Lisa & LetLet's Clothing Drive: Nov. 2006
photo: "LetLet, I SEE you" - Jan.18, 2005 Cebu Philippines - LetLet & a friend at the Family home.
Lisa & LetLet Week Continues:
I'm going to stay with images of the sisters this week, as I'm getting emails & comments about how viewers can help them with new clothing they very much need....most people have commented positively on the impact my photography has made, making them more aware of the needs of this poor Family I've been trying to help since 2005.
What I'd like to do for them is organize a clothing/fund drive for them - the same as I did for Rosa & Edison in Manila right before this past Christmas (December 16, 2005) where 2 friends of mine in my town donated money for Rosa & Edison's needs after seeing their pictures in my photography portfolio I was carrying with me that day, which happened to Nov.22, 2005 - just 2 days before I left the USA for Philippines.
What I NEED funds for, is their clothing needs - for the sisters & their 6 brothers & older sisters, to replace the hand-me-down old clothes they are wearing today, and that Mama Milagros has to repair on a weekly basis.
I'm putting ALL the details on how you can help, into an extended post below - so please take a moment to click on it to read how simple it is for Project RICE readers to help.
Thank you in advance to those of you who have expressed an interest in helping Lisa & LetLet's Family.
Here is a copy of the email I'm sending out to all those who have expressed an interest in donating funds &/or new children's clothing for the Family:
Those of you who wish to email directly, can do so:
team@projectrice.org
Anyone wishing to send a check or Money Order, please email me for the Postal Address.
To answer your question on what you can personally do to help with the clothing needs of Lisa & LetLet's Family - you can do one of 4 things:
You can make a donation with your major credit card through PayPal, by clicking on the 'donate' button on the main page's upper right corner.
(you can also specify that donation goes strictly to the Family's clothing needs in your PayPal)
Or you can purchase the clothing yourself, collect clean, presentable new or used clothing appropriate for their ages from friends & Family - pack it and ship it directly to the place I'll be staying in, when I arrive in Cebu in late November 2006 (I'll email you the address - so please check your email)
...we will be buying clothes for ALL 8 children in the Family - not just Lisa & LetLet, as that would be inconsiderate to buy for them & not their bros. & sisters, who's ages are 1 year old to 15 yrs old
Let me know what you prefer to do:
1. Donate via the button on the this website.
2. Donate directly from your PayPal account - our PayPal ID is: team@projectrice.org
3. Send a personal check, or bank check, US Postal Money Order, or an International Money Order.
4. Purchase the clothing yourself & ship it to my hotel in Cebu Philippines - the hotel will hold the box for me*
* please keep in mind the cost of shipping a large clothing box package to Cebu Philippines, and the Customs paperwork for all pkgs over 1oz
If you're not put off by the time & cost of packing & shipping a large clothing box, then by all means, go for it!
...email me and I'll send you the address of my small hotel I'll be staying at in Cebu when I arrive....the hotel will hold the package for me until I arrive, and I'll bring all clothing boxes myself to Lisa's Family on the day I arrive in Cebu.
I'll be staying in Cebu for only a few days after arriving from Manila - after that I'll be heading out to Bantayan, off the coast of Cebu, where my pRICE office is based - it's very quiet & safe there, and where I do most of my work - not to mention it's MUCH cheaper to live & base myself there, as Manila & Cebu are more expensive to stay in for the long term.
NOTE: Last Nov. before I left the USA, the people in my town who donated Rosa & Edisons clothing also wanted to ship a large box to me in Manila - but once they found the shipping costs to be over $100.00 for a 20lb. package, they decided to donate that money instead, and specified it go directly to their clothing needs, which I made happen on Dec.16, 2005 when I personally supervised that shopping trip & its budget....I've posted the image on pRICE of Rosa & her Family at my hotel in Manila, just as we got back from that 5hr. buying trip, and the clothes we got them covered the bed & some of the floor...it was an awesome feeling making that gift to them, as I could not have done it without donations from my friends!
I buy RICE at the best prices we can find, typically $22.00 to $27.00 USD for 50 kilos/110lbs, which will last them about 2 weeks....and the more RICE we can buy for them, the better they can eat for months afterward.
A donation in ANY amount will help them.
Whatever you choose to do, I thank you in advance! - and I always make it a point to tell Lisa & LetLet's Family personally about the people who have donated things for them, by finding me from pRICE.Org & pBase.com
Best Regards,
PJAMES