Do you see all those boxes there?
Those Priority Mail boxes moved me to a gigantic puddle of tears. Those boxes are being sent to soldiers overseas this holiday. My children’s middle school organized an Adopt-a-Soldier campaign, which ended up becoming Adopt-Many-Soldiers when our schools’ families got involved. Every fifth and sixth grader proudly collected items for these boxes to be sent.
Games. Personal care items. Baked goods. Cards.
Sitting atop these packages are customs forms, ready to go, to brighten a soldier’s day and let him or her know there’s a school in Texas that very much appreciates them and the work they do.
{Cue the hysterical but proud pregnant military wife tears}
It does my heart so good to have been a part of this with my kids, and not just because it’s the holiday season. It’s these acts of service that I wish to convey to my children regarding the holidays, how this season is so much more than receiving items on a wish list, it’s about blessing others and helping one another. It’s one of the reasons I love this time of year so much, and it’s truly something I wish would last all through the year.
To further share this giving spirit with my children, but in a different way than the usual, I’m participating for the first time in a monthly mission with the group Champions for Kids. Champions for Kids is on a mission to mobilize millions of people to help children from within their own community, all over the nation. More than 17-million children in the United States are at risk for hunger. One in five children is poor, with half living in extreme poverty each day, leaving millions of children who do not have the basic resources they need such as eye and dental care; school supplies, warm clothes, and food.
Champions for Kids offers several different programs to get people involved. I’m joining part of their SIMPLE Service Projects; a monthly program filled with fun ideas and ways to engage millions of people to improve the health of children in schools across America. This month’s SIMPLE mission is a Disney Stocking Stuffer Celebration. I’ll be sharing what we’re doing in a later post.
You can follow Champions for Kids on Twitter or “like’ them on Facebook to keep track of all they’re up to. To follow this month’s Disney campaign on Twitter, use the hashtag #DisneyCFK. I would personally love it if you decided to join me in this SIMPLE mission!
What ways have you given back this holiday season?
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