YOUR DREAM PACKS MADE IT TO NYC!

Hey guys, 

Allow me to introduce myself… My name is Miranda and I am from Queens, New York City. One of my favorite things about this city is the people. Everyone has a story to tell and no matter where you go, you're bound to meet someone interesting. I have had the amazing opportunity to work with OutsideIn for their most recent giving project which was creating personalised Dream Packs for people experiencing homelessness and poverty in New York City!  

To bring you up to speed the past two months we asked YOU to partner with us as we supported The Bowery Mission in New York City. Last year, this amazing organization provided more than 558,000 hot meals, 140,000 nights of safe shelter, and 100,000 articles of clothing to individuals experiencing homelessness. 

The time has finally come where we get to see where our giving has gone! With your contributions, 150 personalized Dream Packs traveled across the Atlantic ocean to help people in NYC.  

Here's an inside look of the day and let’s see how you made a difference….With the car loaded we made our way into Manhattan! In New York City, nearly 70,000 people are experiencing homelessness. In order to rewrite our perceptions of homelessness we must first see that these individuals are deserving of equal opportunity to pursue their hopes and dreams. During this pandemic, restrictions designed to prevent spread of disease have left many homeless New Yorkers without access to hygiene facilities, safe shelter, or food supplies in a time when these basic necessities are needed more than ever. We are so thankful for nonprofits like The Bowery Mission that create a space that meets these needs and where people like us can play our part in helping. When putting together our Dream Packs, we wanted to create a personalised experience. Each Pack includes a Dream T-shirt, socks, hand sanitiser, a beanie, Dream Prompt, and a personal Tag of Hope. The OutsideIn team wanted to meet essential needs, but also add a personal touch by encouraging guests to have hope despite current circumstances. We not only encouraged them to set goals for themselves, but had you guys contribute by submitting messages that would encourage dreamers to dream as well. We received messages of encouragement from all around the world and hand wrote them on cards placing them in each personalized pack! Why these items? Check out our Dream Pack blog post DREAM PACK BLOG Once we made it to The Bowery Mission, we were greeted by the kind staff who have been working tirelessly during this time to meet the needs of these individuals especially during COVID-19. We were excited to get a first-person perspective of someone who interacts with guests every single day. We decided to ask, 

“What impact can a pack like this have on someone's life?”

Her response was, “A pack like this meets immediate needs like being warm, having clothes, receiving socks. Those are all such life-sustaining things, and you never know how impactful getting a shirt can be to someone, especially now during COVID-19, since a lot of places that previously provided support are closed down. And hearing a word of encouragement is also so life-sustaining , maybe even more so than just physical needs. It reminds our guests that they matter, that people are thinking about them and caring about meeting their needs.” 

This put a lot in perspective for us as a team. Even if we never get to meet these individuals, we are able to play a small part in spreading hope during these unprecedented times.  We couldn't be happier to announce the Dream Packs made it into the beds of 150 guests! 

Thank you @TheBoweryMission for giving us this opportunity! If you want to help this organization you can learn more on their website: https://www.bowery.org

FINAL THOUGHTS: 

To be honest a lot looks different nowadays, but the heart of OutsideIn remains the same. We want to facilitate experiences where a user anywhere around the world, like you, can partake in making a difference in someone's life. THANK YOU for all your support during the project, and I can guarantee you the giving doesn't stop here! We as a company will continue to create innovative ways to impact the lives of others. 

Want to get involved in our new giving project?

Check out our website and recent blog post explaining our new giving concept in Belfast, Northern Ireland! https://www.weareoi.com