HOLIDAY 2024 GIVING PROJECT:

Humane Prison Hospice Project

Let’s spread the gifts of love and music this holiday season to those broken and separated from loved ones due to being incarcerated, with a special focus on those who are dying in prison. The Humane Prison Hospice Project is committed to implementing end of life care in prisons by supporting and training prisoners to be caregivers to the dying. Our donations will help train and support this mission.

 

In addition, we are raising funds to purchase musical instruments for the incarcerate men in California prisons, offering them an opportunity to learn something new and to experience the joy that comes from singing and making music. We will be purchases guitars, ukeleles, handheld drums, harmonicas, tambourines and more!

 

Let’s shine our holiday light on them, too!

 

California Homemaker’s Association – CHA

There are many people living in our neighborhoods and towns who are struggling to make ends meet. Some are hungry, without shelter, in need of medical and dental care or in need of legal advice or other services to support them in getting back on their feet. CHA can support people with all of these needs and more!

 

The Association is 100% volunteer run; it accepts no government funding or any other money with strings attached – rather it exists through the dedication and generosity of its members as well as those allies in the community who have joined our cause. CHA serves no other aim or aspiration outside its stated goal. 

 

This year we are raising funds to add to their general fund, enabling them to continue offering these amazing services free of charge to those who need them! And maybe, just maybe, we will be able to purchase some warm winter coats and clothes for some of the people who need them most.

 

 

Happy, Happy Holidays to all!

And thank you for your ongoing support and trust in our work!

All of us at Dream of a Better World!

The Chaplain of Oakland

Our Director and super active Dream Team member, Diane Button is having a BIG BIRTHDAY!!  And, we ALL want to help her CELEBRATE! For her 65^th birthday, in lieu of gifts, she is asking friends and family to help support the underserved and marginalized populations who may not have access to the same medical services that most of us are privileged to enjoy! 

 

Thanks to all of you, Dream of a Better World already supports individual clients directly by purchasing medical supplies, food, comfort supplies, final
wishes, and memorial expenses.  Diane's birthday wish is for us to support the non-profit production efforts of a film featuring Chaplain Betty Clark and Dr. Jessica Zitter about the disparities in our healthcare system.

 

The film is called “The Chaplain of Oakland” and the trailer below will give you a glimpse into the work they are doing. These trailblazing women are working tirelessly to change the way poor and underserved people die in America. This tugs at Diane’s heart strings and we all hope you will join her in supporting this worthy cause. 

You can watch the trailer here: The Chaplain of Oakland - trailer

 

                     DONATE - The Chaplain of Oakland

 

 

If you want to know more about Diane’s doula group, you can visit their end-of-life doula website here:  

 

                           End of Life Doula Alliance

 

 

Casa Hogar Nueva Vida!

Hola Amigos!

We are just back from a month with our friends at Casa Hogar Nueva Vida, which means House and Home of New Life."  It has been a truly eventful trip in which we have gotten to know them much better.  We have also developed a few additional relationships with local volunteers there that have great skill and desire to join us in and help bring this orphanage back to life. 

There are 12 happy, healthy children ranging from 5 to 17 years old and they too are willing to repair, clean, paint and pitch in where ever needed.  The woman in charge, Ami, is just 30 years old and she grew up in this orphanage.  She knows what it takes to keep these kids in school and feeling loved and cared for.  But she was in desperate need of guidance and help with the building itself.  

 

 

 

The building needs maintenance and repair nearly everywhere.  When we arrived, 5 of the 6 bathrooms were NOT working! Can you imagine?

The electrical was barely working and the floors, the ceilings, the roof and the kids beds and furniture were in desperate need of attention. 

Thanks to your generous donations, by the time we left, all of the bathrooms had working sinks, toilets and drains.  And, about half of the electrical was back and working.  Here are some photos of the work, the volunteers and the kids!

Thank you ALL!