William Penn Life, 2003 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2003-05-01 / 5. szám
Charitable Ideas Can we work together? What can we do? 6. Select a Project. Here are some things to consider: How much time do we have? How many people do we have? How much money do we have? Do we need permission? Where will we do our project? Do we need transportation? 7. Develop a Game Plan. Decide what needs to be done, who is going to do it, and when it needs to be done. 8. The Project. Be clear in advance about what needs to happen during the project and who is going to do it. 9. After the Project. Celebrate your accomplishments; recognize contributors and volunteers; and evaluate your project from beginning to end. STEP Work with others Remember that you're not alone. There are all kinds of people and groups you can join who are already trying to spark change in your community. Schools. Many schools promote volunteering either through extracurricular clubs or through service-learning in the classroom. Schools are good sources of potential adults to help you, including teachers and administrators, and of resources like supplies, space, phones, and computers. Community Organizations. Community-based organizations, from a senior citizen home to a hospital to a homeless shelter to a religious organization, are always looking for volunteers. To find community-based organizations in your community look in the local phone book or contact your local Volunteer Center or city and local government. Volunteer Centers. Volunteer Centers are local organizations that promote and support volunteerism. Call 1-800- VOLUNTEER to find the Center closest to you. Government. This may include local elected officials or the departments that provide services where you live. For example, if you're interested in doing a sports-related program, check with the parks and recreation department. Or if you want to start a recycling program in your school, contact the city or county government solid waste department for information. Businesses. Many companies are active in helping their communities. Some even have their own employee volunteer programs and philanthropic foundations, which allow them to give back to their community. You can ask local businesses for help, including materials, money, people-power and know-how. And don't ignore large companies that may have offices or factories in your area. STEP Plan your project While you may be able to work with other people already involved in a project, you might want to start something on your own. Some points to think about: • What is the goal of the project? Think about what you're trying to achieve. In the examples given young people helped feed the hungry, refurbished a homeless shelter and collected clothing. • Who is the project leader? It's always important to have a project leader and a clear understanding of who's in charge. Think about any help you might need from adults in leading the project. • Who else should you include? Think about different groups that you might need help from or want to Continued on Page 10 Kids Care Clubs helps kids stretch charity muscles We are all born with the instinct for charity. It develops in children like any muscle-with exercise. Kids Care Clubs help kids stretch their charity muscles. By helping others, kids learn how wonderful it is to be contributing members of their communities. The Kids Care Story Ten years ago, a group of children got together to rake a lawn for an elderly neighbor. A few weeks later, the same kids made 150 bag lunches for a soup kitchen. They were learning how great it feels to help others. They told their friends and in just a few weeks the group had grown to over 50 enthusiastic young people. That was the beginning of Kids Care Clubs. In 1996, Kids Care incorporated as Child Charitable Development Association, a 501 (c)3 notfor-profit organization. In four years it has evolved from a handful of caring kids in Connecticut, to a national charity with members all over the country and world. Its mission has remained simple and focused: To develop compassion and the spirit of charity in children. To that end Kids Care Clubs provide children, families, schools, and religious groups with meaningful opportunities to help others in their local and global communities. There are many ways for kids to help others. Kids Care Clubs have developed projects for kids to do in school as part of their regular curriculum, in religion classes as a way to practice what they believe, and in communitybased organizations as a way for parents and kids to spend real quality time together. For more information, log onto their website at www.kidscare.org. Wflliu Pm Life, May 2003 9
