| Volunteer Spotlights |
VOLUNTEER SUSAN in ARIZONA
Why did you choose Project Night Night for your service project?
I was at a point in my life, where I wanted to do something to "give back" but wasn't sure what. When I read
the story in the AZ Republic, April of 2006,I got "goose bumps!” I just knew this was "meant to be" and that
my 12 year old daughter could also be involved.
What 3 words best describe your experience?
Rewarding; Challenging; Appreciated.
Was there a memorable moment during your service project?
I was at one of my Shelter's in Mesa, AZ. My Contact explained to me how a small child sat for hours in a
car, while the parents were being tested for drugs. They had to "be clean" in order to spend the night. The
baby was so good and she told me she gave the child a Tote bag. "Was it O.K. to hand out a Tote?" asked
Nancy. I answered, "Of course, this is what it's all about". She hugged me and said how the baby loved the
Tote and what was inside. That's why I do this, putting smiles on innocent faces. I left the parking lot in tears.
What was your nighttime comfort item as a child?
A soft,small "cloth doll" for a shot time. It was baby blue and white, about 4 inches long.
Why did you choose Project Night Night for your service project?
I was at a point in my life, where I wanted to do something to "give back" but wasn't sure what. When I read
the story in the AZ Republic, April of 2006,I got "goose bumps!” I just knew this was "meant to be" and that
my 12 year old daughter could also be involved.
What 3 words best describe your experience?
Rewarding; Challenging; Appreciated.
Was there a memorable moment during your service project?
I was at one of my Shelter's in Mesa, AZ. My Contact explained to me how a small child sat for hours in a
car, while the parents were being tested for drugs. They had to "be clean" in order to spend the night. The
baby was so good and she told me she gave the child a Tote bag. "Was it O.K. to hand out a Tote?" asked
Nancy. I answered, "Of course, this is what it's all about". She hugged me and said how the baby loved the
Tote and what was inside. That's why I do this, putting smiles on innocent faces. I left the parking lot in tears.
What was your nighttime comfort item as a child?
A soft,small "cloth doll" for a shot time. It was baby blue and white, about 4 inches long.
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I feel so lucky to be a part of Project Night Night. I love the simplicity of its purpose: help shelter children
feel safe, significant, and have a better night sleep. Having three children of my own, I understand the
comfort children receive from a warm blanket (what my kids call their “may-may”), snuggly stuffed friend,
and a nighttime story. Being able to provide that comfort and security to kids in a shelter environment
brings me great joy.
On a weekly basis, I do a pick-up at the Hotel Del Sol, one of PNN’s drop-off partners in San Francisco.
I have been lucky enough to meet some of our donors and see their happiness in knowing that these
donations are almost immediately going from their hands to the little arms of a child. These weekly
pick-ups have also been instrumental in educating my children, who accompany me most of the time,
about the importance of helping others. When they see the large bags of stuffies and blankets that we
pick up, they are excited and motivated to go through their belongings and add more to the donations.
In addition to my weekly pick-up, I have also been able to volunteer at several PNN events including
Salesforce.com’s Dreamforce and Oracle’s OpenWorld. It was rewarding to be able to spread the word
about Project Night Night to the conference attendees, who come from all over the country. Its also
heartwarming to see busy executives taking the time to hand-pick the book, stuffie and blanket for each
tote bag and write a personal note as well. These volunteer opportunities were made even more
special as my husband volunteered alongside me – it is so meaningful to a relationship to work together
for a common cause. And Project Night Night is not any common cause to us…it is a cause that is
incredibly near and dear to our hearts and one that we will continue to support for our lifetimes.
