"To Do" and "Thank You"

First and foremost, THANK YOU for the donations that have been arriving! We were able to fund a major portion of a dream trip for a family who really, really deserved it. The smiles on the girls' faces were worth a million dollars. Actually, they were priceless. Thank you for making that dream come true for one amazing family. Our current mission is to support families facing difficult times due to medical problems. This dream perfectly fit the bill of showing how a little bit of money, when put toward a good cause, can change lives for the better.

Planning Abby's 1st birthday party has taken up most of my free time, and so I've been compiling my to-do list toward setting up the charity and will hopefully get to tackle it after the party. I want to keep you informed on my progress, so you know where your donations will going and why they are important. On my current to-do list are the following:

::: Set up the charity with official 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. I hope to do this before the end of the tax year. If anyone is knowledgeable in this area and would like to help, please let me know!!!

::: Once this is done, I can create a bank account for the charity to keep it as transparent as possible. Right now all the donations are filtered through us, and I know I'm honest but I want to be sure our donors know that, too. :-)

::: "Brand" the TEAM ABBY name. This includes a logo, slogan, color scheme, and website. Again, if you have any great ideas in this area share the love and let me know! Even if you have an idea for the logo or are willing to brainstorm one, I'd appreciate the creative juices I know are flowing throughout the TEAM ABBY community.

::: Create a more solidified mission. As I browse other charities like Abby's, it's obvious what their mission is. Some examples are a charity that purchases 5-point harness booster seats for low-income families (http://www.kyledavidmiller.org/) or funds nights in the Parker House for families with a CDH child (www.theparkerreesefoundation.com). For Abby, it's hard to pinpoint a cause to focus on. Our lives were changed (for better or worse) because of vasa previa, head cooling, kidney disease, blood donations, feeding issues, GERD, nursing care, medical supplies, advocacy with insurance companies... the list is endless. The one thing that ties them all together is the support we received each step of the way. That's why I keep coming back to supporting other families... the question is, what's the most tangible way to do that? Any ideas, folks?

::: Create a schedule of upcoming fundraisers. I have lots of ideas, but need to focus on the ones that can get "the most bang for our buck". And by buck, I mean "time". Which will require the least amount of work for the most money raised?

::: Post articles that help families such as ours. My first one will be a NICU Survival Guide for families. Other topics: how to support a NICU family, helpful tips for what to do when your child comes home, tips for hospital stays with children, ideas for helping a baby with reflux, etc. Of course I'll need input from those who have also faced these situations, so if you have ideas for the first article (NICU Survival Guide) please email them to me!

That's enough To-Dos for now, although of course I have more. Thank you, once again, for your donations and helping fund the dreams and needs of families facing seemingly insurmountable situations connected to medical needs. If you can't help monetarily now, is there anything on our to-do list that tickled your fancy? If so, let me know-- either post a comment or email me carrie {dot} higgins {at} gmail {dot} com!!!