The Family Quilt

Shaun Groves, who was among 15 bloggers who traveled to Uganda recently with Compassion International, has some tips for teaching kids about poverty without leaving them hopeless. His children participate in his family’s sponsorship of children through Compassion.

We’re trying to show our kids a picture of hope, not despair. It’s lesson after lesson crafted to be inspiring, not devastating.

November 12-19 is national collection week for Operation Christmas Child. It’s not too late to pack a shoebox; find your nearest drop-off location here.

Samaritan’s Purse also has a catalog of alternative gift giving ideas. Kids can give hot meals, blankets, story books, and other items to needy children all over the world.

Suzanne passed along this idea for a service project for families with children age 13 and over. Processing Center volunteers will be needed for the upcoming Operation Christmas Child to inspect the shoe box gifts and prepare them for shipment overseas. Processing Centers are in Atlanta, GA; Boone, NC; Charlott, NC; and Denver, CO.

Registration began August 1. To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, which I’ll be talking more about closer to the holidays, visit the web site. For more information about volunteering with Operation Christmas Child in your area, go here.

UPDATED January 2008:

Edmay Mayers, who is a U. S. Army Corps of Engineers member who formerly served in Iraq, began collecting new and gently used stuffed animals and toys to give to Iraqi children. She has returned to the states, but you can still send boxes to the address below.

Address the package to Toys for Iraqi Children at the following address:

USACE-GRS

APO AE 09331

You can find out how to get free shipping supplies (not including postage) here.

Find out more about this project at Parent Hacks, which also includes a wealth of other ideas for families.

Baby Eliana, who was born with congenital heart defects and Down Syndrome, had to undergo open-heart surgery when she was only a few months old to repair two holes in her heart. Her tender-hearted big sister, Rebecca, was moved to help other kids after helping take care of Eliana and seeing other babies in the NICU while visiting her there. She knit two baby hats and donated them to the hospital but wanted to do more to help other babies with heart problems.

She decided to turn her beading hobby into a fundraising opportunity and started Wholehearted. She makes and sells beaded bracelets to help other children who need heart surgery. Her family and friends have contributed to the cause and help make the bracelets. To date she has raised almost $4000 for Duke Children’s Hospital, where Eliana receives her care.

The girls’ mother, Leslie, keeps a blog of the family’s joys (Eliana’s middle name is also Joy!) and struggles. She said of Rebecca:

“Wholehearted” is the name that Rebecca chose for her business, representing the whole heart she wants for her sister and other babies. Rebecca works diligently to make creative and unique bracelets, all the while helping take care of her younger brothers when Eliana requires special care from me–a feeding tube and another hospital stay. She has stepped up to the responsibilities with love to assist our family through this incredibly difficult time.

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A Colorado youth’s heart was touched when she became aware of poverty’s effects on other children in her community. She and her mother started a charity called A Birthday for Me to provide parties and presents for homeless and low-income infants and children. You can read more about Micheli and the organization she initiated here.

This is such a wonderful model of a child seeing a need in her community and taking action to solve the problem. Micheli didn’t let her age or the lack of an existing organization stop her, and her enthusiasm and compassion will hopefully inspire others.

From the article:
Adults or children who want to help with the next birthday party or those who want to donate money, toys, entertainment or other birthday services should e-mail Micheli at abirthdayforme@gmail.com.

Blanketeers of all ages help Project Linus provide new, handmade, washable blankets for seriously ill and traumatized kids. The organization is named after the Peanuts character and his beloved security blanket. Quilts, tied comforters, fleece blankets, crocheted or knitted afghans, and receiving blankets in child-friendly colors are accepted and given to children who, like Linus, benefit from the warmth and comfort that a handmade blanket provides.

This could be a fun, creative service project for families to work on together, and even young children can help tie knots to make No Sew Fleece Blankets. Patterns for a variety of blankets and afghans are included on the site. Another idea is to have children decorate individual squares and have a parent or other volunteer make a quilt. You can find out where to donate blankets and afghans and contact information for your local chapter on the Project Linus web site.