Since 1992
Print and digital marketing
By Bill Van Tassel
SOUTH PARIS — Misty Sturtevant and her husband began foster care for their now-adopted son Percy in 2015. After seeing the six-month old child arrive with all his belongings in two trash bags, Sturtevant decided to become involved with a national organization called Together We Rise. She became active in one of their efforts to help foster children in the often-difficult transition period of moving from one domestic situation to another.
Together We Rise has a program called Sweet Cases, providing new duffle bags filled with essentials like a teddy bear, blanket, hygiene kit and a few other necessities. The items are shipped to anyone interested in putting a number of bags together. The California-based organization ships the unpacked bags and fillers anywhere in the United States, where someone like Sturtevant has put together a group to do the packing.
With her own son now three-years-old, she thinks often about all the other children who are going through this process. In 2016, Sturtevant called a few local business owners to solicit donations. The first one was easy, as she and her husband Kevin own and operate Sturtevant’s Plumbing in South Paris. Last year Sturtevant’s efforts collected $500, and enabled her and her friends to pack 20 bags. Each filled duffle costs $25. The finished bags are taken to the Department of Health and Human Services office in Lewiston. From there, they are given to children of various ages who are making a move in the foster care system.
“This year it has exploded,” Sturtevant pointed out. “We’ve raised $1,750. This covers 64 duffle bags. It’s amazing!”
Much of the fundraising work is done by Sturtevant through social media and the Oxford County business network in which Sturtevant Plumbing is active. Word of mouth has been a really positive concept in their community.
Sturtevant will have more than a dozen helpers to pack the new shipment of bags. They will hold a “packing party” Friday, Dec. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Paris Fire Station. The Department is offering its facilities free of charge. The Together We Rise organization has also shipped art supplies for the packers to decorate the plain, blue duffle bags, and the Teddy Bears all come with the words “Together We Rise” imprinted on their foot pads.
caption: (Bill Van Tassel photo.) Misty Sturtevant points out some photos of last year’s Sweet Cases packing party for Together We Rise, a program benefiting Maine’s foster children.
