Posted on June 5, 2019

As summer gets underway, HOPE Landing is collecting supplies in preparation for their summer schedule of horse camps, which will begin next week.

“It’s just awesome. It helps us a whole bunch,” said Jenny Williams, HOPE Landing’s director of marketing and general admissions. “It allows us to take the resources that we have and apply it towards therapy for the kids rather than having to buy office supplies and cleaning supplies, those kinds of things.”

Yesterday, Randa Stevens could be found at Everything Home, at 1001 N. College Ave., with her HOPE Box collecting supplies like paper towels, trash bags and hand soap.

Stevens began the HOPE Box project about three years ago in an effort to help HOPE Landing direct more of their resources towards therapeutic activities for the children they serve, rather than necessary miscellany like office and cleaning supplies.

“What the HOPE Box does is we try to fill that gap, where HOPE Landing can use their resources and not have to spend money on those every day items. The community, everybody, has stepped up and helped us with every need,” Stevens said.

A supply drive like the one Stevens held yesterday is held every summer around this time, she said. However, there are also ways people can donate supplies to HOPE Landing throughout the year.

Permanent HOPE Boxes have found a home at Melvin’s Discount Pharmacy and Timmins Hardware, allowing those that wish to donate any items they think HOPE Landing might need any time to do so.

Additionally, about two years ago, Stevens set up a Facebook page for The HOPE Box project. She updates the page regularly and currently has about 1,200 followers.

“If there’s a need, then we just post on the page and people will show up and fill that need for us. We do these little drives periodically that keep them stocked up,” Stevens said. “This is an easy way, a simple way – a much easier way – for people to donate not just money, but items, that are needed.”

Yesterday’s drive at Everything Home brought a great turn out, Stevens said. Along with many small donations, including cash contributions, two businesses made large donations that helped her reach her goal for the drive.

“It’s been a fun process to be a part of and I love that we are able to help HOPE Landing, because they have changed our lives immeasurably,” she said.

The HOPE Box also has a major donation drive in December called the 25 Days of Kindness. For each day leading up to Christmas Day, a child that receives services from HOPE Landing is featured and sponsored for $100, raising $2,500 for HOPE Landing each Christmas season.

Stevens said the community reaction to the HOPE Boxes has been very positive. She said she knows of children that have held donation drives as part of their birthday parties, taking donations for HOPE Landing rather than birthday presents. Camp Fire El Dorado has also gotten involved, she said, mainly helping to collect donations.

“It kind of went from a hands-on, on the ground, actual boxes to just an effort,” Stevens said. “Just to let people know that this is needed and they can just get on Facebook to find it.”

Stevens doesn’t work for HOPE Landing; instead, she is a motivated volunteer, devoting time daily to their cause. Her daughter receives treatment at HOPE Landing and Stevens said they feel like part of a family.

“I’m a huge advocate for them. My little girl has gone to HOPE Landing since she was a month old, she’s almost 10 now, so 10 years we’ve been a part of the HOPE Landing family out there,” she said.

Williams said the HOPE Box project has been a big success in fundraising for HOPE Landing.

“It’s a huge help for us. You can imagine, with as many kids we have on the case load, how many hand washings we do here and how many people we have using the bathrooms,” Williams said.

Currently, HOPE Landing is holding their client horse camp; next week, horse camps open to the public will begin, starting Monday. Western and English riding classes at every level will be held each week through the summer at the HOPE Landing facility at 214 Hope Landing.

“Our case load grows over the summer because we have the kids that are normally receiving therapies in the schools down here in the summer in addition to the kids that already come out here in the summer, so the case load is huge,” Williams said.

Williams noted that HOPE Landing is always seeking volunteers, particularly for the summer when parents bring all their children with them to HOPE Landing visits, rather than just the children receiving therapy.

“They have to come with all of their kids, because they can’t just leave their other kids alone,” she said. “[Volunteers] kind of give the parents a break, where they can just sit and visit with other parents for a while instead of having to watch their other three or four kids that are with them.”

HOPE Landing’s mission is to help children with disabilities achieve their full potential through therapeutic and support services that help to bring hope and purpose to the children’s lives.

To learn more about the HOPE Box, visit the Facebook page. To learn more about HOPE Landing, visit hopelanding.com or visit facebook.com/hopelandinginc.

Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or cbutler@eldoradonews.com .