Naomi’s Promise
Naomi’s Promise is a charity project to feed the homeless. Last year to help Lilian Naomi follow through on a promise she made to give back, we provided 180 meals to a homeless shelter. This year, our goal is bigger than ever.
We are going to be bringing meals and care packages to people experiencing homelessness Winter 2021/2022. Every dollar helps us reach our goal, please donate if you can!
Goal: 200 care packages.
How can you help?
We are accepting donations in both physical goods and money. Monetary donations will first go to food, since we will not be accepting direct food donations, and then towards the other ingredients as needed. The yellow banner shows our essential items for the care packages but we will also accept the following:
-gloves, hats, scarves
-coloring books and crayons (no markers please)
-blankets
-hot hands/hand warmers
-packaged Christmas candy
-books
Monetary donations can be sent to: @Coral-Hayward on Venmo
For information on how to donate physical goods like socks, text Coral at 801-472-5098
You can also make bags for the packages and meals to be delivered in! Here is a pattern with easy instructions: https://www.craftpassion.com/sew-drawstring-backpack/
If you have made bags and want to donate them, send Coral a text to arrange a donation.
The story of Naomi’s Promise is a powerful one, and one the Quiet Heart Press will be turning into a picture book! Stay tuned for updates by joining our email list here and expect to see the finished book available by November 2022!
Naomi’s Story
(Written by Coral Hayward, details from interviewing Lilian)
My name is Lilian Naomi Hayward. I am thirteen years old, and this is a true story.
When I was a little girl, I was homeless.
That means my family didn’t have our own house, or apartment, not even a car.
Most nights, we slept in the shelters. They had really good pillows, but the beds were also full of bugs. That’s where I got head lice.
When we stayed at the shelters, they would feed us and even let us keep the blankets.
But sometimes it was really scary. We had one room to ourselves, I shared the top bunk with my little brother and our mom slept on the bottom bunk. I never felt comfortable and it was really hard to sleep. I was always tired during the day.
The shelters were a lot better than when we had to sleep outside. It was really cold, and we just had the ground or a bench to sleep on.
Back then, I thought I would be homeless my whole life, without any of my own food, until I died.
But things are different now.
When I was 9 years old, my brothers and I went to live with a Foster Family. Not all kids who are homeless end up in Foster Care, but we did.
With my Foster Family, I learned about Jesus and how much he loves me, and how he helped people during his life. I want to be like him.
Eventually, we got adopted! Now we have a big house, with a big family, comfy beds, plenty of food every day, and even pets!
Now, I never worry about being homeless, or hungry. I want everyone to feel that way.
I prayed to know what I could do to be like Jesus and help people. The answer was easy.
That day I made a promise to Jesus. I’m going to feed the homeless. I want them to feel loved so they don’t give up.
Everyone deserves to feel loved.
