Sunday, August 28, 2016

UDS Youth & Children, Singing for Joy!

Dear Star Supporter,

You make our hearts sing! Your big-heartedness provided over 250 children with school supplies for their first four years at Russ Wood Christian Academy (2012). Then, just last year, City of Joy and Rogma International Schools were also added to our school supply distribution list, making our goal this year to provide for 700 students!

Your continued generous support and outreach to others can ensure these 700 students receive their much needed school supplies this year!

So far, you have graciously raised $1,661 to buy 166 students school supplies in September. This is nearly 25% of our $7,000 goal! In searching through our archives, we found this video of the children at Russ Wood gathered outside, having just received their school supplies in 2012.


These children feel your compassion immensely, on a daily basis.

And, as a token of our appreciation, we would like to remind you that the 3 highest donations made by the end of this campaign will not only receive acknowledgment on the site, but will also have special recognition arranged when the school supplies is delivered to the students in September. Your names will be recognized in a PSA video by the very students your donation supports!

A donation of $10 will lift these children up in song. A donation of $50 or more will have them singing and dancing. And, a donation of $100 or more will bring them joy beyond measure.

All donations are 100% tax-deductible, and can be gifted according to the following methods:

Donation by PayPal (go to website and click “donate” button) or Check payable to "Uniting Distant Stars" at:

Uniting Distant Stars
4010 Lawndale LN N
Plymouth, MN 55446
     ​ ✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩​

Please share this email with others to ensure all 700 young students attending City of Joy, Rogma International, and Russ Wood Schools will be given school supplies in September.
Alternatively, feel free to post our attached flyer at your church, coffee shop, or any other place that has a community board!

We so appreciate your light and generosity,

Uniting Distant Stars

Sunday, August 14, 2016

John Zarzar gives thanks for your contributions to UDS’ Academic & Vocational aid programs!

Recently one of our computer students, John Zarzar, expressed in an email to National Youth Leader, Anna Bertch, his joy and praise to everyone who has contributed to supporting the children and youth in Liberia. Your contributions are literally changing the world

This young man is fairly new to our computer training program, but immediately he saw what all of you, our community at Uniting Distant Stars, is doing to support these students at with their education and vocational training needs.

John was also proud to share that he graduated from Open Bible High School on Thursday, August 4th.  Here his email:

​“Hi Miss Anna we Liberians are grateful to God for You. Thanks for your love towards our country. And to the Board and members of the board of uniting distant stars globally. May God Almighty increase your leadership ability, give you wisdom and empower in you knowledge. The fact that Liberia will rise one day it will be through yours andother’s contributions in terms of Vocational and Academic aid and others. You are blessed. John M. Zarzar,Jr. student uniting distant stars (Liberia).

John gives Thanks to you, who contributed to Academic and Vocational Aid.
We are so grateful for John's email because his feedback confirms our unified resolve to Liberian children & youth. Since our last email on Wednesday, we raised another $426 (22%) and have a grand total of $1,536

The 700 children of City of JoyRogma International, and Russ Wood schools are in desperate need of school supplies for next month, as they will be starting a new year. 

​Your generosity in 2015, gave joy and smiles to these children from City of Joy, Rogma International, and Russ Wood Schools (left to right).
You can continue to move this campaign upwards in meeting our $7,000 goal by donating $50 or more today. Your gift is tax-deductible, but importantly priceless to the bright children you are helping. 

The first five individuals to donate over $75, until today August 14th, will receive special mention on our site for the month of September as “Honorary Donors.” (For those who have already made contributions of $75 and more, your names will be featured as well!)

The 3 highest donations made by the end of this campaign will not only receive acknowledgment on the site, but will also obtain special recognition when the school supplies is delivered to the students in September, in the form of a PSA Video! UDS students will get to express to you through digital media their appreciation for you themselves.

Please donate by PayPal (go to website and click donate button) or Check payable to "Uniting Distant Stars" at:

Uniting Distant Stars
4010 Lawndale LN N
Plymouth, MN 55446

The kindness you are showing these children is truly appreciated. They will have an opportunity to express their gratitude with a handwritten “Thank You” letter for donations of:
  • $100 or more, you will receive a letter from one student.
  • $500 or more, you will receive three letters from three different students representing each school.
Your letter will be emailed during the months of September and October.

Sincerest Thanks for Supporting Children and Youth in Liberia!!!

Saturday, August 6, 2016

2016 School Supplies Drive, Only Headed Upward!

Dear Star Supporter,

Things, thanks to YOU, are only headed one direction: upward! 

Everyday, we come closer and closer to reaching our $7,000 goal for the 2016 Annual School Supplies Drive. Just this week, an additional $401 was raised toward this very important cause! That means we’re at $1,386, which is about 20% of our total goal... ✩​And we’re only headed upward!✩​

We, and hundreds of youth on the other side of the globe, would like to express our sincerest gratitude for your unfailing generosity. Your contributions are literally changing the world. By providing bright young minds with the means to leverage their brilliance and problem-solving abilities, you are making a real difference.

With the funds raised from this campaign, UDS will provide 700 young students attending City of JoyRogma International, and Russ Wood Schools with much needed school supplies. 

In recent, exciting news, UDS leader, Kelvin Fomba, was honored on the behalf of UDS by the Hossana Children's Foundation. Hosanna is partnered with City of Joy school, and their mission as an organization is to serve impoverished children.

Here are photos from the recognition ceremony.

Kelvin (pink shirt) recieving an award on behalf of UDS’ work in Liberia.

Students from city of Joy School. Your generosity provided school supplies to these children in 2015, they can’t wait to start this school year off, too!

Kelvin (pink shirt) pinning a flower on a little girl for her academic efforts.
And now, we would like to shed a little light on you. 

The first five individuals to donate over $75, from now until August 14th, will receive special mention on our site for the month of September as “Honorary Donors.” (For those who have already made contributions of $75 and more, your names will be featured as well!) This is in addition to the the personalized handwritten Thank You letter received from a student for donations:

  • $100 or more, you will receive a letter from one student.
  • $500 or more, you will receive three letters from three different students representing each school.

Your letter will be emailed during the months of September and October.

That's not all! The 3 highest donations made by the end of this campaign will not only receive acknowledgment on the site, but will also obtain special recognition when the school supplies is delivered to the students in September, in the form of a PSA Video! UDS students will get to express to you through digital media their appreciation for you themselves. 

All donations are 100% tax-deductible, and can be gifted according to the following methods:  

Donation by PayPal (go to website and click donate button) or Check payable to "Uniting Distant Stars" at:

Uniting Distant Stars
4010 Lawndale LN N
Plymouth, MN 55446
      ​    ✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩ ​✩​

Please share this email with others to ensure all 700 young students attending City of JoyRogma International, and Russ Wood Schools will be given school supplies in September. 

Alternatively, feel free to post our attached flyer at your church, coffee shop, or any other place that has a community board!

Many, many thanks,

Anna Bertch
Uniting Distant Stars, National Youth Leader