I participated in this campaign on behalf of the Champions for Kids and The Motherhood. All opinions, and love the Champions for Kids program are all my own. Champions for Kids helps Teach the Importance of Giving. They are a do amazing things for kids in need of things like healthy snacks, school supplies, etc. Growing up our family struggled until I was in middle school, when my mom was able to leave the house and join my dad in the work force. She waited until my siblings and I were old enough to stay home alone. I also remember going without things, like new school clothes. I would like to say nobody even noticed, but in a small town, everyone notices everything, and kids are cruel. Kids not having everything they need for school affects them in school.
Champions For Kids: SIMPLE Service Project
Thankfully, during the month of August Champions for Kids is partnering with Dole to encourage community projects across the country, which will benefit kids in need. This program is called SIMPLE Service Projects, which is hosting or organizing an event to collect snack foods and donate them to a local organization that serves the children in need – food pantry, after school programs, daycare center, etc.
I cannot tell you how much I love Champions for Kids. They believe “All children should have: Someone who cares; a Place to belong; Hope for tomorrow and provisions for their journey. All children.” It’s true, kids need those things so they can hold their head up for a better tomorrow, and even the smallest act can pick someone up, give them home, and even change their life.
This summer we basically adopted one of our daughters close friends. My daughter is in 10th grade this year, gosh I am getting old, and her friend graduated last year. I’m not exactly sure what happened, but right after she graduated she ended up on her own, and her car parked at her parents house. I’m going to be honest, at first I worried about her being a trouble maker. Thank goodness, my husband and I always give people a chance, because she is a GREAT kid, with goals, motivation, and she is a great friend to Catie.
Anyway, she has stayed with for a while, and the more I get to know her and see everything she does, it makes me wonder why in the world her parents would have tossed her out, and taken her car away before doing so. If she wasn’t here with us, I don’t know where she would stay most nights. She isn’t a party animal, she hangs out with her boyfriend, my daughter, works all day, and goes to school at night. Yes, she is 18 years old, WITHOUT A CAR and still manages to find a way to work, and school.
You never know how much a little act of giving on your end will impact someones life. My daughters friend is a very special girl, she has things figured out, knows what she wants to do, and isn’t going to let anything stop her. I respect that in any person, coming from an 18-year-old girl, it makes me want to do everything I can to help her stay on that path. Wich is a lot of the reason we let her stay. We are scared if we don’t nobody will, and let’s face it there is a time when all of us needed help.
Champions for Kids: Teaching The Importance of Giving
Something I tech my kids is it doesn’t matter how small your kind act is, it counts in a big way. You might think picking up that card for the elderly man at the store was a small act, but it was an act of kindness, giving, and going out of your way to help someone in need. That’s huge, and you never know what might have happened had you not stepped in to lend that hand. You small act could be the reason that man didn’t get hurt. Helping others doesn’t have to come in huge doses, it’s about the little things you can do everyday to help others, like picking up that card, opening the door, helping a neighbor with their groceries, calling to say hi, or teaching your kids the value of giving.
I just love that Champions for Kids seeks to ignite generational change by fostering a habit of giving in children and their parents in America.
I cannot agree with that more, ALL CHILDREN! Did you know 16 million American children are living in poverty, many don’t have access to nutritious snacks, which makes it hard for them to succeed both socially and academically. During the month of August Champions for Kids is joining Dole to encourage community projects to help these children in need. These projects are called SIMPLE projects, and you can help. See the idea of these projects are to host or organize an event, collect snack foods, and donate them to a local organization that serves kids who are in need – after-school program, daycare center, food pantry, etc.
I have recently started supporting the Champions for Kids SIMPLE Giving program, because it’s helping children all over America, and I love the thoughts of fostering a habit of giving, especially when it comes to my children. We already do a lot of things around the community, especially during the fall and winter months, because my husband and I enjoy it, and without a doubt it’s been a good experience for the kids..
You Can Start A SIMPLE Service Project Too
I scheduled a fun SIMPLE Service project in my community. This was our first project, but it turned out good. I’m glad we have one under out belt, because we were able to see how things worked, and come up with ideas to keep them going. I have several mom friends, and we get together and let our kids play. It started out a small group, and over the past 3 years we have started to grow, nothing crazy, but there is triple the moms there was when we started getting together. We had a good playdate before the kids went back to school, it started at the park, and moved to my house once it started to warm up for some water fun!
Everyone who came was asked to bring a healthy snack for kids in need – Dole Fruit Squish’ems or Dole Fruit Bowls are a great healthy snack, with no sugar added, it doesn’t cost much, and is going to help keep some baby from not getting a healthy snack. We did AWESOME, and I don’t think anyone was not surprised with the results we had. We got together all sorts of great snacks, plus a few of the girls cleaned out their cabinets, lol. She brough enough canned fruit for an army! Seeing all the food coming together was amazing, it was such a rewarding experience, plus the kids took part in it, and I was really surprised but my teenager was probably the most interested, becasue she has talked to me about planning one for her friends and have a breakfast, dinner pool party. She will have each one of her friends bring a box of cereal, oatmeal, and things of that nature.
After Catie asked me if she could get another program going for her friends, all the moms started talking and we will be doing more of SIMPLE Service projects. I think we’re going to try to put something together each month, and have fun doing it. I cannot tell you how proud I am of the kids, and all the moms in the group for standing up to help children in need. We are a small group, but we did make a difference, and help a child in need.
- SIMPLE Service Projects have 4 basic steps to follow
- GATHER – Friends, family, co-workers.
- LEARN – About the needs that are in your community.
- GIVE – Items that will help children enjoy happier and healthier lives.
- SHARE – Your story with Champions for Kids so they can inspire others.
You can take part in this awesome program too when you visit ChampionsforKids.com.
