Help Your Children Give To Others (Plus Readers Share Favorite Charities)

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I feel like my kids don’t know how good they have it.

Do you ever feel the same?

They get enough to eat, have clothes, toys, and books. So how can I create a way for them to understand . . .

–>that it’s our joy & responsibility to give to others.
–>to be thankful, yes for our creature comforts, but also, and more importantly, for everything that is intangible, like love and friendship.

Help Your Children Give To Others

Today let’s talk about the first one though: giving to others. I asked you all on Facebook what your favorite family charities and wow, did you have so many!  You are way ahead of me on the giving curve. I’m in awe and honored to learn from you.

give children gratitude nonprofits volunteer

Bloggers, Amanda of Not Just Cute, Allison of No Time for Flashcards, and Amy of TeachMama, are organizing kids giving and making a difference with #blog4cause. They suggest three steps in giving with your family. I’m adapting and adding to their ideas. If you suggested something on Facebook, thank you! I’ve written your name in parenthesis to give you the credit.

1. Choose a cause that is meaningful to your family. Donate your time, money, or things.

Local

Older neighbors – ask if you can rake, shovel, do errands for them
Shelters – ask what they need – like The Gathering Place, Denver (Selina Sinclair)
Hospitals – donate books for the waiting rooms
Salvation Army (Keera Peace, Kari Svenneby)
Thanksgiving meal programs
Other local programs such as HOPE Center in Lenawee County (Lisa Millyard), Catching Joy (Joy Suprenaut), or Project ReCycle in Colorado (Lisa Scheer)

National 

Ronald McDonald House (Bev Rogers)
Angel Tree
First Book
Make a Wish Foundation
St. Judes (Kim Moring & Lisa Yunt)
Children’s Aid (Mel Blake)
National Lung Cancer Partnership (Tanya Farmer)
CASA 2nd Judicial District (Angelena Van Don)
Animal Rescues (Mike Muller)
Aubrey Rose Foundation (Priscilla Craddock)
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention & Autism Speaks (Fran Van Fossen
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (Leslie DeJarnett)
Feeding America (Mike Hicks)
Project Night Night (Aline Anders)
Special Olympics (Terri Thompson)
Arthritis Walk (Kathleen Veronica)
Reading Is Fundamental 

International

Operation Christmas Child
Heifer International (Pamela Firlik-McGill)
Compassion International (Crystal Way)
International Justice Mission (Monica Pentony)
Polar Bears International (Melynda Coble Harrison

& more charity ideas in this resource document on Teach Mama.

2. Make a plan for how you want to help and get started.

3. Inspire others.  

If you blog, blog about it. Then go to the tally sheet here and join the linky here.

Tweet with the hashtag #blog4cause.

Send emails inviting friends to join you.

Ask your classmates or school to help.

Comment on this post to share what you’re doing — inspire us!!

Right now you can give a book if you LIKE this Facebook promotion page: Capital One’s Book by Book Facebook page. Capital One will then donate a book to children in need. (Through November 15,2012.)

. . .

As for us, we’re going to talk about this with our kids. We require give part of every dollar they get from gifts of allowance. (Save, Spend, Give) In years past, my kids have given to our church and to an orphanage in India and one in Africa. This year we’re not at a church and I really want to do something local. I’ll give you an update when we decide.

What about your family? Any other favorite charities?

How will you (or do you) encourage your children to give to others? 

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5 Comments

  1. I have done for mine what was done for me. We go out and prepare food for the homeless, collect items the homeless need and personally deliver it, have taken in various homeless people (including domestic violence victim, depressed Vietnam vet, elderly women, etc), visit and carry collected items to the women and kids at the domestic violence shelter, rescue animals (dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, horses and farm animals), visit AIDS victims (and carry them to the doctor), take dogs to the nursing home to visit lonely people, work with at risk kids and more. It isn’t for just sending money to other countries or groups (though we do fund-raise) but personal, daily one-on-one with those in need. Just look at your local organizations and call and ask what help they need. They will welcome you.

  2. Mosaic Vision is a fairly new not for profit that is helping AIDs orphans in Uganda. Unlike so many orgs – they use Ugandans to help Ugandans and operate within social norms. They are doing amazing things and my lil one and her class are making Christmas cards for their unadopted orphans. http://mosaicvision.org