Posted: 10 Aug 2010 01:02 PM PDT

[fivefilters.org: unable to retrieve full-text content]

MIAMI -- Kelly Trella has found a way to get rid of her 2-year-old son's old clothes: She swaps them. Trella was looking for a way to clear out her basement when she stumbled upon a magazine article about thredUP, a ...

Birthday Blessings aids homeless kids - CharlotteObserver.com

Posted: 22 Aug 2010 05:17 AM PDT

Posted: Sunday, Aug. 22, 2010

If you're like most parents, when your kid's birthday rolls around, things get a little hectic. There are presents to purchase, a cake to make and possibly a party to plan.

So how do homeless children celebrate birthdays?

John and Amy Cervantes of Mint Hill asked that question five years ago while brainstorming ways to help the less fortunate and teach their son, Alex, about compassion.

A few calls to several shelters and they had their answer - most times the birthdays go unnoticed.

Birthday Blessings was born.

Since 2005, the organization has celebrated approximately 1,200 birthdays with 730 parties that have included thousands of homeless children. They now average 70-80 birthdays each month.

The charity has moved out of the Cervantes home and into rented space on Clanton Road.

In addition to shelter parties, they've added several other programs and hundreds of volunteers: 8,000 volunteer hours logged in 2009.

"There is no one else that does what we do. Many organizations provide food, shelter and clothing, but a lot of kids suffering homelessness and poverty feel invisible. This is a way to lift them up and give them recognition and a sense of purpose and self value," said Amy Cervantes.

Recently, thanks to an application by Birthday Blessings volunteer Terri Springer of Matthews, Birthday Blessings was recognized with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Samsung Helmet of Hope award.

In addition to a $10,000 donation, the award also means Johnson, NASCAR race driver No. 48, will have the Birthday Blessings name on his helmet in October.

Springer, volunteer coordinator for Student Birthday Parties, says she was inspired to action by a newspaper article about the Cervantes family.

"The article talked about Amy and John and their three boys and how they were doing it all basically on their own. And here I was making an excuse that I didn't have any time to volunteer. But my excuses went out the door the first birthday party I attended at the Salvation Army Center of Hope. I was hooked," Springer said.

She's been volunteering at Birthday Blessings since 2008.

"With homelessness, I think the children are the chance of change. They are the future, and if you can instill in them that they are worthy and important, then they will succeed," Springer said.

Birthday Blessings' Student Birthdays Program reaches transient homeless children who move every few weeks. These children, whose names are provided by A Child's Place, bounce between motels, campgrounds, relatives and even cars.

Birthday Blessings volunteers visit each child's school on their birthday to discreetly deliver a "party in a bag." Included are plates and napkins, juice boxes and cookies and a party-favor bag that the birthday child hands out to each classmate - a key element of the program.

"In addition to recognizing and celebrating their birthdays, this program promotes confidence in a peer environment by giving these children an opportunity to be givers. ... To be able to give back to their peers is very empowering," Cervantes said.

At the end of the school day, the school counselor or social worker gives the child several new wrapped gifts and a Blessing Bag containing a fleece blanket, stuffed animal, washcloth and care essentials.

Each month, Birthday Blessings averages 25-30 elementary school parties and delivers a modified party package to 10-15 middle school students.

The Shelter Party program serves homeless residents in 14 facilities across a four-county area. Each month, Birthday Blessings volunteers hold a party at each of the shelters, bringing presents for all the children who have birthdays. Every child at the shelter is invited to the party for cake, games and activities and, of course, a treat bag.

The Blessing Baskets program serves newborns. Over the past 18 months, Birthday Blessings has delivered 180 baskets crammed full of diapers, wipes, blankets, clothing, bottles and other necessities for newborns.

Birthday Blessings is an entirely volunteer-driven operation, with 94 percent of its $214,000 annual budget going directly to homeless children.

The program relies on donations and grants for funding and the kindness of the community for toys and gifts. Several businesses have pledged their support and hold benefits. Volunteers from all avenues pitch in.

Cervantes says birthday parties are a vital part of a child's life.

"It's easy to say that there's so much more these kids need than a birthday party. But ask any child what one of the most important days of the year is, and they will say their birthday. It's huge in a child's life," Cervantes said.

"You're saying to a child, 'Your life matters. This is your day.'"

Subscribe to The Charlotte Observer.

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php
Five Filters featured article: "Peace Envoy" Blair Gets an Easy Ride in the Independent.

Kids 'Shop with a Cop' to get ready for school - msnbc.com

Posted: 21 Aug 2010 05:43 PM PDT

BOISE -- Kids in the Boise School District have just a few days of summer left.

And that means time is running out for parents to get back-to-school clothes and supplies in order.

In this economy getting those items is not always easy, but Boise Police Officers were on hand Saturday to help some less fortunate families.

Every year, the Boise Police Department teams up with K-Mart and other members of the community to give less fortunate children some supplies for the upcoming school year.

"It's just a great opportunity to be out here with the kids and to help them out," said Officer Josh Coltrin.

From clothes to pencils to backpacks, the kids were getting what they needed for the school year.

"I think it's awesome, said Sarah Trefry, whose daughter got the chance to shop with an officer. I think it gives parents out there that can't afford their stuff for their kids, I think it's a great opportunity for them. I think it's a great opportunity for them, and I just think it's really awesome."

Sixty kids were able to shop with a cop Saturday and somewhere between 40 and 60 more families who couldn't make it out will get gift cards to buy their supplies.

"The community really supports this effort, said Detective Bill Smith. We wouldn't be able to do any of it if it wasn't for the Boise city community, and the surrounding areas.

The 'Shop with a Cop' program pairs an officer with a family for the day.

"We get partnered up with people, said Coltrin. We're always having a good time, and yeah, it's pretty nice."

Families and officers are given a budget to buy what they need.

"You see a lot of officers up at the front register, they get up there and they've kind of gone over their budget, you see them come out of pocket with money, you see them buying candy bars for the kids, said Smith. The officers enjoy this as much as the families do," As part of that enjoyment, Smith said many of the officers stay in contact with the children for years to come.

The Boise Police Department uses the Boise City CATCH program to find the families who are in the most need.

Kids Clothing

Sunday, August 22, 2010

“Don't throw kids' clothes out -- swap 'em - Delaware Online” plus 2 more

“Don't throw kids' clothes out -- swap 'em - Delaware Online” plus 2 more

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Feedjit

Popular Posts