One in a Million

Greetings, Friend!

One million dollars is a LOT of money! I hear every day about people raising large amounts of money for causes that help people live better lives and I am always excited and challenged by those stories. However, I often walk away thinking that in order for ME to raise funds of that magnitude, I would need mega money in my pocket to do so. One day not long ago, I had an idea while on my morning run. "Why not raise one million dollars one dollar at a time?" Crazy? Maybe!

The Journey of Hope Grief Support Center is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) agency formed in 1997 with the express mission of providing support at no cost for children, teens, young adults and their families as they learn to mourn the death or impending death of their loved one in a safe, caring and nurturing environment. I along with six other counselors and one nurse in Plano, TX, had the honor of founding this organization in an effort to address the needs of children and families facing the aftermath of the death of a loved one.

Did you know: (1) that by the age of ten one out of seven children will experience the death of a loved one? (2) that 1.5 million children will lose one or both parents to death by the age of 15? (3) that 90+% of adolescents in drug or alcohol rehab programs have suffered a significant loss in their family?

Pertinent facts about the Journey of Hope:
* 77% of every dollar raised by the organization goes directly to services for families!
* Families from 48 communities and 11 counties in North Texas have been served.
* Thus far in 2007, 498 family members have participated in support meetings.
* An average of 140 family members participate in 52 support groups per month.
* The Journey of Hope operates with 2 full-time staff members and one part-time administrative assistant and on the strength of almost 500 volunteers donating 6000 hours to help our families.

What can YOU do? I'm glad you asked! I want to raise one million dollars, one dollar at a time, in one year's time for the Journey of Hope! Why? I want to see the Journey of Hope have the necessary funds to expand services by hiring an additional staff member to focus on fund raising, strengthen the services currently offered by guaranteeing continuation of the organization with a solid financial foundation, and by building its own stand alone facility that will house all components of the organization -- administrative offices; kitchen & dining areas; support group rooms; facilitator training room; intake offices; conference room.

Here's how it will work: I have written a special short story dedicated to the Journey of Hope that is attached to this email as a PDF file. All I ask is that you (1) download the story and read it; (2) go the the Journey of Hope website at www.johgriefsupport.org, find the "giving opportunities" link, follow the instructions and donate just ONE DOLLAR; and (3) send this letter and attached story to everyone on your email list asking them to do the same thing.

I know you receive stuff like this frequently, BUT I think this one is different! YOU truly can make a difference in three simple steps. Next Thanksgiving, I anticipate celebrating victory! Thanks so much for being "ONE IN A MILLION!"

Sincerely,
Mark Hundley
Founder of Journey of Hope

Dallas Morning News Article ~~

By SANDRA FAY / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
Items for Faybles may be phoned or faxed to Sandra Fay at 972-422-5834, or e-mailed to dsfay@aol.com.

'One in a Million'

Longtime area counselor Mark Hundley began the new year by launching a campaign to enrich the coffers of the Journey of Hope Grief Support Center by $1 million, one dollar at a time. One of the founders of the center that marks its 10th anniversary this year, Mark e-mailed a story he wrote about the inspiration for this campaign and asked that it be forwarded, hoping it will spread to 1 million people and garner $1 from each of them by next Thanksgiving.

The need for grief support was a subject Mark knew well after losing his wife, Christy, in a car accident in 1989. In 1993, he distilled his experiences with mourning and recovery into the popular book Awaken to Good Mourning. In 1997, he and fellow Plano ISD staffers Sandra Aikins, Hila Pepmiller, Gaye Ratcliff, Judy Sims, Ginny Robinson and his new wife, Vanessa, founded Journey of Hope as a source of support for children and families dealing with the death of a loved one.

An average of 140 participants in 52 support groups meet each month at the center staffed by three employees and volunteer facilitators. Last year, the group was so outstanding, it was named the Collin County Group Volunteer of the Year.

Mark and Vanessa now live in McKinney, where they are high school counselors in McKinney ISD wit! h a part -time counseling practice. Mark and Christy's daughter, Kacie Krug, has followed in her mother's footsteps and is an English teacher.

Mark's college roommate, Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, was instrumental in allowing Mark to use "Believe" as the final track on the audiobook version of Awaken to Good Mourning. Go to www.johgriefsupport.org/mil lion to read Mark's story and become "One in a Million".