www.stephanieshouse.org

Information on Stephanie’s House!

My dear friends –

I have often spoke of this feeling I have about our lives ~ that each of us is here, for whatever amount of time, for a reason. A mission. Perhaps to leave this earth a little better than it was when we arrived.My mission has never been questioned. What began as a seed many, many years ago is now blooming and growing into an immense dream of a project that has to be given a formal start. And this is where the love story of “Stephanie’s House” will begin. As all of you know, my daughter Stephanie, who is severely autistic, will be 21 in 4 years. It seems like an eternity, but we know how quickly time passes and if I blink and do not get moving, my daughter and many young women like her, will be without a place to spend their lives In the state of Pennsylvania, there are tens of thousands of adults, like Stephanie, who are on waiting lists to be placed in appropriate residential care facilities where they are provided a life of joy, dignity, worth and friendship. It will not be enough to bring her home in 4 years. She needs care 24/7 and with it, socialization, life skills, friendship and healthy activities. As a mother, it will also be a blessing to know she is living in a place that is safe and loving, especially after I am gone.   With this in mind, I have made it my life mission to establish what I hope to be the first of many residential facilities for women with autism. We have called our first project “Stephanie’s House,” because we are emerging as a non-profit organization whose goal it is to raise over $300,000 to buy our first home where my daughter, and 4 other young women, will reside beginning in 2013. It is a HUGE undertaking and one that will require me to reach out to the kindnesses of everyone I know.  To raise the seed money needed to establish this non-profit, we are having our first annual “Autism Shops – a day for the girls” this fall in Valley Forge. Through the generous donations of mint and new items such as handbags, shoes, jewelry, dresses, bath products, cosmetics, upscale clothing, home goods – you name it – we hope to raise $10,000. 

 I am kindly asking everyone I know for assistance.  Truly, anything would be lovely, samples, sold outs … at the risk of being forward I must ask that items be MINT. I see this as an upscale event and not a garage sale/flea market. I need for this sale to be well received so we can do it again on an annual basis. I have a long way to go and I cannot do it alone. Thank you kindly for anything you can contribute to this cause. Items can be sent to the address below or I can arrange for a pick up.  

With love and hope, mlk