The founder of a small nonprofit that helps foster children and the families who care for them has received a check for $10,500 from a group of East Multnomah County women moved by her story.
Lyndsee Wunn of Troutdale started Boxes of Love, which was featured in an Oregonian/OregonLive story last week.
“We have 105 women in our group,” said Bess Willis, a member of 100+ Women Who Care East County. “Each of us wrote a check for $100.”
The group meets four times a year to select a program worth supporting. Boxes of Love, Willis said, brought the women to tears.
“We were choked up that night we voted,” Willis said. “I’m choked up now talking about it. Nothing is more precious to a woman than her children. Here’s someone who nurtures and supports kids. She deserves our help.”
Wunn, a pediatric nurse at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland, was haunted by the faces of the foster children she saw there. She ultimately began Boxes of Love to collect new clothing and supplies for foster families.
Through word-of-mouth, her project grew organized. More people donated goods as well as money that Wunn used to buy the clothes, toys and books.
Wunn has six volunteers who help pack boxes and deliver them to hospitals and foster families throughout the metro area. Her program has partnerships with Randall, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital and neonatal units at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Providence Portland Medical Center and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver.
Since she began four years ago, Wunn has given away 470 boxes, each with a value of about $500.
Wunn, who received the $10,500 check this week, was stunned.
“To raise this money would take a year or more for us," she said. "This money will make an immediate difference.”
Wunn said she has received comments and support from people around the United States who read the story.
“They all want to know how they can help,” she said. “I have 30 new volunteers. People have sent money. I’ve received more than 40 boxes from Amazon Prime from people from California to New York City.”
Wunn, who continues to work as a nurse, said the reaction showed her that people want to help those in need.
“It’s been crazy,” she said. “In a good way.”
--Tom Hallman Jr.
thallman@oregonian.com; 503 221-8224
@thallmanjr
https://www.oregonlive.com/business/2019/03/boxes-of-love-gets-10500-local-donation-as-support-floods-in-from-across-us.html
2019-03-15 23:43:00Z
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