Helping the children

**imagine** · 11-21-2008, 09:52 AM

I am one who believes that when people banned together and share ( things or ideas) they can do great things.

khjmom's post about the children in her school started me thinking. If we shared things that our community or school or charity groups or social group or churches/temples etc are doing that it might spark some ideas for what others can do.

So please share what is happening around you to help the children.

**imagine** · 11-21-2008, 09:57 AM

The local group buys coats for all the elementary children that are on free lunch or that the teacher says needs one. They are all the same coat so it is hard to tell who is who at recess as they all look alike. But they are warm. They do this every year.

A local knitting group at a church keeps the school supplied with hats and mittens available to every child at all times.

The PTO buys and lets the children pick out books to keep several times a year.

**Momto2Boyz** · 11-21-2008, 12:01 PM

I don't know about helping children necessarily, but we do what we can to help anyone around here.

Here is what we have done/are doing this time of year... I take a bag of groceries to the food pantry each week on the day I go get groceries (It's budgeted into my groceries and we never even miss it...except for the week I dropped off the wrong bag...whoops, I did miss some things off my menu that week), we donate our old coats, hats & mittens to the women's shelter at the beginning of each winter if we have extras (this is usually my kids coats and stuff they've outgrown, so this is helping kids, I guess), we also plan on "adopting" a family from the women's shelter this year, to make sure the kids have a Christmas.

**imagine** · 11-21-2008, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

I don't know about helping children necessarily, but we do what we can to help anyone around here.

Here is what we have done/are doing this time of year... I take a bag of groceries to the food pantry each week on the day I go get groceries (It's budgeted into my groceries and we never even miss it...except for the week I dropped off the wrong bag...whoops, I did miss some things off my menu that week), we donate our old coats, hats & mittens to the women's shelter at the beginning of each winter if we have extras (this is usually my kids coats and stuff they've outgrown, so this is helping kids, I guess), we also plan on "adopting" a family from the women's shelter this year, to make sure the kids have a Christmas.

How very kind of you

Opps about dropping off the wrong bag. Hope it didn't have meat in it.

**imagine** · 11-21-2008, 05:44 PM

Surely there are communities doing things to help out this year. Or are communities and people not doing as much this year due to the economy?

Parsimonious · 11-22-2008, 05:36 AM

I organize free 'gifted education' workshops. The schools here offer very little, and what is available commercially is very expensive. I think it's important that kids know what they are good at and what they are not good at, and that it is equally important for gifted kids to be able to 'show off' their skills as to experience other kids being better in something than they are. And, anyway, I believe having fun, being creative, and engaging in science are good things for everybody

Nearly everything we offer is FREE, sometimes we need to ask for a contribution for entry fees, etc. We are supported financially by a large international self-help groups for brainiacs, which pays for room rent, material, etc. All our teachers are volunteers.

I know one young man who has been organizing holiday camps for gifted teenagers. They are very low cost, and if you cannot afford the small fee, then there's a solidarity fund and you can send your kids for free. The demand is so huge, that he's doing FOUR CAMPS A YEAR now!

These things are not only for low-income families. They are open for everybody. And that's the important thing: They are inclusive. You're welcome, whether you can afford paying or not.

Parsimonious · 11-22-2008, 05:41 AM

Originally Posted by imagine

The local group buys coats for all the elementary children that are on free lunch or that the teacher says needs one. They are all the same coat so it is hard to tell who is who at recess as they all look alike. But they are warm. They do this every year.

A local knitting group at a church keeps the school supplied with hats and mittens available to every child at all times.

The PTO buys and lets the children pick out books to keep several times a year.

Do kids make jokes about those kids with "THE" coat? Would it be more expensive to buy a larger variety of coats, so that it's not obvious who got one from his/her parents, and who got one from that local group?

I love the book thing!

**imagine** · 11-23-2008, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by Parsimonious

Do kids make jokes about those kids with "THE" coat? Would it be more expensive to buy a larger variety of coats, so that it's not obvious who got one from his/her parents, and who got one from that local group?

I love the book thing!

Where I taught they didn't make jokes about the coat as nearly all had them and those that didn't wished they had a nice new coat.

But like you I wondered why they didn't buy a variety of coats to make it less obvious

**imagine** · 11-23-2008, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by Parsimonious

I organize free 'gifted education' workshops. The schools here offer very little, and what is available commercially is very expensive. I think it's important that kids know what they are good at and what they are not good at, and that it is equally important for gifted kids to be able to 'show off' their skills as to experience other kids being better in something than they are. And, anyway, I believe having fun, being creative, and engaging in science are good things for everybody

Nearly everything we offer is FREE, sometimes we need to ask for a contribution for entry fees, etc. We are supported financially by a large international self-help groups for brainiacs, which pays for room rent, material, etc. All our teachers are volunteers.

I know one young man who has been organizing holiday camps for gifted teenagers. They are very low cost, and if you cannot afford the small fee, then there's a solidarity fund and you can send your kids for free. The demand is so huge, that he's doing FOUR CAMPS A YEAR now!

These things are not only for low-income families. They are open for everybody. And that's the important thing: They are inclusive. You're welcome, whether you can afford paying or not.

What a wonderful thing you are doing for those children

**Patty A** · 11-23-2008, 09:14 AM

In our area they do the "angel tree" program. They get a list of names, sizes, wants and wishes for Christmas. Then they add an angel cut out on a tree with their first name on it. You can take a name and see that some of the things they want are given to the child. My daughters are both in college, and the college has an angel tree up for the kids. My girls were almost in tears as many of the kids had ask for clothes and coats. My girls were so surprised by the needs on the tree, not any of the things listed was just for fun! Needless to say, we are gathering things for the tree, my girls will pick a name on Monday and we will be doing Christmas for a child.
We all have to work at saving the children, they are the future and we are all responsible to see to it that the future is something these kids look forward to!

**imagine** · 11-23-2008, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Patty A

We all have to work at saving the children, they are the future and we are all responsible to see to it that the future is something these kids look forward to!

I agree What an awesome challenge and privilege for all of us.