HOW WE BEGAN

 

500 Projects of Love is an organization that began in 2010 which supported vulnerable moms and their babies. Previously named “Baby clothes worn with love” it was an organization I managed from my garage. What began as a mission to help one mom, grew into a project that helped support over 100 moms in need by supplying essential items for their babies.

As time passed and I moved away to college, storing all the essential items in a small one-bedroom apartment was no longer practical, so I needed to come up with an appropriate alternative. As a lifelong philanthropist I wanted to continue to support those most vulnerable in our communities but didn’t want to limit my organization to a specific group of people. 

So, in 2012 I changed the name to 500 Projects of Love. The inspiration for the new name came from its numerology meaning which represents life changes, progress, and opportunities for new beginnings; and this is exactly what we offer our homeless friends- an opportunity for a new beginning!

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It was around this time my Dad- who was an addict until his passing in 2019 was also homeless. My father was homeless for most of my adult life and it pained me to witness how our homeless friends were being treated. Their ill treatment and denial of basic human needs is what inspired me to shift my focus to supporting the most disadvantaged in our community. Our main focus now is to support our homeless friends however, when we see additional needs, we do what we can to help by supplying essential resources.

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During this difficult time, I myself was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Many have suggested that I not disclose this information however I see it as an advocating opportunity. A 2015 study conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development stated that at least 45% of all homeless people in the US suffered from some kind of mental illness. These statistics are truly alarming and more needs to be done to address this issue. Working with the homeless and with my own experience of how this disease affects people allows me to help from a personal perspective. 

 

How can you help?

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There are many ways you can help support our organization; you can:

•    Advocate by helping to spread awareness

•    Volunteer

•    Donate funds or

•    Donate non-perishable food and hygiene items

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500 projects of love has big plans for the future and we can’t to wait share our progress with you.

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We thank you for reading our story and hope we have inspired you to make a change and help end homelessness.