Dear Friends,

2008 was again a very busy year for Caring Hearts, Inc but it was also another wonderful year of people coming together to help one another. There is so much goodness in this world and so many people who care, and we had the great pleasure of working with hundreds of them as they stepped out to help their fellowman in time of need and crisis. So, from the private individual who did and gave what they could, to the private and large businesses that supported us in our efforts to help and encourage those in need, THANK YOU!

Our mission again this year was to reach out and encourage people who were going through very difficult and emotional times in their lives. Your support helped us to continue on that mission, here in the United States and around the world. Though we can not detail everything we have been doing this year, here are the highlights:

New Outreach Programs and Partnerships in 2008


* Extension of our partnership with Isaiah 6:8 to bring aid and encouragement to children who are imprisoned or poor.
* Extended partnership with "Kelly's Upside Down Ball" which is an organization we partner with to reach out to families who have a child with Down Syndrome and cancer.
* New Outreach to Spina Bifida Association in Jacksonville, Florida
* New Outreach and partnership with AFPACC
* New Outreach to the Autism Support Group of Camden County
* New Outreach to a sports camp for children with any disability
* Continued to provide assistance and items to local groups that would help further their ministries and out reaches, (groups included: Isaiah 6:8, the Salvation Army, AFPACC, St. Marys Nursing Home, several local church groups, vacation Bible schools and summer camps).
* Partnership with a church group reaching out to the poor in their community
* Extension of our Disaster relief program training so that it will run more effectively allowing our respond time to a disaster zone to be faster.
* Increased local food outreach and began feeding program in one of our overseas mission areas.
* Increased local assistance as funds were available for those needing financial help due to illness or disaster.
* Extended our Partnership in a program called Soldiers Angels sending to Germany hundreds of items for our wounded American soldiers in the hospitals over there
* Increased families sponsored during Nov. and Dec.
* Partnered with a group to provide 500 Little Yellow Guys to be distributed out in Cambodia to teens and children.
* Partnered with groups who distributed out hundreds of Little Yellow Guys in New York, Tennessee, Penn., and North Carolina
* Increased support to our missions in the Philippines

Highlights in 2008

People are always asking to hear the highlights of what we do. We work with thousands of people who are suffering and need our help. Daily we look into the eyes of despair and our job is to let them look into the eyes of hope. For some it may be comfort they seek, others emotional or physical support but in almost all cases they are seeking to know that God has not forgotten them. When we are able to share that message and the person knows that the Lord loves them, that moment becomes the highlight as that person gains a peace they have not had . We had thousands of those kinds of highlights this year. Holding a dying child in your arms before they die can never be considered a highlight but a statistic. But holding a dying child who is afraid that they did something so terrible that God is punishing them and does not love them, and being able to help them understand that just the opposite is true, and to see the relief and peace come across that child's face, that is the highlight. Filling a hungry child's stomach and their parents and letting them know God loves them and they believe, that is the highlight. To be able to bring light in to the darkness of peoples lives, that is the highlight. To bring hope where there is none, that is the highlight. To share love with the loveless, that is the highlight. And to watch all the volunteers and those who support the mission come forward to help others in need, that is the highlight. So if you are looking for highlights for 2008, know that tens of thousands of people were encouraged for the Lord this year, whether they were held or hugged before dying, during an illness, clothed when they were naked, fed when they were hungry, comforted in their hour of despair or assisted in their hour of need. But if you are looking for statistics we will provide you with some of those below.

Sick and Dying Outreach Ministry(2001-2008)


* Over the past 8 years we have worked with groups whose families have a wide variety of medical issues. Many have just learned of their loved ones illness or have been working with it for many years. Many are scared, angry, lonely and uncertain about what to do or what the future holds. Some are just tired and need to know someone cares and is praying for them. Many are experiencing financial hardships and are angry with God for allowing such things to happen to them. But all see time as a very precious gift they do not want to waste. So we are there to listen, support, encourage, and help all these families through this time in their life.
* We have had the great pleasure and opportunity to work with such groups as: the Uniting Tube Fed Children, The Down Syndrome Association, Spina Bifida Association, The Upside Down Foundation, Camp Angel and Camp Teen Angel, Kelly's Upside Down Ball, Children With Any Disability, Kids with Cancer, The Autism Support Group, Adoptive Foster Parents of Camden County, our Local Hospital and many others. We look forward to more groups and opportunities in the future.
* Ministered to over 42,000 People who have seriously ill and dying children. Organizations requesting our assistance, over the past years, include but are not limited to, Children's Hospital, Uniting Tube Fed Children, Spina Bifida, Downs Syndrome Foundation, Children With Any Disability, Camp Angel and Camp Teen Angel, Kelly's Upside Down Ball.
* Ministered to over 9,900 sick and dying patients and their families during weekly visits to S.E. Georgia Regional Medical Center Camden Campus.
* Participated in in-home visitation to families with sick members and provided medical supplies to hard hit low income families who were unable to afford such things as: ensure, feeding bags for g-tubes, wheelchairs, depends,shower chairs, bedside toilets, etc.
* At local families request, we have traveled throughout the southeast for patient visitations.
* Worked with local and overseas missions in touching lives of countless thousands in the USA, Philippines, Africa, Russia, China, Mexico, Trinidad, Canada, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, and Turkey and Cambodia.

Disaster Relief/First Responding(2004-2008)

In 2008 we responded to a tornado hit area in South Carolina. Drills were set up for training volunteers for disaster preparedness. During these activation drills, hundreds of Meals-in-a-Bag were assembled and over 1000 hygiene bags were prepared for future use, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers. The Meals-in-a-Bag that were preassembled for disaster relief and not used this year, were distributed out to the poor and needy during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Thank you to all the volunteers who worked so hard to ensure we would be ready to respond when needed.

Past Years Statistics:

Caring Hearts, Inc. volunteers have made over 25 disaster relief trips in support of hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters. We have provided much needed aid and support to victims along the Gulf Coast, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and the Philippines. During which we:


* Distributed over 300,000 relief items(Meals-In-a-Bag, Food, Baby Needs, Bottled Water, Personal Hygiene Items, First Aid Supplies, Bibles, Little Yellow Guys, and cleaning supplies, Etc.)
* 2004 Began our Meal-in-a-Bag Program and Disaster Relief program to the victims of 4 Hurricanes in Southern and Central Florida.
* 2005 Spent 3 months providing aid and assistance to hardest hit areas of Katrina and Organized and distributed 1600 Christmas Candy Gift Bags to students and staff in Coastal Mississippi at their invitation.
* 2006 provided thousands of items to disaster victims in the Philippines.
* 2007 Began new and improved Disaster Relief Program so response time would be much faster. Provided 1,000 hygiene bags to the firemen who were fighting the S.E. Georgia and N. E. Florida fires
* 2008 provided assistance to tornado hit area in South Carolina and provided relief aid to devastated areas in the Philippines. Continued training of volunteers.

People In Need Outreach(2001-2008)


* Fed over 2,000 Homeless in Southeast Georgia and North Florida, in addition to supporting area Homeless Shelters.
* Collected, sorted, and distributed out over 50,000 items of clothing to the homeless, poor and victims of disaster.
* Provided 1000's of food items to families with a medical or crisis situation.
* Provided 1000's of food, candy and gift items during the Holiday Seasons to children and adults who had a true hardship that made it financially impossible to buy those kinds of things for themselves and/or the children.
* In 2007 we increased the amount we were able to help financially with bills due to medical issues and emergency housing.
* In 2008 we once again increased services to those with medical and other emergency needs.

Christmas Events 2008


* During Thanksgiving and Christmas, CHI sponsored 45 children and their families in the area providing food, toys, etc.
* Nov. 19th CHI partnered with the residents of Magnolia Manor and assembled 300 Candy bags for distribution during the holiday season.
* Nov.21-24th CHI distributed Thanksgiving food supplies to families we were sponsoring.
* Dec. 5th was the annual Christmas party for families we are working with. Providing them a wonderful night of joy in their time of hardship and an evening of fellowship with the volunteers and donors who have been helping them.
* Dec. 6th CHI attending the AFPACC Christmas party where we handed out Little Yellow Guys and Candy bags to the children and some adults in this support group.
* Dec. 7th CHI attended the Autism Support Group Christmas party, again we handed out Little Yellow Guys and candy bags to children and some adults. Our goal as always to bring a ray of sunshine and hope into their lives and remind them that not only do we care but that the Lord loves them very much.
* Dec. 10th Volunteers gathered to prepare 600 candy bags and candy rolls for the upcoming events. They also prepared sweatshirts to be given out to the Internation Seamen at one of Jacksonville Ports.
* Dec. 13th CHI distributed out 105 Meals-in-a-bag, 117 loaves of bread and 300 candy bags to those in need in the Kigsland area.
* Dec. 19th CHI along with Santa Claus, began delivering Christmas food and gifts to the 45 children we were sponsoring in need in the Camden County area. It was a wonderful night of laughter, smiles, tears of joy and relief for the families.
* Dec. 20th-21st CHI completed the distribution
* Dec. 27th CHI attended the Spina Bifida Christmas party where once again we were able to help bring joy, and laughter into the lives of these families.

THANK YOU to all the dedicated volunteers who woked coutless hours to ensure that 2008 would be a wonderful Christmas for every family we were working with. Many worked to the point of exhaustion, yet they all agreed it was worth every moment.

*FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW US VERY WELL, THIS IS HOW MOST OF OUR MONTHS LOOK LIKE; VERY BUSY.*

Fundraising


* This year we held our second annual Chili dinner and auction. Magnolia Manor and Don the chef; the auctionees; the businesses in town and a few from out of area, as far away as Wisconsin,who donated the items for auction; and all those who came and bought; helped to make it a success. Though we had a terrible storm that night, many of you braved it and came out to support us anyways; we thank you for that. Thank you to everyone who participate in this event we look forward to the next one which will have several changes to it from the previous years. We have listened to recommendations from you our patrons and hope you will all be pleased with the new format in 2009.
* Georgia Theatre Company again held "Film and Food for a Cause" donating to us 50% of everything they took in that day. Thank you for your support and hard work and generosity.
* Osprey Cove Women's Group held their annual fundraiser in support of our organization this year. Thank you to all the people who participated in that and for all the women who have volunteered through that group and have worked to gather needed supplies and anything else we have needed. You all have been a wonderful partner.
* United Way & the CFC Campaign have also worked hard to bring in much needed funding for our organization and we thank you to all who have participated and donated to us through these groups.

Though fundraising is a vital necessity to our organization, it is the monthly contributors that give foundational support from month to month. So from all those who have provided much needed emergency funding through special fundraisers, to businesses who have chosen to be sponsors, to the churches who have picked us up as a ministry, to the individual who supports monthly, we thank you.Your contributions and support are greatly appreciated. For each one of you has helped in their own very important way to keep the doors open to help thousands of people in need, whatever the need might be.

As a Christian organization striving to do God’s work and share His love, we will continue to stand and help those in need.

So again, all of us at Caring Hearts, Inc. thank you for your past support and ask you to seek God’s will in continuing to support us in the up coming year. If you also were one of the countless volunteers who helped in any of our events, we greatly appreciate the help, and if you are one of our faithful prayer warriors we thank you and ask that you continue to keep us lifted in prayer.


Thank you and God bless,
Eve Gonzales, CEO and Founder