In September, Supporting Empty Arms held our very first fundraising event, and we couldn’t be more excited to share how it all came together! Over the course of two weekends, we organized two yard sales—one in Winfield, MO, and another in Lake St. Louis, MO. When we initially asked for donations, we were absolutely blown away by the outpouring of support. More than 15 families generously contributed a wide variety of items—from furniture and books to a lot of baby items—and we couldn’t have done it without them!
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who donated, especially Liz and Jimmy Dougherty, Lindsey and Dan Remiger, Brittany Graddy, and Glenn and Mara Gardner, who helped spread the word and gathered even more donations from their friends and family. Your efforts made a world of difference, and we truly couldn’t have done it without you!
We also owe a HUGE thanks to Erin and Josh Bufford for kindly offering up their garage for three weeks before our first sale. Their two-car garage was completely packed, which may have been a bit more than they anticipated. Thank you, Erin and Josh, for your generosity, for hosting our first weekend sale, for being the first to offer a cash donation to the event, and for opening up your space to store all the wonderful donations. There are no words to express my immense gratitude!
I was also touched when some of my former coworkers—Pam, Betsy, Stephania, and Sue—arrived on their own to help set up and run the sale. These incredible women were not asked to help; they simply showed up because they wanted to support us. I can’t thank you enough for your continued love and support.
A special shoutout goes to our son Nic and our exchange student Emmanuel, who both worked to help move and set up all the sale items for both weekends. This was Emmanuel’s first experience with a yard sale, and it seemed like he had a blast! Thank you both for your hard work and enthusiasm.
And of course, I can’t forget my amazing husband, James. He had a great time sharing our story with everyone who came out to support us and played a huge role in helping us raise additional donations. Thank you, James, for always being by my side and for your unwavering love and support.
In the end, the sales were a huge success! We raised an incredible $2,700, and with so many baby items left over, we were able to donate them to local foster families. The funds we raised will go a long way in helping Supporting Empty Arms grow and continue our mission to support families in need.
We are so grateful to everyone who donated, volunteered, or came out to shop or contribute. Your kindness and generosity have truly made a difference. Thank you for being a part of our journey!