Welcome to Lenny and the DreamMakers University Place, WA
Working today to change tomorrow!
Help with Our Midyear School Supplies Drive
In Honor of Judy - Lifelong Teacher & Lenny Supporter & Volunteer
Midyear School Supplies Needed for 2023
In honor of a long-time teacher and a Lenny volunteer, we invite you to donate to the needs of students in three of the homeless programs we work with.
Last summer Lenny and the DreamMakers was able to collect over $1500 worth of school supplies and money to purchase school supplies with a dedication to honoring the memory of Teacher Judy. Because of your generosity we were able to donate to more places than normal. We gave to the Family Housing Network with Catholic Community Services, the Women’s and Family Shelter with Tacoma Rescue Mission, and the families at the Altheimers Family Shelter.
What we have come to realize is that at this time of year, school supplies have dwindled, pencils have grown short and color crayons have lost their sharp points. We are proposing a little refreshing of supplies and other student needs.
The agencies we are in contact with are always in need of school supplies, uniforms and things that help the children fit into regular school activities. Many of the children at the agencies are elementary school age, but there are children of all ages.
If you have a heart for kids and want to donate either the actual supplies or money for us to purchase supplies, that would be fabulous! We will be taking the supplies to them in February, so please donate money now, or drop off your donation at 4416 Sunset Drive W, University Place.
All money collected for school supplies will only be used for the purchase of student needs items. Please see attached list.
Thanks so much - Mary Beth
The list is in the order of greatest Need.
BACKPACKS—Youth and Teens
Subject Dividers
Notebook paper (College and Wide ruled)
# 2 Pencils (Ticonderoga), pencil sharpener
Colored pencils
Markers
Highlighters
Blue, Black, and red ink Pens, Pencil box, Tape
Graph paper, calculators, protractors, rulers
Spiral Notebooks
Composition Notebooks
Scissors, glue sticks, erasers, Kleenex
Crayons
Paper and Plastic Folders
Headphones (full ear coverage) for computer work, Flash drives (Middle/HS)
Money to pay for School Uniforms
About Us
How We're Helping
Our Mission:
Face to Face, Hand to Hand, Heart to Heart. Touching One Life at a Time with Simple Acts of Kindness
We are a nonprofit, 501 (c)3 charitable organization focused on making a difference in the lives of people who are homeless in our community. We provide food, clothing, blankets, personal care items, bus passes, gas cards and much more. We meet people at their point of need and let them know they are not alone.
We also reach out to nursing homes and hospice houses in our community and give small gifts of love to provide a moment of happiness when needed the most.
Get Involved
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help make our Homelessness Nonprofit in University Place reach as many people as possible. Lenny and the DreamMakers in University Place is a great charitable organization that strives every day to make a difference in our community. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Thank You
Whether you help through goods or monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of supporters like you.
Goodbye to Our Beloved Spokes Cat Lenny
Lenny and the DreamMakers no longer has our spokes cat Lenny. Our namesake and fearless kitty leader passed peacefully in his sleep on October 15, 2021. We are not sure how old he was, as he started out as a rescue kitty, but he has been with us for about 18 years. He had a long and good life.
He loved greeting family members and people who came to donate. We could always count on him to join the party and sit with us for a while. He also loved to eat. He would try to get Dennis to give him dinner early every day. He did not always succeed. This morning, he ate a normal breakfast and then went to take a nap in front of the fire.
Many may not know how he became the inspiration for our name. We started out very modestly taking sandwiches and coats to people who are homeless. Along with that we joined the Million Pillowcase Challenge to be a part of donating pillowcases to kids and grownups who needed them. Christmas of 2015, we pledged to make and donate 100 pillowcases for the residents in a disabled care facility. While we were sewing the pillowcases, Lenny would lay right next to the sewing machine. He just wanted to be a part of the full process. My daughter Monica, who was working with me, thought of the name DreamMakers and since Lenny was such a big part of the work, we decided to include him. Lenny and the DreamMakers was born!
Lenny was so dedicated to his namesake group that he made sure that even he followed Covid precautions! In all seriousness though, Lenny will be truly missed. He was always present for every event, meeting and gathering. Overseeing all activities, but most importantly, spreading his special kind of love. Fly in Joy Lenny.
National Volunteer Week
Evan & Isla, two of our youngest volunteers, made the perfect team to kick off the recent National Volunteer Week!
Evan & Isla brought supplies for our Welcome Boxes, which contain supplies for families who are transitioning from homelessness to stable housing. They then helped put together one of the boxes.
It just so happens that the family that received this Welcome Box has children, two of which are the exact same age as Evan & Isla! They were the perfect pair for selecting items for the kids. Thank you Evan & Isla for helping to kick off National Volunteer Week and for being such great examples of what community is about!