Lils 4s - A Safe Haven for the Kids
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Thirty years ago, Letitia Conliffe was living under a bridge with her one-year-old daughter. She would line her daughter’s diapers with leaves to make them last longer. She is now committing her entire life to making sure the children in her community are never in that position through her club for kids, Lil’ 4’s.
I had no idea the kind of humanity I would find behind the front door, and I’m sharing her story and asking help from donors to keep Lil’ 4’s, a 501(c)(3) charity, thriving.
Letitia has created what she calls a “safe haven” for children. “Some of these children have no lights or water at home,” Letitia said. “This is the only place they can find a hot meal if they want to eat.” Lil’ 4’s is a place where kids can walk through the door after school and find a hot meal, a computer to do their homework, mentors to help them succeed in school and activities to keep them busy. Up to fifty children ranging in age from five to seventeen utilize the free services Letitia and her volunteers, Chastity and Alicia, provide.
I had the honor of visiting with the Lil' 4's team. It absolutely took my breath away to see what three women were doing for this community, taking nothing for it in return.
Walking through their building, I was surprised at how much they had, but even more surprised at how much they don’t have.
They were boiling about 40 hot dogs on a portable skillet when I arrived because they don’t have a stove. Letitia sometimes washes these kids clothes at her house because they don’t have a washer and dryer at the facility. There are late notices coming in because Letitia is having to spread things so thin just to pay the $500 monthly rent and basic bills such as electricity and water. Not to mention everyday items that are needed like toilet paper, paper towels, plastic ware, food, clothing, etc. She receives no grants from the government.
Letitia and her two volunteers use their own gas in their own vehicles to transport these kids to and from school if they need rides. Letitia uses her own home to cook up Sunday dinners. And even on Saturday’s you’ll find about twelve kids running around her house because she can’t help but open her door to every child in need.
And the kids look at her like a mother. Some of them want to be here so bad, they walk all the way from Helm Lane. Some of these kids have special needs. Most of them come from broken homes. They all have their own testimonies.
“She makes a struggle look like a bump,” a previous volunteer named Marva said. “She always says, ‘We’re’ gonna get through it. It’s always, ‘we’ and never ‘you.’” It’s not only the children Letitia dedicates her life to - it’s everyone. Letitia heard Marva was going through a rough time and her electricity had been cut off. Letitia showed up at Marva’s door with food from her own fridge and money out of her own pocket to pay her light bill.
Sulphur Springs and the surrounding communities are full of giving, good-hearted people. It’s what Sulphur Springs is becoming known for. A community that comes together like no other to help their own.
I would love to see this community come together in a way that would take some of the stress off Lil' 4's. There are many things this organization needs but a monetary donation is first and foremost. If you can give $5, that would buy a meal for many of the kids after school. If you can give $10, it could pay for the gas Letitia needs to make sure they get out of bed and go to school. If you are in a position to give more, please do. The money you donate is being sent right to the Lil’ 4’s bank account and will be used in the best way possible.
Letitia isn’t asking for a lot. In fact, she didn’t ask for anything. She just wants people to know that there are kids in this community who need a safe place and she wants to be able to continue to provide that. You can help!
★ Our hope is to raise $10,000 to help ease the stress of these three women who are paying for bills and everything else out of their own pockets. If we somehow surpass that goal, I've set steps to show what the facility is in need of. GOAL REACHED!
★ Goal #2 - $35,000 to help purchase a van so that Letitia can provide more and better transportation to the kids who need it.
★ Goal #3 - $50,000 to help purchase the van and pay for the utilities, as well as provide the facility with repairs that are needed.
★ Goal #4 - $85,000 to purchase either the building they are in or the larger one down the street. This will eliminate the $500 rent payment and free up that money to feed the children and provide them with more school supplies and services.
★ Goal #5 - $100,000 This would be a dream come true and would be enough money to make major changes/additions in order to better the lives and futures of many children in Sulphur Springs.
Let’s do our best to try and smash one of these goals! For every $1,000 we raise during the first five goals I will meet it with a personal donation of $100.
If you have an item to donate, call Letitia at [phone redacted] or email her at [email redacted].
Let's show these children how much this community cares for them. And let's help Letitia feel like the struggle of keeping these doors open to our kids is nothing more than a bump.
~Colleen Hoover
I had no idea the kind of humanity I would find behind the front door, and I’m sharing her story and asking help from donors to keep Lil’ 4’s, a 501(c)(3) charity, thriving.
Letitia has created what she calls a “safe haven” for children. “Some of these children have no lights or water at home,” Letitia said. “This is the only place they can find a hot meal if they want to eat.” Lil’ 4’s is a place where kids can walk through the door after school and find a hot meal, a computer to do their homework, mentors to help them succeed in school and activities to keep them busy. Up to fifty children ranging in age from five to seventeen utilize the free services Letitia and her volunteers, Chastity and Alicia, provide.
I had the honor of visiting with the Lil' 4's team. It absolutely took my breath away to see what three women were doing for this community, taking nothing for it in return.
Walking through their building, I was surprised at how much they had, but even more surprised at how much they don’t have.
They were boiling about 40 hot dogs on a portable skillet when I arrived because they don’t have a stove. Letitia sometimes washes these kids clothes at her house because they don’t have a washer and dryer at the facility. There are late notices coming in because Letitia is having to spread things so thin just to pay the $500 monthly rent and basic bills such as electricity and water. Not to mention everyday items that are needed like toilet paper, paper towels, plastic ware, food, clothing, etc. She receives no grants from the government.
Letitia and her two volunteers use their own gas in their own vehicles to transport these kids to and from school if they need rides. Letitia uses her own home to cook up Sunday dinners. And even on Saturday’s you’ll find about twelve kids running around her house because she can’t help but open her door to every child in need.
And the kids look at her like a mother. Some of them want to be here so bad, they walk all the way from Helm Lane. Some of these kids have special needs. Most of them come from broken homes. They all have their own testimonies.
“She makes a struggle look like a bump,” a previous volunteer named Marva said. “She always says, ‘We’re’ gonna get through it. It’s always, ‘we’ and never ‘you.’” It’s not only the children Letitia dedicates her life to - it’s everyone. Letitia heard Marva was going through a rough time and her electricity had been cut off. Letitia showed up at Marva’s door with food from her own fridge and money out of her own pocket to pay her light bill.
Sulphur Springs and the surrounding communities are full of giving, good-hearted people. It’s what Sulphur Springs is becoming known for. A community that comes together like no other to help their own.
I would love to see this community come together in a way that would take some of the stress off Lil' 4's. There are many things this organization needs but a monetary donation is first and foremost. If you can give $5, that would buy a meal for many of the kids after school. If you can give $10, it could pay for the gas Letitia needs to make sure they get out of bed and go to school. If you are in a position to give more, please do. The money you donate is being sent right to the Lil’ 4’s bank account and will be used in the best way possible.
Letitia isn’t asking for a lot. In fact, she didn’t ask for anything. She just wants people to know that there are kids in this community who need a safe place and she wants to be able to continue to provide that. You can help!
★ Our hope is to raise $10,000 to help ease the stress of these three women who are paying for bills and everything else out of their own pockets. If we somehow surpass that goal, I've set steps to show what the facility is in need of. GOAL REACHED!
★ Goal #2 - $35,000 to help purchase a van so that Letitia can provide more and better transportation to the kids who need it.
★ Goal #3 - $50,000 to help purchase the van and pay for the utilities, as well as provide the facility with repairs that are needed.
★ Goal #4 - $85,000 to purchase either the building they are in or the larger one down the street. This will eliminate the $500 rent payment and free up that money to feed the children and provide them with more school supplies and services.
★ Goal #5 - $100,000 This would be a dream come true and would be enough money to make major changes/additions in order to better the lives and futures of many children in Sulphur Springs.
Let’s do our best to try and smash one of these goals! For every $1,000 we raise during the first five goals I will meet it with a personal donation of $100.
If you have an item to donate, call Letitia at [phone redacted] or email her at [email redacted].
Let's show these children how much this community cares for them. And let's help Letitia feel like the struggle of keeping these doors open to our kids is nothing more than a bump.
~Colleen Hoover
Organizer
Letitia Conliffe
Organizer
Sulphur Springs, TX