Thanks to community, No More Safety Pins 2017 was a huge success! Liberty Church Birmingham provided a fabulous space, Veal Convention Services, Inc. loaned us 48 clothing racks, CMIC shared 5 double stacked racks, Purpose Place Thrift Market donated clothing, Liberty Church members gave of their time to sort and hang clothing, and 100+ volunteers served to make this event possible. Our pampering was provided, free of charge, by Joy Hopson Hulsey with Young Living Essential Oils, Kinisha Britton with MARY KAY, Karen Pack with Premier Designs Jewelry, Krissy Santiago with Lilla Rose, Jalice Marie Klein with Chloe and Isabel, Mallory Austin with Scentsy, Cynthia Wilson Smith with Plumeria and Country Scents, Amber Colvin with Usborne Books & More, Erin Hudson with Norwex, Michele Christian with Organo Gold, and childcare provided by Liberty Church. Thanks to many local businesses, food, drinks, paper products and over 200 door prizes were distributed throughout the event!
$2,887 was raised to help feed families in Birmingham (and thanks to community only $40 was spent for the entire event allowing almost 100% of the funds to help more families!) 103 pairs of shoes were donated to a shoe drive for a Grace Klein Community adoption family fundraiser. 5 car loads of clothing were gifted to The Foundry, 100 items were shared with Recycled Blessings, 51 boxes of children’s clothing were donated to Christian Marriages in Crisis, 27 boxes of miscellaneous items were shared for an upcoming yard sale for Kwathu Children’s Home, and 59 boxes of adult clothing were donated to Daniel Cason Ministries. Mamas loved on, friendships made, laughter shared… priceless.
Here are a few reasons why it is a privilege to serve with No More Safety Pins:
- The mama who was leaving, turned around, looked me in the eye, and said, “God had to have given y’all this idea!!” You got that right sister!!! To God be the glory.
- Another mama saying, “My mama always told me that when you become a mama you become last, and I didn’t believe her, but it’s true. I shop for everyone else first, but today I got some clothing for me. I never do that!”
- “Yesterday I won a $150 certificate to Christian Brothers Automotive. Last night my husband’s check engine light came on.” God is always ahead of us.
- The look on that mama’s face when we can share zucchini, bread, cookies and a cup of cherries with her. The excessive generosity confuses people. Our culture struggles to receive without cost, with no strings attached, as a free gift, and the event represents that this is who Jesus is!
- “Can I use my trades to get new gift items for Sav-a-Life mamas?” Why of course dear!
- That moment the little girl squealed because we were giving away salads. Her smile y’all and that hug she wrapped around me.
- “At first I wanted to use all my trades on my family, but then I realized I had so many left there was no way I could use them all. So, I’m thinking of who I can bless.”
- The piles of loot all over the ground, more than anyone needed, and sitting on the floor, right beside a mama, listening to her story, sharing mine and knowing Jesus’ love was so secret and intentional for her in the five new rolls of contact paper she needed.
- The mamas who came to trade so that they could serve families in need, watching them text pictures to friends, hearing how a grandmother takes care of eight children, and listening as so many said “I cannot wait to go give this to her!”
- The moment a friend sponsors another friend who is recently pregnant and being able to walk around with her to select maternity clothes and baby stuff.
- “Thank you for everything. I found lotion and shampoo. I got a toothbrush!”
- A couple coming back the next day and explaining, “God is using y’all something big in our lives. We gathered together as family last night and processed what happened. He asked us to bring our best. Here’s everything new we could find in our house to bless the families that come today. Then, they held up a toy gun and a tattered book – our kids picked their very favorites.” They gave 65 new items.
- A mama texted that she processed with her girls what happened and how much they learned about gratitude by watching another child delight in being able to select four things.
- Listening to the vendors minister to one another, encourage each other’s hearts and even plan a get together to see each other again. God builds community when we step into the open spaces and share our vulnerability.
- Realizing two of our vendors drove over 3 hours to come love on mamas they have never met.
- A mama sharing, “I almost gave up on God because of all that’s going on in my life, but I am leaving a changed person.
- Asking a mama if she had time to be pampered and her saying, “I did that first! Can’t you see how awesome my makeup looks?! I came in without any on.”
- “We will buy you 1000 hangers and pray for the event the entire weekend.” The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective and accomplish much!
- “You have childcare? And pampering? And food? I’m staying until 4pm!!”
- Watching the volunteers generously share their time to hang clothing, organize racks, listen to one another’s stories, and make everything look beautiful.
- “Thought I would bring pizza for everyone.”
- “This was church. People were actually doing what the Bible says. Praying for one another. Feeding and clothing each other. Sharing. Ministering in Jesus’ name. Loving one another.”
