Shine and Inspire

Another wonderful Children’s Event, one of the best things we do at Shine and Inspire!
96 children from families needing a little help were our guests for an afternoon of food, fun, entertainment and crafts. They went home with a backpack filled with school supplies, clothing, and shoes so they can start the school year off right! They also received a special surprise from their wish list. Each family went home with a bag filled with hygiene and household items to help stretch their budgets.
So many people to thank:

• The amazing Shine & Inspire board who made it all happen!
• People and businesses who donated their money and time by sponsoring and shopping for the children with a special shout out to super shoppers Karen Jacko, Karen Mclaughlin, Lynda Petrocelli and Ann Marie Potts who shopped for so many of the children!
• The fantastic volunteers, both new and those who keep coming back we appreciate you!
• Our amazing stylists Carlee and Haley who cut children’s hair all day!
• Jenny who kept the games and the dancing going all afternoon!
• Book Smiles for all the wonderful books!
• Happy Smiles for donating ice pops!
• New Jersey Weddings and Events for all the wonderful food and Beth and Joann who are the best!!!
• The amazing Kari who made balloon characters for the children while up on stilts!
• Danielle from Outside the Lines Art Studia for her wonderful craft table (she is also one of our Community Partners)!
• Lala & Mimi’s Pajama Project that gave pajamas to every child!
• Project Linus who donated handmade blankets for the children!
• Kelly Rick, who was our princess for the day (because her daughter couldn’t make it) she’s so amazing (and to her mom who was our baby whisperer)!
• The young men from the Hamilton A’s baseball organization for helping to unload everything (there was a lot!) and set up the hall!
• Creative Juices by Kari Ann Palmieri Janisse!

Thank you Constellation Energy!

Mercer County #nonprofit @ShineandInspire has been awarded a $500 Community Champions #grant from @ConstellationEG for our School Closets project which helps indigent #kids with toiletries and school supplies.

#constellationcommunitychampions! #shineandinspire

We really appreciate support from #consumerproducts companies in #NJ to help fill the closets in 30 #MercerCounty#NJSchools!

Many thanks to Danielle Ingeri from Outside the Lines Art Studio in Hamilton. She hosted a fundraiser benefitting Shine and Inspire at her studio and presented us with a check for $600! This will provide many children with much needed hygiene items, school supplies and non-perishable foods.

It’s a wonderful studio — check it out if you’ve never been there!

Outside the Lines Art Studio is also a collection site where you can drop off donation items for our Shine closets (over 30 closets in Mercer County schools)

What a fabulous night as we walked the red carpet and were transported to the lights on broadway. Everyone looked fantastic dressed as their favorite character from a broadway play, both present and past. It was hard to choose the Tony Awards for Best in Costumes!

The Broadway Balladeers wowed everyone with their amazing voices as they sung broadway songs from everyone’s favorite broadway shows. We were mesmerized.

Special thanks to our Red Carpet sponsor, The Arc of Mercer, and Showtime sponsors, A.W. Martin Construction and the Olsen Foundation. We also want to thank the people and businesses that contributed baskets and items for our famous Tricky Tray.

All of these beautiful photographs, by DoeRain Deane, captured the magic of the evening. We can’t thank her enough for all the support she continues to give Shine and Inspire!

Thanks to the support of everyone, we are able to make a difference in our community. Make a difference in someone’s life and it will make a difference in yours!