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An Angel Watching Over Little Bit

For the past four years, a very special organization has supported The Little Bit Foundation.  Recently, Mary Beth’s Angels donated $10,000 for our hygiene program, specifically for washers and dryers for our warehouse and schools, deodorant, socks and underwear.

"We are proud to be associated with this amazing Foundation,” said Sheila Ricken, Founder and Mary Beth’s mother.  “It is our honor to carry out Mary Beth's wishes through Little Bit's grass roots programs. All children should have access to clean clothing and basic toiletries. Little Bit is in the trenches, working to provide this simple need."

Mary Beth’s Angels Foundation was created in January 2001 with the intent of carrying out the wishes of then 15 year-old Mary Beth Ricken.  Mary Beth was a very happy, healthy and caring child. She yearned to continuously assist others and was always smiling and laughing. When she was 10 years old, she adopted her life motto – Life is Short, Laugh Hard!  She shared her thoughts on the mission of the foundation while in her finals stages of battling a brain tumor just days before she entered God’s kingdom on January 23, 2001.

Mary Beth wanted to assist children in the community in the areas of hunger, cleanliness, education and healthcare. She was very humbled and excited that this entity would live out her wishes. She asked that the foundation be named after the many people who prayed for and supported her and her family in her 15-month battle with this dreaded disease, Mary Beth’s Angels.

“Mary Beth’s Angels Foundation has had such an important impact on Little Bit and our work with impoverished children,” says Rosemary Hanley, Co-Founder.  “Often attention to basic hygiene is overlooked when the children have so many different needs like clothing, shoes and even food, but being clean and smelling good has immeasurable impact on children’s self-esteem and confidence.”

During the past eight years Mary Beth’s Angels Foundation has touched the lives of thousands of children in the community through the generosity of its supporters. Through this support, the foundation has contributed some $400,000 in cash, clothing, and supplies to various causes assisting children in the community.