Jan 2004, The Executive Board of Directors held it's annual meeting to vote in our new Secretary Brad Shaffer. Brad comes to the JNN Executive Board after extensive volunteer work in Osceola & Orange County. He is also an Osceola County Fireman.

Feb and March were devoted to closing a real estate deal on an old home in the historic district of Downtown Kissimmee. We closed the deal and now own the property located at 721 Verona Street. We are running our corporate operations out of the building and also have been fortunate enough to rent out the rest of the building to other tenants. See below for photos. JNN Donated $500 to the Ronald McDonald House, for their family BBQ.

JNN New Office Location	Cleaning day for new tenants
Moving Day!

We participated in the walk for the Hope and Help Center in Orlando and presented them with a check for $1000.00

We have also been in the progress of getting our e-bay store up and running! It is going great! We are now also an official E-bay trading assistant. Got something you want to sell and or donate to charity we can sell it for you! You can make some money and donate a portion of your sale to the JNN Foundation and receive a tax deduction! Follow the link to the store…http://stores.ebay.com/Backstreet-Market-Plus.

April we held our 1st fundraiser to raise money for the Hope and Help Center in Orlando. This event was a lot of fun! We had Las Vegas Style Gaming, Dancing, Skating, and much more! Our Grand Prize winner was Brent Miller of Love Park IL. He won two round trip tickets for two to Las Vegas, 2 VIP tickets, to the VH1 Divas show and two nights at Caesar's Palace Resort! All had a great time!

At this event we raised another $1000.00 for the Hope and Help Center along with a ton of needed supplies for the Lisa Merlin House.

Thanks to all who attended and who brought their unwanted cell phones and empty cartridges!

May saw the surprise of many high school students when AJ showed up at his cousins Matthew's graduation ceremony!

June & July were spent working and getting to other organization in Osceola County and seeing how we can help out around the community. We have met so great people and are working with so wonderful organizations.

August was a busy month and one that went by way to slow and then again is a blur! Friday August 13 Hurricane Charley hit us. Not a fun time for anyone living in Central Florida. Thank God our homes were ok and no one we know was injured from the storm. However there were 1000's of people displaced with no food, water, electricity, or roofs over their heads complete apartment complex's were condemned as their roofs had come completely off, or trees have torn them in half. We were with out power in our home for 8 days and at our office for 13 days! As most of you know I had been doing what I could do from my sister's house that had power. My mother and I cooked, shopped and delivered the much-needed supplies to the Poinciana Community Center, and to the Osceola County Council on Aging. You wouldn't believe the smile you get for something as simple as a cupcake to a hungry person. One day after the storm we went to communities that had people who were being evicted from their apartments, and gave them food, water and ice. It was amazing; people only took what they needed for a day or two and were eager to share with their neighbors. I remember the look on an very old woman's face when she asked me if I had any food she could have and I handed her a bag of apples she was so excited. That was all she wanted I told her that I had other things she could have and she said no thank you. The following day, we went by the Osceola Counsel on Aging to see what they needed. Wilda Belize the director of the Meals On Wheels program said that "we had been sent by God" as they had run out of food the night before. We unloaded the rest of the food, water, juice and other items we had right at their door. A special thanks goes out to Cindy of Longwood, who donated approx. $150 in food! Another great big thanks goes to all who have sent in cash donations for these victims!

Click to view hurricane Charley photos

We are still accepting cash donations to help the many victims of Hurricanes Charley & Frances. 100% of all donations are being donated directly to the victims of these hurricanes.

After that it was time to concentrate on cleaning up the debris in our own yards. What a process, but hey we got it done just in time for a very unwelcomed visitor named Hurricane Frances! We took a beating from Frances that lasted almost 3 days of wind and rain. Again we have to THANK GOD as all is well in our homes and office.

The new motto around town is "JUST SAY NO TO IVAN!"

Just before we knew of the storm, we went on our annual shopping spree at Staples and Office Max to get as much school supplies would fit into my car to donate they to Grissom Funeral Home, who was acting as a collection site for Osceola County Gift for Teaching program.

We are gearing up to attend the Head Dress Ball put on by the Hope and Help Center in Orlando. Should have some great photos from that!

So until I write again, please remember to keep those used cell phones, empty laser and inkjet cartridges coming! Also please check out our e-bay store Backstreet Market Plus! New items will be listed just as fast as we can get them up there.