Month: November 2016

Thanksgiving On A Daily Basis

/ HPLACharities.org / Leave a comment

As the thanksgiving week comes to an end and the thrill of “Black Friday” bargains are in the rear view mirror our attention can turn on the last remaining days of the holiday season and on to escorting 2016 into it’s final sunset and on to the final stroke at midnight which will usher in 2017.

Celebration is a wonderful thing and it is interesting to ask, “what do you have to be thankful for and which joyful time will you celebrate the most?” The coming celebration of Christ’s birth is the reason for the season!!! Will you be celebrating that event?

There are millions of things to be grateful and thankful for and for everyone there has to be something good to celebrate. Being alive has my vote and the ability to see & hear all that is going on in this world today is another. Cognitive.

In our business of giving it is the gratitude and celebrating we get credit for providing that we give thanks for. Experiencing our fellow citizens shedding tears over the repair of a broken faucet or leaking roof. We get the hugs and the thanks because we are the ones that do the actual work. For each of you who have volunteered you know that feeling. You know the sacrifice you made to see this joy. I am sure there are scenes which would far exceed the joy these folks feel. Seeing the birth of your first child, having a loved one come home from a dangerous journey, living a full life after being told you only had months to live but joy has no degree exactly. It is variable at best but if joy and sadness started in the middle joy would go positively higher and sadness would go negatively lower.

There may be some joy in being consistently sad I guess. However that model does not fit in this example. In our experiences we see an increase in happiness as a result of our work. If you haven’t read our home page I invite you to please do so. The key point of our giving is to help people who are truly hurting through no fault of their own. In some cases that gets to be a slippery slope but we learn and we grow and we try to make a difference in that someone may turn their lives around because of our generosity even if they did not deserve it.

I want to make it very clear that all the labor we can recruit and all the strength that we can muster is in vain unless we have donors who provide the parts, supplies and materials we need to compete the repair. That is where you come in. Your gifts of money is what buys those resources and gives us the opportunity to receive all the praise. We encourage your gift of time and do need it as desperately as money at times. The need for skilled craftsmen in all the building trades is tremendous and just common labors willing to do some pulling and toting is of great support for us.  We have our tools provided by sponsors who give these resources freely as we give our labor. Habitaciones Para Latinos Association started helping poor Latinos but has found that there are more poor people than just latinos so we do not discriminate. Instead those who come first are helped first. If a dire emergency arises these folks have always been willing to wait until we can back to them or some other volunteers can be recruited. That brings us joy too. We will never run out of work although we do pray GOD would put us out of business due to the lack of needy people.

In this season of giving we encourage each of you to consider a small donation for HPLA. We are currently working as funds become available and do not want to stop due to lack of funds. Find the donate button on our banner and remember that no salaries or operational expenses are paid for by your donations. Sincere regards and may you be showered with God’s blessings everyday. May you be thankful everyday and may your joy in life always improve.

Habitaciones Para Latinos Association

A Time To Give-A Great Message Share

/ HPLACharities.org / Leave a comment

As a graduate of the University of Missouri Kansas City Campus I was led to share this important message. Please know that Habitaciones  Para Latinos Association, like UMKC, can only exist with contributions from you.

Give a Gift Before Year’s End

While most people give to their favorite charitable organizations year round, we know that October through December are the months that Americans are most likely to give back. It’s toward the end of the year when many of us look back on how fortunate we have been and decide how we can make a bigger impact in the world.

We know that your decision to support University of Missouri-Kansas City comes from the heart. But did you know that your gift may also qualify for a tax break this year when you itemize deductions on your federal income tax return? Take a look at the gift options below and how each one benefits you and UMKC if given before the end of the year.

  • Cash contributions sent through the mail are usually deductible if they are mailed by midnight on Dec. 31.
  • Stock is generally deductible on the date it is fully transferred (if done electronically) to our books—not the date you ask your broker to make the transfer.
  • Real estate gifts, in most states, are considered complete on the date a properly executed deed is delivered to us.
  • Tangible personal property gifts are complete once the property is delivered to us.
  • Life insurance gifts are considered complete on the date you sign the paperwork transferring ownership to UMKC, assuming you properly forward the form on to the insurance company.

Finish Strong in 2016

Year-end giving not only helps UMKC finish the year strong, but it also benefits you. If you have any questions about supporting our mission before the end of 2016, please feel free to contact Jeff Chapman at 816-235-5554 or chapmanjeff@umkcfoundation.org. We look forward to helping you.

The information on this website is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to estate and income taxes include federal taxes only. State income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.

Dia de los Muertos 2016

/ HPLACharities.org / Leave a comment

From The Dallas News (on-line) November 1, 2016

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, which spans Nov. 1 and 2, is a tradition that’s been celebrated for thousands of years, tracing back to indigenous tribes in Mexico.

As the Latino population grows in Dallas and elsewhere, it’s become more mainstream and is lumped in with Halloween festivities. But unlike Halloween with its costumes and candy, the belief behind Dia de los Muertos is that deceased loved ones are given an opportunity to be back with their families. I encourage everyone to read and understand the significates of the tradition.

Segway to Little Eduard Ferro, which HPLA (Habitaciones Para Latino Association) has been helping, he too is back with family and for the past few days has been living the life expected for his future. He still wants to play, run, jump, climb etc. He is feed routinely by a stomach pump and receives water, very  carefully via a syringe. Medications are administered on a strict schedule and Eduard appears to be handling all the un-usual treatment just fine. He is monitored closely as his condition can change rapidly as we have seen. He is at the Doctor today.

In the past few days the home has had some more make overs and a complete rest room is coming together with the donation of a lavatory. The bedroom & living rooms are coming together so furniture and accessories can be added to entertain the children and provide much needed personal space.

There is a need for furnishings for the entire house, of course. Most importantly would be kitchen counters and a kitchen sink. Donations have been coming in but hardly enough to get everything done quickly so the highest priorities are being attacked first. Food has not been a problem but cooking on a charcoal grill has its limitations. Some purchases of fast food have become necessary and gives some variety. The cost of getting natural gas has become un-reachable as the house will need new service lines. Plan B is to go all electric so a gas stove is for sale in hopes of getting deal on an electric unit. HPLA will run a 220V line to the kitchen as donations come available for that expense.

HPLA has also been able to do other things for other needy people through the month of October and we are pleased that a set of stairs, being eaten away by termites, has been replaced. A leaky toilet which an oversize flapper was taken care of. A exterior wall also riddled by terminates is in progress. Currently a porch, which has become a hazard, is being evaluated and donations specific to that project are expected to arrive this week so that project can be completed.

Needless to say there is tremendous need in our world and for us at grassroots level who truly give up our time without any hidden agendas is overshadowed by organizations who have been doing good works for decades. We use 100% of donations to buy building materials and supplies and labor is voluntary. Licensed contractors or specialty craftsmen do not give 100% of their time so money has to be spent for that purpose.  we have been able however, to receive some excellent advise from  these specialty companies which has allowed us to move forward on projects which the homeowner is allowed to complete. Our sincere gratitude and prayers go to these wonderful folks. Also our volunteers who are the heartbeat of anything we do.

Would you please help? The smallest donations still carry great weight and provide screws, nails and small things essential to the work we do.

May God continue to bless I your life and my God Bless America.

Sincerely,

http://www.habitacionesparalatinos.org