February Newsletter!
Letter from the CEO
This year has proven just how wonderful this community is! Reach For The Stars has the kindest clients, the most generous donors and has continuously built relationships with the local businesses and non-profits in order to work alongside each other. There is no-doubt that our clients will continue to be taken care of this coming year!
IMPORTANT UPDATES:
- Join Our Galaxy: Reach For The Stars now has a monthly membership! Starting at just $25/month to be a RFTS VIP! Click here for more information: Better Unite Membership Website
- Charity Gift Shop: RFTS charity is happy to have launched a CHARITY GIFT SHOP. 100% of the purchase price will help fund our 4 vital programs. To view: go to www.rftstars.com/shop or click here
- RFTS needs various volunteers: Homeless Outreach volunteers to pass out backpacks within the community, delivery drivers to deliver food to homebound individuals, fundraising enthusiast's, stargazing event volunteers to man telescopes and pass out brochures/direct people. Please email us if interested at rftstarsorg@gmail.com or go here
What's been happening with the 3 programs?
#1 - Our Food Program
#2 - Homeless Outreach Program
Swapping Trashbags For Backpacks
Due to how fast RFTS has grown, we have reached out to the community for help. RFTS has individuals packing backpacks, and individuals passing out dozens of backpacks each month. This has been wonderful in getting the community involved and ensuring our Homeless souls are reached!
In February we had 9 new volunteers packing backpacks (includes children), 5 new volunteers passing out backpacks and a total of 32 backpacks passed out around Pima County.
RFTS puts a lot of TLC into the backpack program, therefore every backpack is stuffed to the brim, has multiple items of necessity and a resource list. It takes hours to complete just 20 bags. This is why only a few dozen go out each month.
We are so excited to be ramping up the backpack program this year, and the locals are too! Your enthusiasm to support us is wonderful and it shows all the time, for example: One day while there were two awesome community members taking a quick tour of our home operations, they stopped me mid sentence and said "Wait a sec, do you mind if we build some?" I responded, "Oh, like right now?" To my happy surprise, he replied by quickly saying, "Yes, like right now! Id like to put a few together if you don't mind. This is a really great program and now that I'm seeing these big shelves of homeless backpack items in person, I have this urge to get started and help you guys!"
The backpacks in this picture were built with love by those two community members. They put them in their car and within a few days distributed them people in need. They updated us afterwards and told us how great it felt to do something that has so much impact, and that they ended up speaking with one of the homeless men for quite some time, getting to know him, ultimately making both of their days!
Thank you Daisy Troop 788 for the very large donation!
#3 - Monthly Stargazing Program
RFTS Stargazing Events are about community, education, volunteering, networking and enjoying the wonders of the sky. Its a few hours to get out of the house, learn about who we are, what we are looking at and let your kids run wild. Join us!
Star Party Photos From February!
Thank you to Jackson Etchner for taking such beautiful photos!
StarGazing, its what we do!
Busy Busy...
This month RFTS hosted 1 nighttime stargazing event in Vail at St Rita's Church in the Desert. There were only about 25-30 attendees (intermittently due to weather). However, it was a really nice, simple & intimate event. The kids were able to run wild and RFTS was able to have long conversations with community members.
RFTS held 1 Daytime Solar Event at Vail Coffee Stop, which was a great success!
A huge thank you to everyone who came out, donated time, money and goods to us. It was such a blessing to team up with you! If you have any feedback, ideas or want to volunteer and help with set up/tear down, please message us!
"The Future Lies with Today's Youth & Tomorrows Space Exploration"
In February RFTS gifted 2 telescopes. In total RFTS has gifted 14 families with telescopes impacting 52 children and 27 adults.
If you would like to help us continue to spread hope and inspire our youth, then this program is for you! Please click the button below to jump to our website donation page.
Now imagine how much fun a child (and adult) can have seeing Saturn's rings or Jupiter's moons! No need to visit an observatory, they can view our universe right from their own backyard!
Spreading joy and inspiration is one of our missions and thanks to everyone who donates to the Amplified Silence (AS) telescope program, it's WORKING. Spreading smiles and hope across the galaxy.
ASTRO IMAGE OF THE MONTH
NO ENTRIES FOR FEBRUARY
Don't forget to submit your image to be featured in our next newsletter & to win a prize!
RFTS Financials
Found at www.RFTStars.com
What we need & how to donate?
Food Pantry: Cold & pantry food items, snacks, canned food, boxed meals etc.
Homeless Outreach: Backpacks, mini hygiene, small foods, sunscreen, hats & blankets, gloves
Star Party Program: Telescopes, astronomy books/memorabilia, flashlights, tables, chairs, event equipment, eyepieces, small telescopes for kids/teen donations, event equipment, future scholarship donation money for inbound college students (STEM degrees), monetary donations for upkeep on equipment, tripods etc., 100% gets split into the 4 Charity Programs (2% to admin costs, unless specified)
Overhead Funding: As our client list grows, we need to grow, too. We are needing more and more overhead money to continue to run these programs, so any donations towards this area is most welcome.
Moving Out: Soon, we will need to move out of our home which is more and more apparent. We need to start saving up for a small building, land to build on or find an angle donor or grant to let us use their property/building. Please keep an eye out for these types of opportunities! Thank you!
Ways to donate Money: Become a member of our monthly donation plans! Click here Zelle: RFTstarsorg@gmail.com | PayPal: RFTstarsorg@gmail.com | CashApp: $RFTstars | Check: Payable to: Reach For The Stars 10895 S Arrowhead Spring Drive Vail, Az 85641
**contact us for a receipt if you donate online**
Also, below is our Amazon Food Program & Homeless Outreach Wish List (feel free to add things you think are good to have (Please add RFTS to your Amazon Smile):
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/e2TzsFP?ref_=wl_share
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/aMtXoBV?ref_=wl_share
Current Company Supporters/Partners
As each month ends, RFTS reflects on the words of those that have been affected in a positive way by these programs. EVERY person sends a heartfelt THANK YOU, and will remember the time when they were desperate, and someone came.
- All images taken by RFTStars team unless specified otherwise (all client pictures are private and should not be shared or copied).
- All posters, flyers, coupons, logos and other advertising media is created in house by RFTStars (excluding donor logos).
End - December 2020 Newsletter
Credits:
Main Photos by Jackson Etchner