatives that are near and dear to us. Stay tuned to learn how you too can make a difference in Parker's honor!

As of May 29th, 73,629 meals... how is that even possible?! Our volunteers can tell you that it just takes a LOT of food to feed 280 to 330 families every week. And now we are down to relying heavily on all of your food donations to do just that. The food banks still have virtually nothing for us to order. And what about the families? Your food gifts are helping them maintain some sense of stability. Several families have lost beloved grandparents, some who held their familie...s together. Others have lost long-time jobs.... a sudden blow to finances. THANK YOU for continuing to fill in the food gaps for your neighbors! We are privileged to stand beside you to help them stretch their resources and feed their children. Please use this link to order from Amazon: http://bit.ly/MBG_list, or add a few items to your family's buggy and drop off 10 to 4 Tue through Fri at 432A Canton Rd., Cumming (left end of Ingles). Or 24/7 at 775 Sanders Road, Cumming. We can only keep the Pantry open because of your generosity!

Every year The Place collects school supplies for area students. This year, though the collection looks different, the need remains. In preparation for the 2020 school, we are collecting supplies for over 2200 students. Due to COVID-19, limited space, and social distancing measures, we are hosting a virtual school supply drive. If you'd like to help purchase supply kits and/or calculators, please visit the following link. Let's send our students back to school with the suppli...es they need to be successful. The Place of Forsyth County - where every Person, Dollar, and Hour has a PURPOSE. https://theplaceofforsyth.flipcause.com//cause_pd/ODUzMjQ=