Doggedly Determined



image: amazon.com

 If you stopped by Amazon today, you probably saw the great story about 7-year-old-author Evan Moss. Afflicted with nighttime seizures that are perilous if not managed instantly with medication or, sometimes, a 911 call, Evan self-published a book, My Seizure Dog, to raise money for a specially trained canine companion capable of sniffing out seizures before they begin -- and warning his parents. The cost of such a pet is $13,000, and to date Evan's book has raised $41,000. Where did the extra cash go? He's donated all of it to help other kids -- 7 so far -- complete their fundraising goals and obtain seizure dogs.

Classy Gift

Stuck for end of year teacher gifts? Even when the spotlight's on teacher, kids can help other kids by putting all or part of their teacher-gift budget toward a donation to Donors Choose this spring. The way this works is really cool: Kids/families go online to select a project their teacher will love, choosing from a range of requests submitted by classrooms in need nationwide. They click the "in honor of" option when checking out and designate their teacher. Later, the teacher will hear back from the classroom that benefitted!

Want to go the extra mile? Use teacher thank you stationery to let him/her know about the donation, either in an individual note or a budget-friendly booklet made up of one sheet per student.

Save the Next Dance For Me

photo: Scott McGrath via Wikimedia Commons

Hey teens --want to put an extra spring in your step this spring? Donating prom dresses will do that for you. Pass your dress -- and last year's too, if you still have it -- on to one of the many organizations nationwide that take donations & match them with peers in need. Find a prom dress donation site near you, or if there isn't one, donate a dress by mail. The few dollars you spend on postage will feel like a million bucks when you help another girl look like, well... a million bucks!

Mitzvah Magic

Image: Tailored Type on Zazzle

One of my favorite aspects of the bar & bat mitzvahs my kids have been attending over the past couple of years is learning about new charities, and in some cases new ways for teens to help their peers, through the many bar and bat mitzvah projects their friends have chosen to undertake. Mitzvah projects are a terrific opportunity for a concentrated kids-helping-kids effort. A few ideas (with thanks to the Mitzvah Circle Foundation for the first 4 suggestions!)


~ Start a "Lids for Kids" campaign, collecting cool new hats -- baseball caps for summer, fun knits for winter -- to donate to the pediatric cancer center at an area hospital.

~If you know of an organization that works with teen moms, ask your synagogue or school to help you throw a "baby shower": put a crib or pack-and-play in the lobby and ask people to fill it up with new baby supplies, from clothing to diapers.

~Collect gently used board games for an area agency that works with low-income youth, or even for the offices of local counselors/social workers who express a need for games (no, the iPad hasn't made them obselete; board games are still great icebreakers & relationship builders).

~Collect gently used sports equipment for the nearest Boys & Girls Club, YMCA or other agency that offers youth sports programs for kids/teens in need.

~Run a lemonade stand [ or three ;) ] for Alex's Lemonade.

~Gather friends, or host a party, to make no-sew blankets for Project Linus.

~Go green, collecting gently used plastic toys for Secondhand Toys.

~Make dreams come true by running a Make-a-Wish Kids for Wish Kids project.

~Knit newborn hats for From Ewe to You.

~Have a sleepover and collect new PJs for the Pajama Program.

~ Do like Riley Goodfellow and eat rice & beans for a month (hey, she did it at 8!), donating the grocery money you save to an organization that fights youth hunger, or to charity:water like Riley did.

~ Organize a spare change campaign to help kids.

Done with your kids-helping-kids mitzvah project? Take it a step further by choosing bar / bat mitzvah party supplies that benefit Save the Children.

Let Freedom Ring

Think slavery is dead? Think again. According to the International Justice League, human trafficking yields over $32 billion a year for those who "by force and deception, sell human lives into slavery and sexual bondage." Stunningly, modern-day slaves outnumber those of the horrific trans-Atlantic slave trade era -- and include, today, nearly 2 million children exploited in the commercial sex industry.

At the ripe old age of 12, now-young-adult Zach Hunter created the "Loose Change to Loosen Change" campaign, enlisting students everywhere in gathering spare change from their homes, pockets & family cars to donate to the International Justice League's anti-slavery work. The IJM works on 4 fronts: victim relief, perpetrator accountability, survivor aftercare, and "structural transformation" to prevent future abuse and enslavement.

It's so easy for kids to help. Just order "Loose Change to Loosen Chains" materials, and get started.

Divine Valentine



heart art by my niece :)



Can you believe it? We're little more than a month away from the Day of Love. And what better day for kids to show compassion for their less fortunate peers?

As always, Save the Children valentines are a class act, with art by illustrators Mo Willems, Kevin Henkes, Ian Falconer, Leuyen Pham, and (my personal fave of this year's designs) Brian Selznick. When they choose these valentines, kids help low-income U.S. peers break the cycle of poverty through Save the Children's work in education, health & resilience. Each box of 30 limited-edition cards sells for $25, which is tax deductible minus the $6 fair-market value of the set.

Also benefitting Save the Children are KKG personalized valentine stickers for candy, including boy valentine stickers with UFO, rocket & sports themes; girl valentine stickers with ladybugs, rainbows & flowers; and gender-neutral valentine stickers with little red guitars. Because love (of course) rocks.

Holiday Giving

image: afrobella.com

An easy way to get kids in the habit of giving back and reinforce the meaning of Christmas is to have them help pick charities for family donations. For multi-kid households, the process is simpler if you give them a few good options & ask them to vote on their favorites.

This year, why not put a kid-created charity on the list? Here are five good options, with the types of donations they accept:

Sheltering Books (books, money)
From Ewe to You (handknit items, knitting supplies, money)
Second-Chance Toys (toys)
Tennessee H.U.G.S. (shoes)
Little Red Wagon Foundation (money)

As impressive as it is when kids & teens start their own charities, contributions really keep those charities alive, so participating in family giving is every bit as meaningful as starting something new. Happy holidays, and happy giving!