It's About Time...

It has been quite some time since we updated the blog. Our apologies, we have been working very hard on getting the website up and running. You can check it out at www.christstarfish.org.

Our main focus at this time is our third annual "Christmas Present Project". This is the highlight of our year when we get to put a smile on the face of a hurting child who has to spend Christmas Day in the hospital. This year we anticipate providing gifts for 75 children (infants through teenagers),10 dialysis patients, and 48 babies in the NICU at Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, FL. We will also provide gifts for 60 children in Shands Hospital in Gainesville, FL. This is the second year of providing gifts for the children in Shands. This came about as the result of partnering with 16 year old Riley Woods from Ocala, FL. Riley had spent 50 days in Shands as a child and wanted to give back to the institution that help him. The hospitals provide us with lists broken down by age group and suggested gift ideas for each group. The dialysis patients provide us with their own wish list from which to shop. If you would be interested in partnering with us for this project you can call (904)612-8522 or email us at christstarfish@aol.com.

Our "Dimes for a Difference" project is also going on at this time. This is one of the ways we raise funds to be able to do what we do. Pepsi has partnered with us to provide drink bottles which we have turned into banks. This is a relatively easy way for the community to be a part of the work that we do. Not everyone feels that they can give a lump sum donation to the foundation (especially in the current economic times),however, almost everyone accumulates spare change that can be dropped into one of our banks. It adds up over time. These funds are used to support the children and families of non-cancer patients at three area hospitals, Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, Shands Hospital in Gainesville, and Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. To date,this year, we have helped 20 families with support totaling $20,000. If this is something you would like to help us with give us a call at (904)612-8522

Our Radio Show "Journey's With Christ" airs each Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on 550AM, Way Radio. This week our show featured the Harrington Family. Having recently lost their two year old son and brother, Mack Michael, theirs was a story of hope, faith, dependence, and love. It was our Thanksgiving show and the Harrington's shared how valuable and special the "little" things of life really are. If you would like a copy of their show just call us at (904)612-8522. If you can't get the station in your area, you can listen online by going to www.wayradio.org click on 550AM and then click on listen online. Upcoming shows include the follow:

Nov. 28 - Mike McCoy - Business owner
Dec. 05 - Brian Butler - Dinsmore Baptist Youth Director
Dec. 12 - Ken Neikirk and family
Dec. 19 - Christmas Show
Dec. 26 - Randy Wilson, Pastor

Ft. Caroline Baptist Carnival

What a God-day we had yesterday at Ft. Caroline Baptist's annual Fall Festival/Carnival. Our Lord provided a beautiful day and the turnout was fabulous. At Christ's Starfish Foundation we are very grateful for the opportunity Ft. Caroline Baptist has given us to be a part of their carnival the last two years. Yesterday we were Blessed with the opportunity to share how our Lord is working through His foundation. The results He provided yesterday were truly a God-thing. We had 27 individuals sign up to sponsor a child that will be in Wolfson Children's Hospital on Christmas day. We also had 19 banks taken to put dimes and other coins in for 3-4 months to fund our work at Christ's Starfish. Here is a thought that came to me last night as I was reflecting on the carnival activity. I believe yesterday 27individuals accepted God's call to answer a child's or their families' prayer. 27 children will have a smile on their face on Christmas day because of these 27 obedient people. How cool is it when our Lord taps us on the shoulder and presents us with the opportunity to do His work. WOW!!!! What a blessing to be used by God. Those who were called to take a bank also are an answer to a hurting child's families prayer. These coins will go to pay an electric bill, a rent or mortgage payment, car payment or any other need a family has due to their child's hospitalization. Thank you to each of you for your willingness to answer God's call.

Journeys With Christ

"Journeys With Christ" is a radio show dedicated to sharing Christ's love through personal testimonies. You can hear "Journey's With Christ" each Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. on 550AM Way Radio. Our guest will share how our Lord is working and molding their lives. These stories will inspire, encourage, and bring you closer to our Lord's purpose for your own life. Please join us each Saturday.

Upcoming Shows

Sept. 26 - Rene Williams -cancer survivor, blogger
Oct. 03 - Johnny Jones, Christian author
Oct. 10 - Christ's Starfish Foundation Story
Oct. 17 - Wolfson Children's Hospital interview
Oct. 24 - Christ's Starfish Foundation partners

Future Shows

Patrick Hayle - Executive Director City Rescue Mission

Mike McCoy - Former homeless person, business owner

If you are not near a radio, Journeys With Christ can also be heard by going to http://www.wayradio.org/ and clicking on 550AM and then click on listen online.

If you have a story to share about how our Lord is working in your life or in the life of someone you know, please contact us at http://www.christstarfish@aol.com/ . Thank you.

"Joshua" Project Update

We are proud to announce that the "Joshua" Project, through our Lord's leading has come to a wonderful conclusion. On Thursday, August 6, 2009, Joshua's parents, Ian and Patrice Fletcher, took ownership of a 2001 Honda Odyssey minivan. The most incredible thing about the "Joshua" project is how our Lord continues to use "His" people to accomplish "His" work. Over twenty individuals contributed to make this dream a reality. To everyone that was obedient to God's call on their life, a sincere thank you comes from Joshua's family and well as Christ's Starfish Foundation. Without you, none of this work could be possible.

As you will recall, Joshua is a precious little boy born June 8, 2008 with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Joshua has endured several surgeries with the last one making it necessary for him to be on a ventilator to assist him in breathing. Joshua's family needed to replace their small vehicle with one that had doors that would open wide to accomodate Joshua while attached to his ventilator and all the other equipment that he required (see previous post). Please join us in continuing to lift little Joshua up in prayer as he continues to endure the effects of this progressive disease.

Dimes for a Difference

One of our annual fundraisers is our "Dimes for a Difference" program. Pepsi has partnered with the foundation to supply us with one liter bottles that we have turned into banks. Our goal is to pass out 1,000 banks in the Jacksonville community to raise funds to help meet the needs of the children at Wolfson Children's Hospital and the families of the non-cancer patient who have needs due to their children being hospitalized. We can not do what we do without partners. If you would like to partner with us and take a bank to fill with coins, please contact us either on this blog or at our email address www.christstarfish@aol.com .You can also call us at (904)612-8522. Please know that 100% of all money donated goes directly to help this cause.

Year-End Reports

FINANCIALS CHRIST’S STARFISH FOUNDATION 2008


DEPOSITS______________________________$31,178.63

PROJECTS 2008 (33 total projects)_________$30,164.94

FEES*____________________________________$31.50

IRS FILING FEE*___________________________$750.00

DEPOSIT CORRECTION______________________$100.00

CARRYOVER PROJECTS_____________________($308.31)

*ALL FEES PAID BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BEN'S STORY

In October 2007, I was contacted by Jim Hutchinson,a social worker at Wolfson Children's Hospital. He wanted me to come to the hospital and meet a young man named Ben McCollum. My first impression of Ben was his looks. I thought he looked like Matthew McConaughey...a good looking kid. I really liked Ben from the first time we met in that room at Wolfson. Due to Ben's cystic fibrosis, he had a high caloric requirement each day of approximately 4100 calories. His busy school schedule and the multiple breathing treatments he had to do did not allow him to go to the cafeteria enough to meet his needs. He needed help with a Publix gift card to allow him to buy his food supplies. Since November 2007, we supplied Ben with a Publix gift card for each month he was in school. He was always grateful and expressed his appreciation. We were able to partner with Ben because you partnered with us. To all our partners, a special thank you for your support. We are making a difference in Christ's name as He leads.


A Tribute to Ben

With our work at Wolfson Children's Hospital we are blessed to meet many children and young adults who exhibit a faith, courage, and an attitude toward life that is amazing. One such individual was Benjamin Jon McCollum. Ben passed away March 30, 2009 at the age of 21 after a life long battle with cystic fibrosis. To Ben's family, his adopted family, and the seemingly hundreds of people that were at his service, our prayers go out to each and every one of you. To Ben...man you ran a great race. It was a privilege to know you. May God just hold you in His arms forever and ever. Breathe easy!