Tell us about a charity or good cause you know of, volunteer for, or some how plan to support in the spirit of the holidays, be it through money or time or any other type of support...How can our class make a difference this year and use our newly honed public speaking skills to help the less fortunate in our community? Extra credit for awesome ideas and particularly good entries here, santa's helpers!!! Blog on with your bad self....
23 comments:
Every year my mom's work sponsors a program that "adopts" children for the holidays and buys them presents because their parents can't afford to. I usually adopt two to three children.
People over 21 can volunteer at the children's receiving home. And if you have guts (well more than I do anyways), you can volunteer at the Loaves and Fishes downtown. They always need help for the holidays. My sister likes to visit the retirement homes and visit with the people there!
Jessica Alm
Saturday Class.
Well I have not yet paricipated in a charity. But i would think that as a class we should gather some stuffed teddy bear and take them to the chidren's hospital and dontate them. So that they can also have a nice christmas and also recieve a gift.
Aida
When I was in high school I coached pop Warner cheerleading for 3 years. What I have just done lately I had brand new baby stuff that was never used, blankets, bath tub, coats, clothes etc... And gave it to an expecting family who didn’t have much. Usually what I like to do around this time also is support breast cancer awareness. My aunt has breast cancer so it’s especially became very important to my family and I. but what we could do as a class is like the picture on the blog we could do a bake sale! Carla could make her oatmeal bars and we can bake all kinds of goodies and donate the money to a children’s charity.
Deanna Bradac
Saturday
There are so many programs out there. In high school I participated in programs which helped the less fortunate in the community. In college I worked with the home building projects in New York and with the special olympics. I like to see those who donate all year around not just in the holiday season. Programs like the coat drives and food drives, seem lie a great way to help those in the community. I know i have coats laying around and food so why not donate it.
~ victoria
There is this program where you can sponsor a family during the holidays. In jr. high my english class participated in this program. Everyone in the class donated whatever they could, wheter it was money, toys, or food. Then we went to a store and bought more toys for the kids and also some more food items with the money that was raised. Since our sponsored family was Christian all of this was given to them for Christmas. This was in Nevada and I am not sure what organization supports this type of program here but after looking on google I see that the Kiwanis Club of Greater Sacramento might have a similar program.
Sal Lopez
Similiar to what Jessica has said...It really takes a lot to volunteer at Loaves and Fishes(qite difficult). Several years ago, I had community service for a college course. It was good experience because you realize how fortunate you are. At any point, many of us can be a couple paychecks away from being close to homeless. It makes you so thankful.
This year I may Adopt-A-Family through Volunteer of Sacramento.
Since Sandra has connections with WEAVE organization. We can donate all our old cell phone to phoneraiser.com to earn money. Then the money could be used to purchase cosmetics and hair supplies for WEAVE victims.
Last thing...We can donate Bryce, Chris, and possibly Jeremiah (the funny guys) to bring laughter to the children at Shriner's Hospital.
Carla Quintella
I try to teach my kids to help the less fortunate, so each year at Christmastime, we always go to ToysRUs and let the kids pick out something to donate to Toys for Tots. Also, the Raley's I shop at usually has a program where you can "buy a bag" of groceries for donation to local families who need food. Last year my daughter's school had a winter clothing drive which we participated in. All of these things are not hard to do, you are going to be shopping anyway, and I think everyone has at least one coat, hat, scarf, etc. that is gathering dust somewhere. If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet, and change laying around somewhere (be it a bowl, jug, on top of a dresser) you are in the top 10%. Pretty sad. If you don't know what it is like to be homeless or TRULY hungry, you should consider yourself blessed.
Kate Hall
T/Th
I am feeling the holiday cheer already--I am so proud of my generous students!--S
Our law office contributes the Sacramento Children's Home. Other than that, my volunteer work is done year-round, not just during the holidays. The Sacramento Crisis Nursery is always in need of donations (as are all organizations that rely so much on donations). As to how our class could use our talents, perhaps we could have a speech-a-thon at the mall, and people can toss money in a hat to hear our words of wisdom (or to make us shut up)! We could then donate the proceeds to a charity of choice. (Don't worry guys and gals, I am just kidding.) I agree with Carla about sending our funny guys out to entertain!
Mary King
Saturday class
Every year my parent's church has trees decorated with paper angel ornaments with the names and ages of very needy children. They take 2 girls and 2 boys and we shop for them. This is especially rewarding because I don't have little ones to shop for, and I really enjoy buying things that kids like. (let's face it, i'm about as mature as an 8 year old) I also do 6 boxes for B. Novack's (forgot his mission's name) organization. With these boxes we focus on the necessities / bare essentials for homeless youth (in sacramento). Of course we try to put a little something fun in too!
For other times of the year, many of your workplaces will have "Christmas in April" type events where you get together with a contractor and repair already existing homes for needy families over a weekend, many times elderly folk in depressed areas. It's like "Habitat" , but for already built, older structures. And guys, this one is so gratifying because you get to play with tools and build stuff, and the home owners are usually there with you hanging out, talking about this and that... so you immediately see what a little volunteerism can do! I'm telling you, a thank you from the family at the end of Sunday is worth its weight in gold.
-james-
Saturday
During the holidy time my family and I usually go through our closets and give away clothes to the goodwill. We also have done Toys for Tots and canned food drives put on at our local stores. I have always wanted to spend Thanksgiving or Christmas at a shelter and serve food to those that are less fortunate and don't have food or a home during the holidays.
Alli Moser
when i was younger i would collect an insane amount of canned goods. these days i usually just give money (when i have it) to charities.
- Raveen
Well I know a lot of people are touchy about religion, but I believe this shouldn't offend anyone. My Church along with other Churches in the area are organizing a program to feed the homeless. We have been gathering to help feed the homeless in the area for a couple of months. My branch has been challenged to gather three hundred bags filled with food for the homeless. We are a little past half way, but we are more than happy to receive help in reaching our goal. Just ask me if you are at all interested in helping.
Another smaller way to help, that doesn't cost any money, is to sing carols to elderly people. This I found brings a lot of joy to their lives to know that they are not forgotten. I suggest find an old folk’s home and asking if it would be ok for you to come by sometime in December to sing to them. It’s a lot of fun and a good way to help those who have come before us to remember that we care for them.
Bryce Hayden
I have some great ideas, too! But you'll have to be in class and awake this Saturday morning to hear them!
As for my specific contribution this year, my sibs and I are going to sponsor a family in lieu of our regular gift exchange.
Mary Boardman
Saturday
As most people said above, donating is a good idea. When I was young, my parents always teach me to save the old clothes, shoes to give away to people who need it.
Since I have learn so much public speech from sandra and from each other, also, we are so closed to the mall, I think we can do a project to ask people inform people homeless people have to need and willingness to have a warm holiday as us. Then use our persuasion skill to persuade people to donnate things or money to people who have real need.
Cherie Liang
Saturday Class
I was thinking about getting on some old dirty clothes, shoes, and a hat and going downtown. I could find a homeless person that stands on one of the street corners with a cardboard sign and convince the person to take the day off. I would then, in that persons place, take the cardboard sign and spend the day on the corner for him/her. I would tell the person to meet me back at that same spot later that day and I would give them the money that I was able to gather in their place. everyone deserves a day off, and I think it would be a very interesting experience both for myself and for the homeless person.
Chris Z
If you want an organization to help this holiday season, the Shanti Project is one that could use all the people that they can get. They are a hospice program for people dying from AIDS based in San Francisco. May of their patients are Gay, and there is a lot of loss of family in the Gay community. Many gay people have no one at this time of the year and it is sad and lonely for them. Get involved in that way, or contact CARE here is Sac if you want to help closer to home.
Leah
My family and I usually gather clothes and shoes. We ask people around us if there is anything they would like to give away. We take everything we gather to Tijuana, Baja California. We hand them out to those that are in need, which are many.
Lucia Guerrero
t/th class
my mother is a sunday school teacher at our church in stockton, and as a little girl we would go to the homeless shelter we would go and help out,we would bring food and clothing to the shelter, my mom still does this.i do it sometimes. maybe the class can go help feed the homeless at a homeless shelter.
the homeless shelter comment above this one is mine.sorry i always forget to type my name in..
marissa soto
usually getting close to christmas my mother and I gather all the close that we dont wear anymore and buy toys and put them all in boxes and give them personally to the poor people in Mexico. Its an amazing feeling knowing that you are personaly seeing the smile of the people you are helping.
Lizzeth Lopez
For almost every big holiday like Thanksgiving and Christmas my church's youth group raises funds by selling candy bars and feeds the homeless people in a park in downtown Sacramento. I participated last year and the year before that and I felt so good that I could help someone in need.
Sorry, I FORGOT TO PUT MY NAME.
Marian Capulong
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