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| Me With A Pile Of Empty Backpacks |
I've always felt it's been a privilege that I get to stay home with our kids. It's something that I will always, always be grateful for. During the baby years life was all consuming. The old phrase that charity starts at home certainly applied. I don't think I even took time to sneeze for several years.
But as Colin started kindergarden I felt it was time that I started to give back to our community. As a kid my grandmother was our stay-at-home parent when my mom was working. She took wonderful care of us. But beyond that she was always volunteering at the church, the hospital or the library. I can so clearly see my grandmother tucking into her volunteer activities - baking, selling tickets to events and serving high tea at fundraisers. The library was her favourite cause. She remained on the executive board until she was ninety years old helping to give children a love of reading. She watched my childhood friends grow-up, get married and start to bring the next generation of children into the library long after I was gone. That's amazing.
In Buenos Aires I've chosen to work with a group of expatriate women on a project called SACS or Send A Child To School. We provide personalized backpacks with age appropriate school supplies and size specific shoes, socks and lab coats to children for the first day of school. In Argentina a public education is free but you need to have the supplies. We give kids everything they need to make a strong start. We give the gift of confidence. What can be more important for a child?!
Our group works with schools, homework centres, shelters and churches to find kids in need. We work with kids on the bubble whose parents are trying to make ends meet. We extend a hand and help families to help themselves.
Throughout the year we fundraise. In October we pick which groups we are able to help. From there we spend the next couple of months collecting data from the institutions, sorting and compiling information and shopping for the kids. In January we pack everything one backpack at a time. We make little Ana or Jaime's backpack with everything they need according to their age and size. February brings our Santa moment when we deliver. We hand out each shiny new backpack individually. And in return we get smiles, handshakes, hugs and wonderful drawings. Going on a delivery is a good day.
We recently packed our backpacks for the season, drawing on volunteers from our community to help us. Deliveries are coming up. I loved seeing the kids last year. Their bright faces burned in my memory long after the day. After a quick breather it will be time to start fundraising again.
I urge anyone to volunteer. Explore passions and share them. Not only do you help a community, you help yourself. It's hard to complain, to whine or to have a bad day when you are helping someone else. I believe that with all my heart. ✿ Micheline
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| Labcoats |
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| Just A Handful Of The Shoes. |
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| Kinder Packs |
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| Packed Bags Tagged and Ready For Delivery |
