7th Annual 2020 Virtual Drive
Donation protected
Hey Y’all
This fundraiser will be used to buy items for my toy drive this year and a storage unit to put these items into! It's hard to believe this is my sixth annual toy drive! I'm ready to make this the best one yet! This pandemic won't stop me from making an impact cause the kids and families needs us now more than ever!
My name is Katie Haynes, I am 20 years old and am from Youngsville, North Carolina. I am a sophomore at Southern New Hampshire University Online. I am going to school to become a professional photographer and then to go on and work for Disney World or Nascar. I have many chronic illnesses that include POTS, EDS Type 3, MCAS and CRPS and many more. It has always been a big mission my whole life, even before getting sick, to make an impact on people’s lives. I am making this mission come alive by doing toy drives, smile packages, awareness videos and sending VOGMASK® to people. I have done toy drives and smile bags and many other projects across NC,VA and Ohio at many hospitals and RDMH! Making an impact on others lives is what I love to do and I believe that this mission will continue to grow and continue to help many others in the future!
That is how I am here today sharing this story. Thank you for being here and reading my story, and for your interest in making kids days a little brighter! Your support helps a lot and gives these kids and teens affected by chronic illness feel a little more at ease! Y’all are probably wondering why
I love being able to bring joy to kids and teens faces while making them feel at ease while they face big obstacles in their lives whether that be during chemotherapy treatment, a transplant surgery, or some other health challenges. I have done all of these types of things for about 6 years now and really enjoy giving back. In December of 2016 I launched a project where I send smile packages and mask to people fighting chronic illness. I also created a Facebook and Instagram page to help grow my project in January of 2017 (Smiling While Sending Hope). In August of 2018, I started sending sensory packages as well, for people with special needs.
This past year I also started going and visiting people in the hospitals and at there homes to help bring awareness that there is someone else out there that cares! 2019 was an amazing and VERY successful year. I was even honored in 2019 as the Me Fine Foundation “Hero For Life” recipient.
Here is my 2019 Totals:
75 Sensory Packages
650 Care Packages or VOGMASK® Only Packages
45 Delivered Packages
2 Out Of State Get Together Hosted!
2 News Interviews
A VERY Successful Toy Drive!!!
Many Hospital/RDMH donation drop offs
Prom Dress Donation to Joy Prom
There are also teens in the area and at the hospitals I meet and give them packages and/or mask. This is my long-term goal, to grow and make what I do bigger each year. I find people’s stories that speak to me and post on groups I’m part of to be able to send mask packages to as many people as possible. Due to cost and me trying to meet each of the warriors I like to keep it local for my packages at least!
I was inspired to start this and to get involved about 7 years ago when Paxton, a little boy at my church, passed away. Not long after his passing, I helped with a toy drive called "Presents for Paxton" for UNC Hospital.
A few years later, I went camping and met a girl named Skyla Rippy who has a rare blood disorder called Diamond Black-Fan Anemia. We got to know each other very well, and now we are good friends. When I found out that she was receiving care at a hospital local to me, I started going with her to appointments and began to do research on childhood illnesses. I then started workshops and presentations to share with others about what I had learned.
My goal with this project is to bring smiles to people’s faces and to help spread awareness of many illnesses and diseases. To not focus on the illness but to shine light and show others that do not have them not to judge others that may have one. They can do everything you can do, they may just have to learn to adapt in certain ways.
Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/RQJJL44S2YSO?ref_=wl_share
Link to SWSH Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/SmilingWhileSendingHope/
Thank Y'all
Katie Haynes
This fundraiser will be used to buy items for my toy drive this year and a storage unit to put these items into! It's hard to believe this is my sixth annual toy drive! I'm ready to make this the best one yet! This pandemic won't stop me from making an impact cause the kids and families needs us now more than ever!
My name is Katie Haynes, I am 20 years old and am from Youngsville, North Carolina. I am a sophomore at Southern New Hampshire University Online. I am going to school to become a professional photographer and then to go on and work for Disney World or Nascar. I have many chronic illnesses that include POTS, EDS Type 3, MCAS and CRPS and many more. It has always been a big mission my whole life, even before getting sick, to make an impact on people’s lives. I am making this mission come alive by doing toy drives, smile packages, awareness videos and sending VOGMASK® to people. I have done toy drives and smile bags and many other projects across NC,VA and Ohio at many hospitals and RDMH! Making an impact on others lives is what I love to do and I believe that this mission will continue to grow and continue to help many others in the future!
That is how I am here today sharing this story. Thank you for being here and reading my story, and for your interest in making kids days a little brighter! Your support helps a lot and gives these kids and teens affected by chronic illness feel a little more at ease! Y’all are probably wondering why
I love being able to bring joy to kids and teens faces while making them feel at ease while they face big obstacles in their lives whether that be during chemotherapy treatment, a transplant surgery, or some other health challenges. I have done all of these types of things for about 6 years now and really enjoy giving back. In December of 2016 I launched a project where I send smile packages and mask to people fighting chronic illness. I also created a Facebook and Instagram page to help grow my project in January of 2017 (Smiling While Sending Hope). In August of 2018, I started sending sensory packages as well, for people with special needs.
This past year I also started going and visiting people in the hospitals and at there homes to help bring awareness that there is someone else out there that cares! 2019 was an amazing and VERY successful year. I was even honored in 2019 as the Me Fine Foundation “Hero For Life” recipient.
Here is my 2019 Totals:
75 Sensory Packages
650 Care Packages or VOGMASK® Only Packages
45 Delivered Packages
2 Out Of State Get Together Hosted!
2 News Interviews
A VERY Successful Toy Drive!!!
Many Hospital/RDMH donation drop offs
Prom Dress Donation to Joy Prom
There are also teens in the area and at the hospitals I meet and give them packages and/or mask. This is my long-term goal, to grow and make what I do bigger each year. I find people’s stories that speak to me and post on groups I’m part of to be able to send mask packages to as many people as possible. Due to cost and me trying to meet each of the warriors I like to keep it local for my packages at least!
I was inspired to start this and to get involved about 7 years ago when Paxton, a little boy at my church, passed away. Not long after his passing, I helped with a toy drive called "Presents for Paxton" for UNC Hospital.
A few years later, I went camping and met a girl named Skyla Rippy who has a rare blood disorder called Diamond Black-Fan Anemia. We got to know each other very well, and now we are good friends. When I found out that she was receiving care at a hospital local to me, I started going with her to appointments and began to do research on childhood illnesses. I then started workshops and presentations to share with others about what I had learned.
My goal with this project is to bring smiles to people’s faces and to help spread awareness of many illnesses and diseases. To not focus on the illness but to shine light and show others that do not have them not to judge others that may have one. They can do everything you can do, they may just have to learn to adapt in certain ways.
Amazon Wish List:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/RQJJL44S2YSO?ref_=wl_share
Link to SWSH Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/SmilingWhileSendingHope/
Thank Y'all
Katie Haynes
Organizer
Katie Haynes
Organizer
Youngsville, NC
