Hi everyone! Long-time listener, first-time caller here.
I’ve been the Director of Marketing at Heart for Africa for the past three months, and honestly, it feels like one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. Getting to use my skills to help grow this incredible organization has been nothing short of an honor.
Over the last few months, I’ve been working closely with our marketing team to figure out how we can better connect with you—our amazing supporters—in more meaningful and impactful ways. Maybe you’ve seen our new newsletters like On the Ground or Heartbeat (that one’s just for donors), where we give an inside look at life on Project Canaan.
But I’ve been thinking—what if we could bring a little piece of Project Canaan to you, right here in the U.S., without making you book a 15-hour flight to Eswatini? (Though, if you’re up for it, we highly recommend it—over 7,000 people have made the trip with us over the past 19 years!)
To bring that vision to life, I’ve been working with Kenya Hughes on some exciting new volunteer opportunities that could make a real impact from right here at home. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming soon to our social media feeds:
✉️ Christmas Card Writing Events
It started with a simple question: How can we make Christmas even more special for the kids and staff on Project Canaan?
Enter: Christmas card events! Starting April 25th (and continuing on the 25th of each month), we’ll be hosting card-writing events at our office in Alpharetta, GA. Volunteers can write personal, heartfelt cards filled with encouragement, Bible verses, song lyrics—whatever inspires love from across the globe.
We’ll even serve hot chocolate to make it cozy! But this is also a great event to host with your small group or friends, anywhere. Want to organize your own card-writing night? Kenya Hughes is your go-to. Send her an email at kenya@heartforafrica.org.
📦 Shoe-Box Packs
If you were around in the ‘90s (yes, I was—and yes, I remember frosted tips), you might recall the shoebox craze: fill a box with essentials and send it to someone in need. We’re bringing that concept back!
Our goal is to create Celebration Boxes for every staff member at Project Canaan. These care packages will be filled with practical and uplifting items—think razors, books, and shaving cream for men; lotions, nail polish, and devotionals for women.
We’ll need help collecting these items and packing boxes during special events at our Alpharetta office. Want in? Kenya’s waiting for your email 😊
🎒 Back-to-School Packs
Remember the joy of fresh school supplies? New notebooks, clean erasers… it was chef’s kiss for my 10-year-old self. But our kids at Project Canaan don’t have a Walmart around the corner.
So we’re launching a Back-to-School Pack event to send age-appropriate supplies and backpacks to every student at Project Canaan Academy. We’ll need volunteers to source items, pack the bags, and help load shipping containers.
Bonus idea: At the end of the school year, what if we worked with local schools to place donation bins outside for unused supplies? Technically allowed? TBD. Totally doable? With the right school partnership—absolutely.
👕 Thrift Gurus, Assemble!
This one’s still a work-in-progress, but I’d love to tap into all the expert thrifters out there (shoutout to my wife!) to gather clothes for kids and staff. If that sparks your interest, reach out to me directly and let’s dream something up together.
Over the last 19 years, countless people have given their time, talent, and resources to support Heart for Africa—and we’re beyond grateful for every single one of you.
If you haven’t visited Project Canaan yet, I wholeheartedly encourage you to go. But even from right here in the States, you can make a lasting difference in the lives of our children and staff.
Thanks for being part of this journey with us. We’ve got some beautiful things ahead.
Spencer Maxwell, Director of Marketing