ASK 8 - Organize or participate in a fundraiser for someone that is struggling

The ASK: Organize or participate in a fundraiser for someone in the community that is struggling

I was hoping I would not get the chance to complete this ASK, because it would mean that someone was having a difficult time.  Unfortunately, I had the opportunity today.  A local family is struggling after being impacted by a disaster.  I was able to participate in the fundraiser through a financial donation.  However, there are many ways to participate in a fundraiser without spending money, like:

• Donating an item to be sold (at a garage sale-type event)
• Hanging up flyers
• Volunteering to help run the event
• Organize or create the event with a teacher or administrator
• Send e-mails, Facebook posts, or tweets to promote the events
• Bring something for a bake sale
• Donate loose change that you find on the floor (see ASK 7)
• Tell friends!

There are a lot of ways that any individual can help another,  When we help someone else, especially someone who is going through a difficult time, we are definitely doing an Act of School Kindness.

Considerations for Schools:

• Students should make sure they have staff permission before organizing a fundraiser.

ASK 7 - Donate loose change you find on the floor to a charity

The ASK: Donate loose change you find on the floor to a charity

Today, I stumbled upon a lot of loose change.  Normally, I would just put it in my pocket any carry on with my day.  Instead, I collected it throughout the day.  It came to 47 cents.  Now, that seems like a very small amount. But let's think of it this way: 

If every student in the US finds just 5 cents of loose change each week...

And there are 40 weeks in the school year...

.05 x 40 = 2

Then every student in the US finds an average of $2.00 throughout a school year.  

If Students generally spend 13 years in school (Kindergarten - Grade 12).

2 x 13 = 26

Then every student in the US find $26.00 in loose change over the course of their elementary and secondary school careers. 

Here's where it gets fun.  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are currently approximately 50 million students currently enrolled in the elementary and secondary education system.

Based on our numbers above, if every student finds $26 in loose change over their educational careers,then the 50 million students in school right now would find...

$1,300,000,000.  That is 1.3 billion dollars.

Imagine if that was given to charity

No amount is too small.  Donating loose change that you find to charity is a true Act of School Kindness!

Considerations for Schools:

• This is a great time to go over the school's "lost and found" policy - a penny is okay, but what about a dollar? How about 5 dollars? Set limits of what "loose change" means.
• If the school doesn't have a spot for coin donations, students can talk to a teacher or administrator to start one or they can collect the change to donate when they get home