Coming Up
Click here for the details on our birthday celebration Tuesday night! Also, Not Your Average Joe's will donate 15% of your purchases ALL DAY on Tuesday to COH - even takeout! But you must bring the certificate.
Circle of Hope is the featured "Treat Others Well" cupcake of the month at Treat Cupcake Bar, and HALF of all purchases will be donated to Circle of Hope.
Lyn Evans Event with the Needham Women's Club
On Thursday, November 7th, the Needham Women's Club will host an after-hours fashion event at Lyn Evans Potpourri Designs in Wellesley that will support COH. 6-9pm, wine, snacks, and fashion. Come join in the fun.
Soni Masur's Fall Craft Show If you haven't been to this event before, make sure you find time to drop by November 7-9. Shoppers are invited to bring new or gently used hats, gloves and scarves for men, women and children who need them that will be donated to COH! Click here to learn more.
Volunteer Training Ongoing
Volunteer Training is ongoing at Circle Of Hope. Email
b[email protected]
if you are interested in volunteering as a sorter, driver, or if you would like to prepare orders for delivery.
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Special Requests- Fall jackets and warmer coats for children, women, men
- Sweatshirts and sweatpants for children, women, men
- Men's jeans
If you have any of the above, please drop them off at 65 Rosemary Street during any of our drop-off times:
Monday, 9-10 AM
Tuesday, 4-5:00 PM
Wednesday, 9-10:00 AM
Wednesday, 3-4:00 PM
Thursday, 10-11:30 AM
Saturday, 9-11 AM
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We Love to Hear This...
It's notes like this, that motivate us to work harder. You, our supporters, will especially appreciate these words...
"Circle of Hope is about even more than clothing homeless people in times of need. It feeds the people who volunteer here."
Eileen Mullen
COH's NEW Volunteer Coordinator
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Go To Crew Update
The Go To Crew was especially busy and responsive this month. We put out two requests to this group of supporters who ask to be contacted when we don't have something a shelter needs. We also added the option of making a donation to the Go To Crew for supporters who would like to help but either don't have the items, or don't have the time to shop for them. This was a big hit - so thank you.
One of our requests was to support children who were being cared for by Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK). Meg Norsigian, an ATASK volunteer remarked upon receiving the delivery, "All of the things that were delivered are so cute! We couldn't be more thankful!"
We would also like to post a shout out two of our business partners. Both MMB Advertising Agency AND Charles River Apparel immediately initiated employee clothing drives requesting the desperately needed infant and toddler clothing. THANK YOU!
The Go To Crew is a small group of supporters receive an e-mail if a special need arises. Being a member of the Go To Crew does not obligate you to donate every time there is a need. If you would like to be a member of the Go To Crew, or know someone who would like to be on this e-mail list, just respond to this e-mail, or click here.
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Dear Friends of Circle of Hope,
What a special time for Circle of Hope! We turn five years old this month and we're so excited about our special birthday extravaganza on October 8th, complete with dining, shopping, and even custom designed cupcakes at Treat Cupcake Bar. You can celebrate all month by going to Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham and Chestnut Hill to enjoy those yummy COH cupcakes. Party on!
Since we were formed to serve the increasing population of those impacted by the economic crisis we've grown, thanks to the generosity of our donors and amazing volunteers. And, now we're growing in leaps and bounds! We've recently welcomed a new Volunteer Coordinator at Circle of Hope. You may have seen Eileen Mullen in the sorting room on Monday mornings for the past four years, always smiling and cheerful. Now you'll be seeing much more of her (yay!) in her new role as Circle of Hope's first-ever Volunteer Coordinator. Eileen isn't giving up her Monday mornings sorting, but rather she is also recruiting, training, and supervising the wonderful volunteers at Circle of Hope. With Eileen's help we'll be expanding our drop-off hours and adding more volunteer shifts at Circle of Hope.
So, come to the party tomorrow, join Circle of Hope, and see how many more people we can help!
With deepest thanks,
Barbara Waterhouse
Executive Director
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 We're 5...And We Have Big Plans
As we at Circle of Hope celebrate our fifth birthday (can you believe it?!) we are taking this time to reflect on how far we've come . From the early days of working out of a garage, to today operating from our current headquarters at 65 Rosemary Street. And we think of that first donation drop to Boston Heathcare for the Homeless, to now the 15 shelters and organizations where, by this time last year, we had donated more than $1 million in necessities to women, children, and men in need in Greater Boston. And as our fifth birthday approaches, we are ready to do more. Much more. As C.S. Lewis said, "Come further up, come further in!" Our goal to provide for those in need while preserving their dignity has never waivered but our vision is expanding. There are more organizations like Project Hope and Jewish Vocational Services Refugee Program, two that we support right now. We want to multiply with more of our own programs including Welcome Baby Bags and those that clothe older children. It has been with your dedication and support we have come this far and, together, helped so many. And this year we ask that you help us to expand the reach of this Circle we have all created, to surround and support more of the most vulnerable members of our community. For Circle of Hope, this is a very exciting time. You have hopefully heard from us about our upcoming birthday celebration on Tuesday. Soon you'll be hearing from us about our big plans for this coming year and beyond.
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 | | The Circle of Hope Cupcake at Treat Cupcake Bar! |
Cupcakes at Treat Cupcake Bar ALL MONTH
Like any self-respecting five year old, we would like to celebrate our birthday for an entire month. And we would like to do that with cupcakes. So thanks to Treat Cupcake Bar in Needham and Chestnut Hill, we are fulfilling that dream. Circle of Hope is the featured "Treat Others Well" cupcake of the month at Treat Cupcake Bar, and HALF of all purchases will be donated to Circle of Hope. For COH, that means more Welcome Baby Bags for homeless families...more toiletries and basic necessities for children, women, and men...new socks and underwear for homeless families and individuals struggling for independent lives.
So help us celebrate and support those we all care for by thinking of as many reasons as you can this month to buy our special cupcake at Treat Cupcake Bar. Hostess gifts? A Halloween party? Book Club? All are excellent reasons to enjoy some really great cupcakes for a very good cause. Treat Cupcake Bar is at 1450 Highland Avenue in Needham and 49 Boylston Street at The Street in Chestnut Hill.
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Because of YOU...
Because of people like YOU, Circle of Hope is able to help hundreds of people in Boston area homeless shelters and programs serving refugees and disadvantaged youth. Here are some of our stories from this month...Meet Heidi Wilson, COH Personal Shopper
 | | Heidi Wilson, COH Personal Shopper |
Whenever we get a request from any of the homeless shelters for an individual we don't have clothing or shoes for, COH Executive Director, Barbara Waterhouse sends a "shopping alert" to Heidi Wilson with a list of sizes we need. Heidi is Circle of Hope's official volunteer Personal Shopper. When Heidi gets the call, she runs out to places like Savers (a store with "gently used" clothing), Ocean State Job Lots, or Wal-Mart, to name a few. Heidi is a Saver's member and receives 50% off coupons on special shopping dates. She springs into action to snap up all the best items we always need, such as baby clothes, and larger size women and men's clothing. She has her favorite spots to hunt for new socks and underwear too.
Here's an excerpt from an e-mail from Heidi who had just been to Savers with a budget of $150. I needed to purchase warm clothing for 2-4T boys and girls and 6-18 months boys and girls. I thought it out and decided to pick only $1.99 or less items. To make sure I was on target I counted my hangers. I went thru all the clothes according to size.
I go up to the register and the cashier says, looking at my cart, "You must have a "preferred card," and I said, "Oh yes." (My carriage is OVERFLOWING.) So when she is done ringing up all the clothes, I had purchased 155 items and spent....drum roll.... $145!!!!!!!
Some morning you may see a large white SUV in the COH driveway with the door open and a woman carrying a porta-crib into Circle of Hope. That fleet-footed woman with the giant smile is Heidi. If you can catch her say "hello" or wave to the friendliest bargain shopper in Greater Boston.
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Wellness Warriors Fight for COH
Generosity comes from sometimes the most startling places. There is a group called Wellness Warriors whose mission is to "provide new opportunities for cancer survivors and caregivers to heal - both physically and emotionally - by being active participants in their own recovery and part of a mutually empowering dragon boat team." The members are made up of cancer survivors and caregivers.
A few weeks ago, Circle of Hope received no less than 22 bags of gently-used clothing that was the result of a clothing drive held by members of the Wellness Warriors. Board member Nancy Passavant said, "The team was proud to help. While we have certainly faced our challenges, there are others out there who are even less fortunate than we are. Thankfully there are people like you and your team who really care and do what they can to help in a very meaningful and effective way!" We are delighted and ever so grateful to receive this truly meaningful donation. Already this clothing has been delivered to the families and individuals who need it most. Thank you Wellness Warriors for including COH in your lives.
To learn more about what the team sport of dragon boating is all about and Wellness Warriors, click here.
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