Today we’d like to introduce you to the 100 People Project.
Hello 100 People Project, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
In 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated Texas. We could not sit by and do nothing. We knew there were going to be organizations helping but we wanted in on the action. We wanted to make sure the items were getting directly to the people, something you don’t necessarily get to see when donating to bigger organizations.
We decided to load a van with hygiene products, clothing, diapers, water, food, etc., and drive directly into Houston to ensure the items were received directly by the people in need. The feeling we got from this trip changed us forever. We drove 30 hours nonstop each way with our friend Melissa, feared running out of gas or getting lost, and faced many obstacles along the way. Despite all of that, once we reached Houston and saw the faces of those helping us unload our van, we knew we found our purpose.
After our Texas trip, we started funding giveaways out of pocket. We were able to help some single moms with groceries and another at Christmas time. Quickly realizing that we could not afford to help as many people as our hearts wanted to, we decided to start the 100 People Project on January 2, 2018.
The original goal was to help 100 people a year. We thought this was a realistic task for two girls starting with a dream but not a lot of experience. We soon came to realize that we were inspiring people and people wanted to get involved. We have since helped thousands of local South Florida families with our yearly initiatives including our annual Back to School event, HoHoHope initiative every Christmas, a local food drive handing out 500 turkeys and meal kits, and our Title 1 school initiatives where we cleared lunch debt and created a kindness garden for students to read in.
We also take pride in helping those experiencing homelessness throughout the year with blessing bags which include: socks, flashlights, sleeping bags, and toiletries; the items they need most.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has certainly not been smooth but every obstacle we have faced has made us learn to become more resourceful and to get creative to stretch funds as far as possible.
We have encountered many “no’s” in our journey from people not willing to partner with a new organization, we have had trouble fundraising through a pandemic where times were hard for many people, and without a team that some of the larger nonprofits may have, it can be challenging to pull off the larger initiatives with just the two of us while working full-time jobs.
Ultimately, these struggles have not slowed us down and with the support of our community and people who truly believe in our mission, we have still been able to make a tremendous impact.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
100 People Project provides hope through action in underserved and under-resourced communities. We focus mainly on single parents because we believe they are superheroes and sometimes they just need a little bit of help to get them through the tough times. We are most proud of the fact that we can say that all of the donations that come into the 100 People Project are used directly to help the community or to keep our nonprofit running. There are no percentages taken out to pay any salaries or dilute the impact that donations make on the people we are trying to help.
We believe that showing our supporters where their money goes and taking them along on the journey through our social media allows them to connect with their donations and with our mission. Sometimes, when donating to larger nonprofits, you don’t truly get to see the impact your money makes. With us, we show exactly what we do, while also respecting the privacy of those we help, to make sure everyone is left with a positive experience.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
For both of us, it was seeing how our moms, both single moms, made the holidays magical regardless of the situation we were facing. They always made sure to make us feel special and to make sure we always felt the holiday spirit.
Contact Info:
- Website: 100peopleprojectinc.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/100peopleproject?igshid=YTQwZjQ0Nml0OA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064330883914
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/@100peopleprojectinc.9
