Key Facts
- Fundraising total
- Nearly $6,000
- Duration
- Five consecutive winter breaks
- Beneficiary
- HELP of Southern Nevada
- Single push record
- $805
- Initial target
- $50
- Recognition
- Vegas Stronger Champions by Findlay Automotive Group
Background
For five consecutive winter breaks, a Las Vegas brother and sister have turned craft time into a fundraising tradition, generating close to $6,000 for people experiencing homelessness in the valley.
Evan and Fifi Sassman devote much of their time off from school to stringing beads into bracelets and assembling magnets, which they then sell within their circle of family, friends and classmates. Every cent collected is donated to HELP of Southern Nevada.
The idea traces back to a moment when Fifi, still in preschool, spotted someone without housing near her campus. She came home wanting to do something about it, prompting her parents to help her figure out how.
Current Situation
Her mother, Marie, recalled how the plan came together. "And so we brainstormed, and both of my kids are really artistic, and Fifi loves those little beaded bracelets, and we make them all the time," Marie said. "So I'm like, well, maybe we could give them to everyone in preschool, like ask if they would want to purchase them, all your preschool friends, because there's a whole class right there."
What began as a $50 target has long since been left behind. Backed by relatives and friends willing to buy in, the siblings once brought in $805 from a single push, and their yearly haul has continued to climb since.
A chance encounter later reinforced the family's decision to keep giving to the same organization. According to Marie, another mother from Fifi's preschool class approached her in tears after hearing about the bracelet sales.
| Milestone | Value |
|---|---|
| Initial target | $50 |
| Single push record | $805 |
| Total raised | Nearly $6,000 |
Impacts
"A little girl in Fifi's class has actually received services from [HELP of Southern Nevada]. And when we said that we were selling these bracelets, the mom came up to me and was crying. And she's like, 'They helped me and my daughter when we didn't have a place to live, and I'm so impressed that you're doing this and I love them,' and she went on and on about them and I was like we found the right place, so we're going to stick with them," Marie said.
Fuilala Riley, who leads HELP of Southern Nevada as CEO, put the community's need into context, noting that roughly 8,000 people go without shelter on a typical night in the region even as the organization places about 800 people into housing every day.
Findlay Automotive Group's Jeff Giles later recognized the siblings as Vegas Stronger Champions, presenting them with a check to mark their years of fundraising.
Future Outlook
Scenario analysis: The possibilities below are not certain predictions.
If the siblings continue their tradition, their annual fundraising could keep growing, potentially surpassing the $6,000 mark in coming years.
Should they expand their sales beyond family and friends, they may reach a wider audience and increase donations further.
However, if their school schedules become more demanding, they might have less time for crafting, which could slow the pace of their fundraising.
Source: 963kklz.com
