Sisterhood is indeed powerful. Because of your beautiful generosity this Mothers Day, we were able to send over $25,000 to the Collateral Repair Project.

Your donations are making a profound difference in the lives of displaced Iraqi women and children, as you can see in this letter from the women of CRP:

We cannot express the depth of our gratitude to you who, through CODEPINK, have so generously partnered with us to be 'collateral repair' As a result of this outpouring of caring, many of our very urgent goals, which just a few days ago seemed long range, are now able to come to fruition:

The Samawa School project will be completed; the internally displaced women of Najaf, Iraq will get sewing training; Iraqi refugee children in the impoverished Al-Jofa district of Amman will receive school supplies and necessities; the Iraqi Women's Craft Co-operative and support group will receive supplies and compensation for their talented work; new mothers in Amman will receive gifts that will help them with infant needs; all of our special needs students in Amman will have 3 months more of their education paid for, AND MORE.

Jordan, May 16, 2008: Asma, from the Collatoral Repair Project sent a special "thank you" note to all supporters after reading their messages (listed below):

I read and the tears came down uncontrollably, of course! How can we , my people and I thank you all for having such simple and honest feelings ? How can we thank you for thinking of our people and caring enough to dip your hands in your pockets - some , I know, very probably badly in need of whatever they are going to contribute towards our families , both inside Iraq where 3 million have been displaced and it seems to be an ongoing process and abroad in Jordan where most of these people who lived active respectable lives before this disaster feel on them , in comfortable means are now destitute.

Thank you , also from the bottom of my heart for all those brave women - young and old who have gone and are going marching all the time against what they know is wrong and what most of the world knows is wrong and if we are speaking about "evil" then evil! Knowing that they are marching with a prison threat hanging over their heads.

Thank you - should I be alive by the time this war ends, then I promise you all that I will be working on bringing peace to the hearts of Iraqis who have lost so much towards the American people . Once again, Thank You - from the bottom of my heart. Sallams and Love. Asma.


Read a sampling of the deeply moving notes included with your Mother's Day donations below:

We also wish to thank the activist from Washington State who refused to pay her taxes this year, deciding instead to donate the $2,425.00 she would have paid to the IRS to our Collateral Repair Project.

We are all sisters, with the same hopes and dreams. You are not forgotten. Have hope!

My late daughter was against the war. I know she'd want to help the moms and kids if she were here. I am against the war too and I hope it ends soon for everyone. The US moms losing their kids and the Iraqi moms who have lost theirs or are just trying to survive from day to day.

Dear Mom, With my eternal thanks for all you have done and continue to do as my mother and friend, I make a contribution in your honor to help Iraqi mothers whose lives have been so devastated by this war. I know you share my hope that someday mothers everywhere will be able to leave to their children -- children of all nations -- a world truly at peace. Lots of love.

Mom, I wanted to do something special to honor the special nurturance you gave me growing up. Maybe this donation in your name will give some Iraqi mother and child a chance to grow older together, the way we have. I love you. Happy Mother's Day.

As an American mother of a United States Marine I want to ask your forgiveness for what our country has done to you. My son is young and joined the military so he would be able to afford college. He is not a bad or evil person. I am sorry that this country does not offer a free, peaceful alternative to our young people who are trying to find their way in the world. I pray that our troops will be brought home and that the US government will use war money to help re-build your country and your lives. I also pray that the United States will make the transition from a nation of war mongering into a nation of peace-making. Although my own mother died 20 years ago I know that she would be very happy to know that I am donating money to you in her name. It is a small amount considering what you and your fellow Iraqis have been through and are currently going through. You are in our hearts.

Dearest Mom, I honor the love and commitment you've shown me my whole life. I wanted to act on those qualities you've taught me, and help the mothers and children in Iraq who've been so terrorized and displaced by this war. In our names, we will make a tiny difference! Happy Mother's Day... Love.

It seems so right, Mom, to honor you by making a donation to support the mothers and children displaced by the war in Iraq. Thank you for being such a wonderful role model for fostering peace and understanding in the world. Love.

Please accept the money in memory of my very anti war mother who passed away 20 years ago. She only wanted peace in the world. I am working to help fulfill her wishes.

Dear Mom ~ I've been inspired to donate to CODEPINK in their efforts to balance the scales for the women and children of Iraq. Their message: "There is something so bold and beautiful and yet so simple about gathering together with others to become visible and audible with a message of love, peace, and possibility. It heartens others and heals them and invites them to make a little leap into holding the space for their own vision." Wishing you a very happy Mother's Day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for ushering me in to this world. Love and Peace.

In memory of my mother and in memory of all of the women (and) men who taught me that all the peoples of this earth are my brothers and sisters and should be cared for as I would family.

I love you and thank you for all the many gifts you have bestowed on me so generously and stylishly. You have helped me to grow my social conscience and compassionate concern for those with less. You have taught me to keep an ear out for injustice and brutality and speak out. I love you forever and ever and hope those mothers, aunts, grandmothers and children who are currently suffering are somewhat comforted by this donation even if it is merely to remind them that they are not utterly unseen or forgotten. XXXX

From Mother to Daughter...a loving wish to complete the circle of love to help an Iraqi Mother and Daughter.

In gratitude for all you've done for me, and in honor of you, I want to help --in this small way-- an Iraqi mother try to raise her child in the midst of war. Thanks and Love.

Mama, Thinking of you with love on Mother's Day, and remembering all the years you have given to care for others. This donation was made to send some of that love and caring to mothers in Iraq who are most in need of our repentance for the violence our country has perpetrated on Iraq, and of restorative justice for their people. Peace and love.

With all the love you have shown me, seems only right to share it wherever we can. I love you! Teresa
Mom, You have so inspired me all my life to care deeply about others. Thank you for your spirit of compassion and generosity. The best way for me to honor you is to help those women in pain and need, suffering from the fallout from the war. I love you with all my heart.

I can't hold your hand or hug you for support as Mom's do so well but this is an extension of the greater globlal human love. May Allah protect you and your family from pain and may peace prevail in Iraq. Your concerned friends from California. Blessings always.

My Mother's life was saved by a friendly Kurdish family in 1917 during the Armenian massacre by Turks. May this donation help save some one's life.

Happy Mothers Day Mom, I made this donation because you taught me to help people, and because you taught me that when you feel sorry for something you have done, or your tax dollars / country has done, you try to change what you have done. I love you Mom.

Mom - I am sending this in honor of you. I hope that you can see this from where you are in heaven. I love you.

In honor of my dear mother, charlotte Berman, who devoted her entire life to creating a world of peace, harmony and justice as a legacy to her family and her friends.

Dear Mom, I have made a donation in your name to help refugees of Iraq. On a day celebrating Mothers, I hope this money finds it's way to ease a strangers life, in another land, and you and I can take a moment to send them good thoughts. Ones that will see them going home & reuniting with their loved ones. Hugs & Kisses.

Mothers should understand the grief of any mother.

Happy Mother's Day, I know you'll enjoy your day being a mom to the two sweetest and luckiest boys in the world. To honor you on this day, I am donating to a very important cause to help those mothers and children who are less fortunate than we are. They are lraqis living in a nightmare. This gift, combined with many others honoring mothers today, will help to make their lives better. Love.

In your honor on Mother's Day, and in anticipation of the day when all mothers rejoice in a peaceful world.

Dear Innocent One- May God's Angels watch over you and your loved ones. From all over the world, we pray for you. We are with you in spirit. And working for your return to safety and peace. A sister

Dear Iraqi brothers and sisters, What the U.S. government has done in its invasion and occupation of Iraq is an outrage and a crime. I have not supported this war, and I protest against it regularly. I try to imagine the plight of millions of Iraqis driven from their homes out of fear, you who no longer enjoy the security of your home, your neighborhood, your city. My tiny donation is a token of my prayer that this war will end soon, that you will be able to return to your home and live in peace once again, soon. I am deeply sorry for all the suffering so many people are having to bear. For the present, may it be helpful to you. Sincerely.

May this be a seed that sprouts into an abundant peaceful provisional tree of life. I'm sorry for the pain.

Amid all the horrors taking place in Iraq, may this contribution help in its tiny way to bring some blessing there.

Hi Mum, i thought you would appreciate this gesture...for all the mothers in Iraq who we stand in solidarity with...and to show that we are against this war and all wars. Love.

Dear Mom, Here's to the peaceful spirit of motherhood...I thought a contribution to Iraqi women would mean more than flowers this year. Thank you for EVERYTHING, and Happy Mother's Day. I love you!

The best I can do to thank you for all your hard work and sacrifice is to help other mothers raise their children the same way. I love you and thank you for everything! XoXo

In lue of flowers, I think this helping out other mothers is a better choice... We are so lucky to have each other there to take care of each other, I feel it is only appropriate to take care of mothers who are not as lucky... I love you...

Happy Mother's Day! With you as my inspiration, maybe we can make a difference in this world one family at a time. To live selflessly for the betterment of us and others around the world. I hope this makes you feel as good as it makes me feel, to realize we can make a difference no matter how small we may be. Love, Your Devoted Husband .

This gift is in your honor, dedicated to your love of peace. Let's hope a mother in Iraq will feel some hope in our name. Gratitude for teaching me the value of peace above all. Your loving daughter.

I feel so blessed to have a mother like you, a childhood like I did and a life of such overabundance.....I can not think of a better way to honor these blessings we share by passing something on to those who have lost much of their own. I love you!

Happy Mother's Day Wonderwoman! We are thankful for you every day. The thought of all those Iraqi women struggling to protect their children in the midst of the chaotic violence of this crazy war is horrifying. I thought we could honor them this mother's day with a contribution to their survival. We are so blessed. xoxoxo

To my activist, life embracing, tender, loving, insightful, generous, and inspiring mother. I love you beyond words and with an overflowing heart.