2016 School Supplies Drive- Donor Recognition!

WARMEST THANKS TO OUR "2016 SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE" STELLAR SUPPORTERS:

Thank you Tracy Bishop, Julie Bland, Jeff Brown, and Ten Thousand Villages, for your generous donations! As promised, you are being mentioned as our featured donors for this campaign, because you contributed significantly to our 2016 School Supplies Drive this year! You played a key role in making it possible for our UDS youth to start the school year off with school supplies!

And of course, Thank You to all our other super-star donors:

Thank you!!!

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 Joy, Rogma 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!!!

6th Annual School Supply Drive for Liberia

You gave these supplies to this Rogma Student.

Uniting Distant Stars is happy to announce our 6th Annual School Supply Drive in supporting three community primary schools in Liberia: Rogma International, City of Joy and Russ Wood Christian Academy. Last year, we discontinued collecting and sending supplies in the U.S. because of the exorbitant costs and constant delays from shipping Trans-Atlantic. We now buy the supplies in Liberia, which helps boost their economy, after recent stagnation by the Ebola Crisis. By donating as little as $10, you can help one student start the 2016/2017 school year with a smile.

You gave these supplies to this City of Joy Student.

We're starting this year's campaign with $650 from recent donations, which is almost 10% of our goal: $7,000. We are serving 700 students attending these three schools, so that equates to $10.00 per student. The families of these children are not able to provided these much needed supplies. Again, your generous gift  by cash, check or credit card will equip these young students with the supplies they need to be successful during the upcoming school year. Your contribution buys notebooks, pencils, pens, and much more.  

You gave these supplies to this Russ Wood Student.

As an added incentive, you will receive one of the following:

• If you donate $100 or more, you will receive a hand-written Thank You letter from one student from any one of the three schools. 
• If you donate $500 or more, you will receive three hand-written Thank You letters from one student from each school. 

Letters will be scanned and emailed during the months of September and October after the students receive their gifts of school supplies from you. 

Anna Bertch, Uniting Distant Stars National Youth Leader, had donated to one of our prior campaigns and she shares how one of these student hand-written letter touched her heart. Please read her post "My Thank You Letter". 

Please donate either by Check or PayPal as follows:

Check: please make out the check to Uniting Distant Stars and mail the check to: 

   Uniting Distant Stars or UDS

4010 Lawndale LN N
Plymouth, MN 55446

PayPal: click the button below to donate by credit or debit card.

 

Below is our flyer created by Anna. Please print our PDF copy (click here) to post on community boards at your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, or anywhere else flyers are allowed. Please share this blog post on your social media sites to help these 700 students receive their school supplies at the start of the year September. 

Thank you for your continued generosity and kindness in supporting the education of young children in Liberia! 

My Thank You Letter

In response to a recent donation I made to UDS, I received an email with a scanned image of a letter written to me from one of the recipients of my donation: Jeremy S. Poguah.

Here’s what Jeremy wrote to me: “Hi Miss Anna Bertch, I greet you with God love. I write to express my thanks to you for the computer lab you people open for us. I praise God so much for you and your family. I hope to see you one day in our country Liberia. We also express many thanks to the Uniting Distant Stars for helping us with our learning. May the Lord bless you.”

This sweet letter has become a treasure to me, and a printed copy now hangs framed on my wall. As part of our 6th Annual School Supply Drive, you too will receive this joy from one of our students when you make a donation of:

1. $100 or more, you will receive a letter from one student.
2. $500 or more, you will receive three letters from three different students.

The students will receive their school supplies in September and the letters will be emailed to you during the months of September and October.

Your generosity has led to immense changes in the lives of these youth, and they would love to express their gratitude to you!

When both recipient and donor are lifted alike, it becomes apparent that the contributions of time, money, and prayers is worthwhile. I would like to express my own personal gratitude for these kids and for the important work Uniting Distant Stars is doing.

Many Blessings,

Anna Bertch, Uniting Distant Stars National Youth Leader

Rogma International School Give Thanks

On Thursday, March 17, Uniting Distant Stars Donors, Sponsors and Volunteers received this Thank You letter from Rogma International Christian School System for providing school supplies for the students and other learning materials for the teachers at the start of the 2015/2016 academic year. Last year we increased the numbers of schools from one to three for the annual supply drive. Rogma is one of the new schools supported in 2015 from the generosity of our supporters. Thank you!