Its here...

3 months ago this project started out as a simple way to make people smile. In such a short time we have evolved into so much more and today our biggest project comes to fruition. All the sleepless nights, tears, heartaches, joy, love and brainsplosions have become the beautiful #50teens4Christmas.

I give this beautiful project full credit for the amazing turn my life has taken. I've seen humanity at its best, I met the woman who shares the other half of my soul, I've seen ordinary people do the extraordinary, I've felt support like i have never felt, I've fallen in love.

Today when I dress my beautiful daughter for school, I can do so knowing that she will grow up in a better world. That all the missed good night kisses will be worth it. That she will be loved and flourish in a world where she can do anything as long as she believes she can. That love, compassion and kindness will keep us safe and warm.

I wish I could personally thank each and every person that made this possible but that is impossible. Hundreds and hundreds of people have made this event happen. The days people simply reached out to tell us what we were doing was worth it are the days I cherish.

Homelessness changed my life. Now, it has also saved my life and given me purpose.

#50teens4Christmas may not touch everyone's life. It may not even touch the lives of all 50 teens involved, but if it opens a door for 1 kid to get off the street then my work and the work of everyone involved will have been worth it.

Love made this event possible. You made this event possible.



"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;

love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly;

it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails...But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

SCCTO gets Candy Bombed!

Oh man that candy bombings have been coming fast and furious!! Starting with the She's Connected conference in Toronto last week. 200+ women was slightly intimidating and I had a slow start but once I got going... there was NO stopping! Including when my friends Lisa, Diane and I candy bombed the lobby of the very swank, very busy Sheraton hotel and conference centre!

Now see this last picture? This was AMAZING! This woman is Julie Marshall, the Canadian spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme. I had a chance to chat with Julie and learned that for 5 dollars you could buy a stove for a family in Sri Lanka to cook on so they didn't have to cross the minefields to gather wood. 5 DOLLARS! So we have paired up with the UN's World Food Programme so that you can donate to them on behalf of us here at the 5 Dollar Project! For more information head over to the "Be A Smile Sponsor" page and click on the UN logo!

HUGE NEWS

Seems I've gotten behind updating all of you lately but with good reason! We've been SO busy out spreading smiles and gathering awesomeness!

Maybe you noticed our new logo? The fabulous Lindsey Jacobs of www.LindseyJacobs.com designed our beautiful new logo and we can't thank her enough!!

We also can't thank our sponsors enough! Thanks to our newest generous sponsors we will be doing our first large scale "card bombing"... 50, 5 dollar gift cards in an hour is our goal! I will be announcing the date and location very soon!!

Big thanks to

Jeff Pulver

&

The SoConnected Team

We have also been talking to a very reputable charity about allowing people to donate 5 dollars on behalf of The 5 Dollar Project to provide stoves to women in Sri Lanka. 5 dollars will actually buy a family a stove. Proof 5 dollars can change the world! Watch for more info coming super soon!