I am sharing this program information on behalf of Champions for Kids and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own, as always.
Here’s a statistic I just heard that totally stunned me: 10% of children in the United States are in homes considered “food-insecure.” That means that the next meal being provided is not a sure thing. In many cases, that means that these children are sent to school without breakfast. Even though 9.8 million kids are enrolled in the free or reduced school breakfast programs nationally, there are still 10.6 million eligible kids NOT in the program who may be skipping breakfast simply because there is no food for them at home to eat.
photo credit: USDAgov via photopin cc
We all know that countless studies have shown that the first meal of the day is the most critical. Even 9 out of 10 teachers agree that breakfast is a key component of their students’ educations. With so many missing out, it makes getting the most out of their time in the classroom a real challenge.
Champion for Kids and SIMPLE Giving
Hunger is not just across the globe, friends. It is also in each and every one of our communities. But sometimes it is hard to know how to help in the most effective way. If you want to involve your children in your efforts to share with others (and I hope you do!) it can be even more challenging. That’s why I recommend checking out Champions for Kids. It’s all about fostering a habit of giving in our children (and their parents). I would personally shift that language, as I call giving to others “sharing.” Children get the concept of sharing, and are not as quick to throw sympathy or “otherness” into the mix. Children have all been the recipients of others sharing with them, and when we do a service project or make a donation, it’s our turn to share with others. 🙂
One of the Champions for Kids programs that I like is called SIMPLE Giving. From April 21 through May 5, participating Walmart stores will collect breakfast food items. All you need to do is purchase those items and place them in the purple donation bins at the front of the store. You’ll find a complete list of participating stores here. Those donations are going straight to the school district in which the Walmart you shopped at is located! And get this: the school district that collects the most donations from a Walmart store in its division will receive $10,000 from Champions for Kids. And the school district that collects the most donations from a Walmart store in its region will receive a $1,000 check from Champions for Kids! For a full list of participating stores, school districts, Walmart Divisions/Regions and official rules click here.
Let’s (Twitter) Party!
So what are you doing this Thursday from 1-2pm ET? Hanging out with me on Twittter, I hope! I’ll be joining The Motherhood and Champions for Kids along with Kellogg Company and Diamond Foods to get the word out about how we can help ensure that children in our communities are getting the nutrition they need first thing in the morning so that they can focus at school.
This is a great opportunity to learn about SIMPLE ways to give in your own community, and to give you ideas about ways you can involve your children in opportunities to share with others. The Champions For Kids’ Simple Services Projects have a great 4 step model that we’ll discuss, too!
How to Join Us: Start by filling out the RSVP here: http://www.twtvite.com/
Oh, and one more thing: five $50 Walmart gift cards are going to be given out during the party to randomly selected participants who answer the trivia questions correctly (don’t worry…you get some clues to help you find the right answers!). That’s $250 total that will be handed out. Somebody is going to win, and if you join us, it might be you!