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Many Americans struggle with poverty, now more than
ever. If you can share your good fortune with a family
that is financially stressed, you can do it in a
meaningful and personal way by sponsoring a family
living in poverty. You'll provide food and other material
aid, as well as friendship and support. It's a chance
for your family to come together to make a real
difference in another family's life.
Jenny Friedman, Executive Director
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Help a Family to Overcome Poverty |
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Make a Difference...
You and your children can become a family sponsor
through one of these two national organizations:
The Box
Project matches families, individuals or
groups with a family living in rural poverty. Sponsors
usually budget about $50 a month to send monthly
boxes of food, clothing and other supplies. You also
provide "guidance, mentoring and fellowship" to the
recipient family.
Family-to-Family enables you to sponsor a family
for $31.21 per month, which provides a week's worth
of groceries. In addition, you can mail "extras" to your
family each month if you'd like such as soap,
shampoo or toothbrushes. If you aren't able to make
this commitment, the organization offers other ideas
for kids and families who want to make a difference,
such as putting together "birthday boxes" or
spearheading a book collection.
Everyone in your family can share in the effort by
earning and donating some of the money to buy the
items, shopping for what's needed, and writing letters
to your sponsored family.
Photo: Family-to-Family hunger relief program
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Highlight Economic Pressures |
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Talk About It...
Explain to your children that in some cases people
cannot provide the basic needs for their family, such
as shelter, clothing and food. They must rely on the
help of others.
What might cause a family to struggle financially?
Talk about job loss, medical expenses and the high
cost of housing.
Discuss the challenges of being a new immigrant,
a child in a poor family, a senior living on a fixed
income, or a parent who has lost a job.
Brainstorm ways your family can help those
struggling with poverty locally, such as donating to a
nearby food shelf.
Learn About It...
Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen is the
story of a loving family whose father lost his job. It can
help children understand how people get caught in
difficult financial situations and the strain it causes.
Both touching and realistic.
Photo: Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen
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Inspiration |
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Inspiration
"Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind
speech, and a life of service and compassion are the
things which renew humanity."
Buddha
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News From DGT |
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Doing Good Together is partnering with the Minnesota Children's Museum in St.
Paul for a special two-week
event called Small Hands, Big Hearts: Sparking the
Spirit of Giving.
Please join us January 16-30 (10 am-
2 pm) to make some wonderful projects to help
others. To learn more, visit www.mcm.org/small-hands-big-hearts/.
Congratulations to the Faust-Rosten family of St. Paul!
Martha Faust, John Rosten and their children, Bjorn
(11) and Liv (7), were chosen by HandsOn Network
to represent Minnesota in a Celebration of Family
Volunteers at Disney World in February. In addition to
their involvement in the DGT program at Horace Mann
Elementary School, the family serves regularly at their
local food shelf, assists with a church mission project,
and makes microloans to entrepreneurs in
developing countries through Kiva.
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