Happy New Year

Partnership with Shanghai United International School We have great news. The Shanghai United International School has chosen Blessing Hands to be their charity to support and partner with for the coming year. They will encourage their students to do partner projects with our students and emphasize volunteerism. They have an annual Christmas bazaar and concert to raise money for their chosen charity and also have a charity 5K run during the year. Their Christmas activities this year raised 40,000 yuan ($6,289USD). Use this website link.  The children themselves are encouraged to decide how the money they raise will be used.  We gave 18 computers to Du'an Special Education school last spring. They need 24 more so every classroom can have three computers.  Good Giving Guide Challenge  The Blue Grass Community Foundation has picked 100 bluegrass area charities to assist in raising money for their special projects. The charities that raise the most money with the most donors by December 31st, have a chance of winning $5,000 awards for their endowment funds at the Blue Grass Community Foundation. Our project is to raise $13,000 for classroom computers for the Du'an Special Education School. We have raised $4,150 from 32 donors. We are 13 in a field where one is the highest and 38 small charities are listed. They have different categories for small and large charities, so we have a chance to get an award. Give with a card. It is easy on your cell phone. Our giving page is here.  Our high school students in Guizhou received their new clothes recently. Clothes Given to High School Students Our high school students are getting 3 pairs of pants and a jacket each. Mr. Chen, who sells cars in Qinzhou, was able to get new, high-quality clothing that was donated by the maker. We plan to share them with our students in Yangshuo, Guizhou and Gansu. It gets cold in Southern China, so they have come just in time for winter cold. There are no small sizes, however, for younger kids.  They were asked to give their sizes, so each student's clothes would fit.  Betty Cutts and Chen Jiqing Report of College Scholarships  We have 66 college and university students in our scholarship program now. Chen Jiqing has been a Blessing Hands student for 10 years. She was in the third grade in Yangshuo when she first received help. Now she is a freshman student studying at the Medical College of Guilin. She is determined to be a doctor, perhaps because her parents are both sick and unable to work.  Two sponsors make her $650 scholarship possible. Water purifier  Year's Report of Water Purifiers We have done so much this year. Five primary schools in Yangshuo have new water purifiers - thanks to the water purifier team from East Oldham Middle School. The tanks, pipes, faucets and all labor was given in kind by the East Oldham Middle School and the Gao family from Kunming. These volunteers worked together as a team of west meeting east. Eddy Wu came from Hong Kong to help and learn. He is applying for a Chinese patent with no intention to make money on his purifier. China needs pure water and his expertise is a perfect match.. Matthew Liu talking to Qinzhou high school students. Student Report Most of our students are in high school. Matthew Liu, one of our board members, enjoys meeting them each summer. We have about 191 high school students presently in Qinzhou, Yangshuo, and Du'an in Guangxi province, and more in Guizhou and Gansu Provinces. We have volunteer administrators in all these areas. That is why our management costs this year are 5% and 95% goes for programs. Our 107 primary and 19 lower middle school students are in four different provinces and represent Yao, Miao, Buyi, and Zhuang minorities as well as Han majority students. Most of our students are from single parent or disabled families. They are chosen by their schools and principals through an application process. Sponsorship is the core of our charity.Write us to receive a special child that needs you as their sponsor.  Financial Report Our wonderful donors gave $130,350 during the 2014-2015 school year. We spent $118,430 on programs serving students, their families and schools. We had a surplus of $6,378 to start the new 2015-16 school year.  Put "smile.amazon.com" into your browser before shopping on Amazon, and then choose Blessing Hands as your charity. Amazon will give us 0 .5% of your purchase. Shop and give at the same time.  Blessings to You and Yours in  This New Year All of us at Blessing Hands  want to thank you for your loyalty, and support in 2015. We hope to see you give again in 2016!   https://www.blessing-hands.org  https: //blessinghands.blogspot.com https: //blessinghands.blogspot.com Email:bdcutts@blessing-hands.org  Address for Checks: Blessing Hands                    106 Timber Lane                  Morehead, KY 40351   #GoodGivingGuide Challenge page;