Adopt-an-Apartment

thanks, and goodbye!

2009-06-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Since I've posted the last of the photos, it is time to officially close this blog and say one more big thank you to all my supporters. I couldn't have done it without you. You've all made this birthday one to remember for me and you've really helped a very deserving family. You're the best!!!

living room photos

2009-06-16T10:08:00.001-07:00

The biggest design challenge in the apartment project was what to do with bedroom #2--which adjoined the kitchen and therefore (in my opinion) needed to function as a combination bedroom/living room. I decided to push the twin bed against the wall and use a throw blanket and a line of pillows to give it a bit more of a "sofa" feel. That way, this room--while still a place to sleep--would also provide an appropriate place to hang out, listen to the radio, read, or chat with a visitor.

Across from the sofa, I really wanted to put a shelf for some books and a clock. I also thought that a little chair over here would really be excellent because without one, there is no place to sit other than at the table or on the sofa/bed. With a tight budget, I decided to use the Salvation Army. I knew we were working with red, orange, and brown so I thought my chances of finding something clean and appropriate to the color scheme were decent. I was thrilled when I spotted this dainty little arm chair for a great price!

We put 3 picture frames around the apartment. Hopefully the new resident can eventually fill these with some family photos, but for now we used some vintage California postcards.

We filled a book shelf with some of the past favorites of the Brilliant Babes Book Club and other nice material.

Here is a view from the front door of what it all looked like together:

... and you thought you'd heard the last from me?

2009-06-09T15:40:00.001-07:00

After the craziness of getting this project organized on short notice, I quickly got swept up in other things (you know, like my job... or my kid...) and have failed to finish posting photos!

The living room (our best work if I do say so myself) is soon to come.

Budget

2009-05-13T20:28:00.000-07:00

I was particularly proud of this: we raised 1,050 (including my own contribution, which was modest enough in the grand scheme of things) and we spent 1,045! Throw in a tank of gas for my car's many trips to Woodland Hills and Carson (for Target and Ikea) and we're still within 10 or 15 bucks of my budget.

And I was afraid this would be my most expensive birthday ever! Ha!

Utilities

2009-05-13T20:25:00.001-07:00

Angela stocked the utility closet with a broom and dustpan, lightbulbs, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and a swiffer system.Annie brought the baby's vacuum, Megan brought the dustbuster. Now mommy and baby can "clean" together.

Kitchen

2009-05-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

This was the kitchen "before." I was so glad I got to check out the space before we got started. The existing furniture was red and beige, so I decided to go with a red/orange/brown scheme for the living areas rather than fight was was already going on.

Here is the kitchen "after." We introduced red and orange decorative elements, as well as important functional items like a toaster, coffee maker, dish drainer and towels.

A few details:

Again, what's inside the cabinets is at least as important as what's outside!

A special kid's cabinet with spoons, snack bins and a sippy cup:

Produce fresh from the farmer's market, thanks to Gina:

Annie made the good call to stock the fridge with pedialite pops, great for teething or upset tummies.

Baby's room

2009-05-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

This was the baby's room before:

Our biggest job in here was to provide a new crib, crib mattress, and crib sheets--that was a fair chunk of our budget and we didn't have endless time to hunt craigslist for a gently used number that would meet current saftey standards. Thankfully, a little iPhone comparison shopping assured us the best deal in LA.

After we found the crib, Megan, Gina, and I put on a little improv comedy skit entitled, "how many intelligent, fully-functional adult women does it take to assemble a *$$@#% crib?!?" We'll let you know if we make it to Broadway.

I am not sure that anyone will use the twin bed in baby's room--mom might choose to sleep in there, or she may stay in the other room. We re-arranged the furniture so that we could position the existing dresser as a changing station by adding a waterproof pad to the top.

Thanks to Annie, we put toys all over the place--some geared towards a typical 9 or 10 month-old and some that will also be fun when the baby's a bit older.

I gathered up all the baby toys and supplies that were blue and white and put them in this wicker basket. The frog popping out the top was so cheery--I hope the mom feels special when she sees this box o' loot for her her baby boy. And the basket will probably be a handy way to contain baby stuff as the home becomes more lived in.

Bathroom

2009-05-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

I'll start with the pictures in the same place I started with the shopping--the bathroom.

I knew that since we couldn't put anything on the walls or get major furniture pieces, I'd be relying on fabrics for the big pops of color we'd want. I was shopping for this room before I knew the family composition, so I went for something bright and cheery but not too girly. I found these fun bright stripes at Target.

Here's my favorite view in this room. Naomi & Veronica selected the lovely handsoap and Gina had the brilliant idea to display this rainbow of washcloths in the little wicker basket I picked up at IKEA.

The view from inside the cabinet is probably just as important to the family who will live here. Naomi & Veronica made sure the bathroom was stocked with toiletries and first aid supplies.

feedback

2009-05-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

This voicemail from the volunteer coordinator made my day!

Home Sweet Done

2009-05-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Were are done--I did finishing touches after I picked Monroe up from daycare this evening.

Photos coming soon.

2009-05-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

This CNN story from a few days ago comments upon the growing numbers of homeless families.

Almost done

2009-05-10T20:34:00.000-07:00

Well, we (pretty much) did it. I am returning to the apartment tomorrow afternoon to take out the trash, put in a few final touches and do a little bit of child-proofing. Oh, and I'll take photos--we didn't quite get to that in this whirlwind of a day.

Here is a list of people who supported this project with gifts of time, money, childcare, heavy-lifting, crib-assembly, cleaning, unpacking, and shopping! To each of you, my deepest gratitude.

Nancy
Sara
Matt
Lynn
Kim
Randy
Audrey
Debbie
Jason
Carla-Anne
Kelli
Elizabeth
Gina
Chris
Darcy
Edward
Amanda
the parishioners of St. Augustine-by-the-Sea
Suna
Megan
Benson
Kyle
Brenda
Annie
Angela
Veronica
Jackie
Dan
Naomi
Mike
Tracy

Thank you Debbie for accompanying me

and Monroe on the massive, endless,
odyssean shopping trip to IKEA.
And for the peanut butter sandwich.
And the muffins.

Thank you Monroe for being
so patient with all mommy's business this weekend,
and for letting me sleep in an extra hour on Mother's Day.

Thank you Megan, Amanda, and Gina for the

personal shopping errands, instruction-deciphering,
feng shui, and manual labor.

Thank you Naomi for the fundraising help &
iPhone-supported comparison shopping.

Thank you Veronica, Annie, Mic, and Emma for the babysitting.

And hey Angie--I should have gotten a picture of that soup.
Thanks for that!

"before" pictures

2009-05-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

I took these "before" photos of our apartment Friday afternoon when the volunteer coordinator let me run over and take a look at the place. That really helped with the quick-speed planning.

This apartment has one small bedroom (with a closet), one bathroom, an open little kitchen, and then a room adjoining the kitchen that has a bed in it... but is also the main space for living as well.

living room / main bed room

kitchen area

bedroom

Progress!!

2009-05-09T14:21:00.001-07:00

I am leaving IKEA with a sleeping toddler, a car full of housewares,
and the makings of a fresh start for a special family!

Sent from my iPhone

About the family

2009-05-09T12:00:00.000-07:00

We're preparing the apartment for a single mom with a 10-month old son.

I don't know anything about this family--which is as it should be because they need their privacy. But I've been following Upward Bound House for a while through their website and newsletter and I've read many testimonials that familiarized me with the kinds stories that bring people here. Some moms flee domestic violence, other young parents have lost their own parents or extended families, and these days there are more and more two-parent families that find themselves homeless simply because mom and dad were both laid off for too long at the same time.

I imagine that the baby is probably sitting up and maybe starting to walk (but he probably won't be steady on his feet yet.) He can probably communicate in his own way but might be a few months from really "talking" with words.

my own little one at 10 months

Ready to shop for a cause?

2009-05-08T20:58:00.000-07:00

If you are in LA and can spare some time for errands this weekend, I could use some help with shopping!

I am focused on the housewares (sheets, towels, small furniture, dishes, etc) which will be a big job. So I broke off four other categories of things we need and I am looking for an Elf to take care of each of these short lists. I think the shopping for each of these lists can be accomplished in one shopping trip. You can drop the items off Sunday night (or anytime earlier) and I'll write you a check for what you spent.

Please let me know (sunshinecook@gmail.com) if you can volunteer for any of these four shopping jobs!

(Adopted by Gina) Refrigerator Elf: Let's stock the fridge and pantry with a few basics.

cereal
milk
bread
eggs
peanut butter
jelly
cheese
sandwich meat
lettuce
fresh vegetables
fresh fruits
olive/vegetable oil
coffee or tea

(Adopted by Naomi) Bathroom Elf: let's fill the cabinet with basic toiletries and first aid supplies

adult shampoo & conditioner
soap
adult toothbrush & toothpaste
dental floss
toilet paper
toilet brush
toilet bowl cleaner

(Adopted by Angie) Pantry/Utility: We'll be sure they have the stuff they need to keep the place clean and sorted

Dishwashing Liquid
Sponges
Kitchen Trash Can & Bags
Rubber Gloves
mop or swiffer-type system
broom and dustpan
Paper Towels
Glass cleaner, kitchen/bathroom cleaner, baking soda
Paper Lunch Bags
Aluminum Foil
Saran Wrap
Ziploc Bags
Light bulbs

(Adopted by Annie) Baby's room: we'll make sure they've got the basic stuff a 10-month old needs.

Diapers (for a 20-pound baby boy)
Diaper cream
Changing table pad
Sippy cup
Baby spoon
Baby bibs
Simple baby health-care kit (thermometer, nail clippers, tooth cleaner)
baby lotion
baby shampoo

ready, set, GO!!

2009-05-08T18:20:00.001-07:00

I was feeling pretty good about the weekend--sure my husband would be out of town, making life a bit hectic, but I had an easy-going shopping trip planned for the Adopt-an-Apartment project to look forward to. The volunteer coordinator expected to assign a family to me next week and I was eager to get the details. I had a tour of the apartment planned for Wednesday afternoon so I could take some planning photos and fine tune my list of what we needed. I was working with some friends to plan a big move-in day May 17 and feeling pretty good about how ready we were--pretty much finished fund raising and we'd even collected several items. I had even treated myself to a fun weekend trip to Target on my actual 3oth birthday and I came home with the most adorable brightly-colored shower curtain, bathmat, and soft fluffy towels. It felt pretty nice to have a room done!

Then the phone rang.

"Hi Melissa, it's Tracy. From Upward Bound House? I was calling because I just got out of a meeting, and well--remember the apartment we were hoping to get ready for next week? It's ready now. And we have a family too. A single mom with a 10 month-old baby."

I am not actually sure what Tracy said next because I was concentrating on scraping my heart out of my throat and swallowing it back to my chest. A single mom? With a 10 month-old baby? Alone?

As I tuned back into Tracy's voice she was saying, "I know it's really last minute, and I know you expected to move the family in next weekend, but we wondered if there was any way you could be ready sooner?"

My head span--husband out of town, work projects piled up, and all my friends had their time set aside for me NEXT weekend... I wasn't sure I could possibly do this any faster.

Tracy was still talking, "I just found out about it myself--this family. Maybe you could try to do some work on a few week nights next week? See... they are just sleeping at St. Joseph's until they can move in."

I knew about Saint Josephs--they operate the Bread and Roses cafe for homeless people and run a great food pantry. I knew that they gave folks a place to do laundry, take a shower, or use the phone, and that they could refer people to emergency shelters or housing programs as needed... but do they even have beds there?

"Monday" I heard myself saying. "We can be done by Monday."

- - let the games begin! - -

... no word yet

2009-05-02T23:55:00.000-07:00

No word yet on the family we'll be serving, for those of you waiting on an update.

The fundraising has been awesome, I'm about done. Thank you all so much.

Bake Sale Report

2009-04-26T14:33:00.001-07:00

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this weekend's fundraising
activities. We raised $253!

Sent from my iPhone

Yum Sweet Yum

2009-04-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home cookies by Treat Bakery in Chicago.

BAKE SALE SUNDAY APRIL 26th
1227 Fourth Street, Santa Monica, California 90401
11:40 am to 12:40 pm

If you are in the Los Angeles area and would like to help out with the Adopt-an-Apartment project by supplying goodies for this weekend's bake sale, please shoot me an email at sunshinecook@gmail.com so I can give you a bit more information on how to participate. I am collecting baked goods all day Saturday and holding the bake sale in the late morning on Sunday April 26 (my 30th birthday.) I welcome any contribution!

LA times reports that twice as many homeless families sought shelter this winter

2009-04-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

This winter, twice as many homeless families sought emergency shelter

Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times

Alitha Chism, 28, reads a bedtime story to her children Friday
at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown L.A.
The family was evicted after Alitha’s husband Amos, in back,
lost his job and their apartment went into foreclosure.

Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority says 620 families sought shelter in the last 3 months, compared with 330 last winter. Individual shelter-seekers increased about 4% across L.A. County.

By Jia-Rui Chong March 30, 2009
Source: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-shelters30-2009mar30,0,7212414.story

The number of homeless families in Los Angeles County seeking emergency shelter over the winter nearly doubled this year compared to last, according to figures from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

By the end of this year's winter shelter program, which wrapped up this month, 620 families had sought vouchers for motel or hotel stays. Last winter, there were 330 families.

The increase appears to be occurring at shelters all over the county, including a more than tenfold jump from 4 to 43 families at a Culver City shelter run by EIMAGO, an affiliate of the Union Rescue Mission.

"I think the economy has been really hard on families," said Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of the Homeless Services Authority. "There are many triggers for homelessness: an eviction, an increase in rent, the loss of a job, a health tragedy, domestic violence. A lot of people are living very close to the edge."

The joint city-county agency funds many shelters year-round, but has an additional budget of $4.3 million for winter shelters from Dec. 1 to March 15. The winter shelters, which are considered a last resort, provide on-site beds for individuals and vouchers for families.

The number of individuals seeking shelter this winter increased too, but only about 4% countywide. At the four winter shelters affiliated with the Union Rescue Mission, there was a 14% increase in individuals, compared with a 631% increase in families.

The Rev. Andy Bales, the mission's chief executive, speculated that foreclosures were probably throwing more families onto the street than individuals. And recently laid-off individuals were probably more likely to find a friend or family member to take them in, he added.

"When you bring the whole family into a house, the welcome wears out sooner," he said.

Neighbors of the Burbank winter shelter were not happy with the increased numbers, and the city is considering whether to host the shelter next year, said Mayor Dave Golonski. While neighbors had many concerns about the shelter -- including worries about sex offenders, which the shelter has tried to resolve -- they were also upset that more people than anticipated were walking through residential and commercial neighborhoods into the shelter at night, he said. Shelter residents had been expected to travel by shuttle bus.

About 100 people showed up at a March 19 public hearing about the shelter, Golonski said.

"We all know we're facing some extraordinarily tough economic times . . . and people expressed a desire to help the homeless," he said. "But the neighborhood contingent continued to express concerns about the impacts on their particular neighborhood."

Since the winter program ended, agencies have been scrambling to help individuals and families find other places to stay.

The mission has kept open 120 of its winter shelter beds downtown to accommodate individuals from other shelters that closed, Bales said. Several winter shelter families are also staying there in mobile tents.

The mission has placed 22 of the 117 winter shelter families in permanent or transitional housing. The rest may be seeking shelter with other providers or may be out on the street, mission officials said.

thank you from the bottom of my heart

2009-04-22T21:58:00.000-07:00

Dearest donors,

I am so overwhelmed with your generosity! Check it out--we're 1/2 way to the goal. I am so very touched by your support.

Home is where the friends visit,
M

My list of wishes

2009-04-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Dear beloved participant,

There are two reasons why you should check out this list of the items which I need to collect (suggested by the charity coordinator at Upward Bound):

If you are a donor to the project (and hey, why not become one with my new easy "donate" button on the right) reading this list will help you get an idea of the kinds of thing your money will help supply for a family in need.
If you live in LA, please consider whether you've got a gently used version of any of these items to spare. If so, please contact me at sunshinecook@gmail.com.

Items for Bedroom(s):
• ~~Blanket/Comforter~~
• ~~Sheets~~
• ~~2 Pillows~~
• ~~Lamp/Nightlight~~
• Alarm Clock (for adults)

Items for Kitchen:
• ~~Pots (2 or more)~~
• ~~Frying pan~~
• Baking dish
• Toaster
• ~~Plates~~
• ~~Cereal Bowls~~
• ~~Silverware/Cutlery Tray~~
• ~~Vegetable Peeler~~
• Can Opener
• ~~Measuring Cups~~
• ~~Measuring Spoons~~
• ~~Colander~~
• ~~Water Pitcher~~
• ~~Ice Cube Trays~~
• ~~Cookie Jar~~
• ~~Glasses~~
• Coffee Pot/Teakettle
• ~~Coffee Cups~~
• ~~Cutting Board~~
• ~~Knives~~
• ~~Wooden Spoon(s)~~
• ~~Spatula~~
• Tongs
• ~~Serving Spoon(s)~~
• ~~Salt & Pepper Shakers~~
• Dish Rack/Drainer
• Fridge Magnets
• ~~Dish Towels~~
• ~~Tablecloths/Placemats~~
• ~~Vase (for fresh flowers)~~
• ~~Tupperware~~
• Rug
• Large Trash Can (white or metal)

Items for bathroom:
• ~~Shower Curtain~~
• ~~Shower Curtain Liner~~
• ~~Shower Curtain Rings~~
• ~~Shower Rug~~
• ~~Bath Towels~~
• ~~Hand Towels~~
• ~~Washcloths~~
• Shampoo (kid/adult)
• Conditioner
• Toothpaste
• ~~Toothbrushes~~
• Soap (bars)
• Toilet Paper
• Toilet Brush
• ~~Waste Basket (white)~~

Cleaning Supplies:
• Dishwashing Liquid
• Sponges
• Trash Can & Bags
• Rubber Gloves
• Broom & Dust Pan
• Mop & Bucket
• Paper Towels
• Cleaning products (Windex, etc.)
• Paper Lunch Bags
• Aluminum Foil
• Ziploc Bags
• Saran Wrap
• Lighting (standard bedside table lighting w/40-60w bulb)

For the baby's room:
• ~~Crib ($140 if new)~~
• ~~Mattress ($40 if new)~~
• ~~Crib Sheet(s)~~
• ~~Crib Blanket~~
• Lamp/Nightlight
• Diapers & Wipes
• Healthcare Kit

Thanks as always for your attention to this lil' project!

Love,
M

We have a family!

2009-04-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

A family has been assigned to us! I haven't gotten any details or a firm date yet, but...

The move-in date for our family will be in early May!!

Knowing that a family has been assigned to me is exciting, but I am also suddenly very nervous about the reality of coordinating this project. A big part of the butterflies in my stomach arises from the fact that I haven't solicited donations yet, so I am in the dark about how much I'll be able to raise. There is a chance this could be the most expensive birthday present I've ever given myself. :-)

I've added a donation button to this page to make it easy to contribute to the project. I need to raise somewhere between $800 and $1200 bucks depending on the size of the family we're serving and whether or not they need baby stuff. First, the money will go towards all the home furnishings they need (the practical stuff like forks, bedsheets, or lamps.) If I can collect enough additional funds (including my own contribution) I'd like to fill the fridge with fresh food; the cabinets with dry goods and cleaning supplies; and the bathroom with basic stuff like bandages and q-tips. Anything more that we can't use (because hey, why not dream big?) will be donated to directly to Upward Bound for their ongoing work with homeless families.

a place of our own

2009-03-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

We all know that homelessness is a terrible problem in Los Angeles, and the recession is making it worse--particularly for families with small kids. The systems in place to curb homelessness are rarely tailored to families, making it harder for folks with kids to find help that works for them. That's where Family Place comes in.

Upward Bound Family Place is Santa Monica's only transitional housing program for children and their parents (most of whom are single women.) Transitional housing serves a different function than an emergency overnight shelter--it offers private accommodations on a longer time-scale and offers more intensive services. It also requires more participation from residents. At Family Place parents attend a twice-weekly parenting class & life skills classes where they develop the skills, resources and confidence they need to find employment, re-establish their families in permanent housing, and foster their children's well-being.

Families often come to Upward Bound house with very little, so an essential part of the program is outfitting each new household with the basic stuff you need to live as a family, like bedsheets and dishes. And when families graduate from the program into their own permanent housing, they take their stuff with them, which means the charity bears responsibility for furnishing a new place every time they get new clients. That's where WE come in!

Our mission is to raise money, collect items, and set up housekeeping for a particular family who will be moving into Upward Bound House in May. We'll start collecting the basics right away and the get the details of the family's composition (age and gender of children, number of parents, etc.) a few weeks from the move-in date. Most of the larger items of basic furniture (such as adult beds, a sofa, and a kitchen table) are already provided for, so our focus is on housewares and the little extras such as shelving and lamps that make a home feel nice.

There are three ways we'll be working to provide for the family:

Online fundraising. I have placed a donation button on the right hand side of this website where you can directly donate cash that will be used to secure housewares for the family.
Bake Sale on Sunday, April 26th in Santa Monica. The goal of the bake sale is to raise around $200 so that we have cash on hand to purchase items we can't select until we know the families composition. For instance, we may need to purchase a crib or a toddler bed for the family, but we won't know that until the weekend before the move-in date. This $$ will give us the flexibility to get what we need last-minute. (If we raise more money than we need, we'll donate the excess to Upward Bound House's general operating fund.)
In-gathering of gently-used items. Let me know if you have spare items that need a new home between now and May.

Thanks again for participating in this project and Home Sweet Home to you all!

Love,
M

What this is all about

2009-03-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Hi there.

I'm Melissa Sunshine, and I started this site to organize volunteers to contribute to my 30th birthday project: furnishing a home for a homeless family in Los Angeles.

STAY TUNED.