Here is an idea for your younger Sunday School or Bible study students to help with large charitable organizations. It is a direct way your younger students could do a fund raiser to help fund cancer research for children and find that their efforts can help.
Many teachers find that the best way to complete a charity project with a class is to latch on to a large, national or international charity that already has established fundraisers or local events, and serving them means not having to carve out a path of your own. Large charities count on grass roots clubs and businesses to loan support and many go out of their way to make it easy.
Most communities near a city have opportunities to serve at homeless shelters, women's shelters, etc. A simple phone call or email might reveal a program already in place where services are needed. Here are some ideas that have been used by children's ministries.
The world is more environmentally conscious than ever before. Environmental projects can generate opportunities to talk about the future of the planet and how God asks us to take care of it. Many children are interested in wild animals and birds, and somehow, it is fun for them to serve what can't be caught and shouldn't be caught!
Communities vary greatly, and hence, so do the services needed. Sometimes an attitude of giving comes more readily if students are serving one of their peers. And kids don't have to know a child personally in order to reach out. By watching the newspaper, you will often see children with dire needs.
Communities vary greatly and so do the services needed. Rural vs. urban, coasts vs. mountains, affluence vs. great need--these are just a few of the issues that make community service differ from place to place. Here are ideas where you and your class could provide services to children in the community.
The world is more environmentally conscious than ever before. Trees, flowers and bodies of water may not seem as interesting to kids as pets and people. However, environmental projects can generate opportunities to talk about the future of the planet and how God asks us to take care of it.
Today's elderly are in more need of household assistance than ever before. As parents don't often live with children and our sense of neighborhood community has dwindled, they often leave projects undone.
An important first lesson is that "Charity starts at home." Sibling rivalry and sibling squabbles can be toned down if kids are reminded of the old adage, "Kill "˜em with kindness." It is likely that kids who participate in home-based service will be more likely to graduate on to all-day service projects and even projects of their own design when they get older.