When I was a little girl, I remember watching the Save the Children program on tv. I would sit there and wonder at how these children were surviving even in the midst of a terrible situation. Every time I was watching tv, if the show was on, I would just become mesmerized by it. Now I can tell you about the work that Save the Children does.
Save the Children USA has been around for a long time, since 1932, when a group of people wanted to start a work similar to Eglantyne Jebb’s work with children in Vienna after World War I. Back then they wanted to help the children in Appalachia whose families were struggling because of the Great Depression. Back then and even now, their work leads to helping people become independent, to becoming self-sufficient, in that they can be provided the necessary tools for making it on their own. They work in the USA and over 50 other countries today. This is their mission: While our programs are diverse, our mission is singular – to create lasting, positive change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world.
Their work involves helping children in the US to be healthy and well-fed with nutritious foods. They work to help children who might be taken advantage of or exploited. They work in countries where natural disaster may strike, helping to get them ready, and should disaster strike, helping them to recover. They also train community health workers to care for newborns and young children. Right now they are working in Chile and in Haiti.
There are several ways that you can get involved. You can help to make a difference in the life of a child somewhere in this world. Here are just a few of the ways that you can do this:
- First of all, you could make a donation. You could just make a gift donation or make a memorial donation, in honor of a loved one.
- Save the Children has a gift catalog that you can browse to purchase a gift for a person or community in need. For example, you could purchase a goat or dig a well. There are many options for you to consider.
- You could commit to give so much a month; you could even give as little as $10/month to help a child receive the food, education, or health care, etc., that he/she needs.
- If you simply want to help in the work with American children here in the U.S., you can donate to that cause.
- You can help dontate to the campaign, Survive to 5, which aims to help newborns and children receive what they need to survive. Did you know that nearly 9 million children under age five die annually around the world? That is more than 24,000 children a day. We know that almost 6 million child deaths could be prevented every year if the world’s poorest children received low cost existing solutions. Community health workers can deliver life-saving advice and care to women and children in areas beyond the reach of clinics.
- You can support Save the Children’s HIV/AIDS programs.
- You can help children who are affected by war, to receive the education they need to learn how to overcome their obstacles and make it in this world.
- If you are an Ebay fan, you can donate to Save the Children with every item sold, or you can look for items whose proceeds help Save the Children.
- You can redeem points and donate through your American Express card, you can donate stock or mutual funds, you can plan to donate through your will, etc.
- You can sponsor a child for only $28/month. We are actually sponsoring a child right now through another organization, and the blessing you receive is just indescribable. This is a more personal way to get involved, and it’s also a wonderful way to teach your children the power of giving.
- You can become an advocate for these children, advocating for them before Congress.
- Get your community or church involved, even your online community, and start a fundraiser.
- Send an e-card to a friend, thereby spreading the word about Save the Children and shining your light.
- Become a volunteer with Save the Children.
- If you are a corporation, check out ways you can get involved, even getting your employees involved in the life-saving work of Save the Children.
- There are many more ways that you can help….check them out!
No matter who you are, there is an endless array of ways that you can get involved in this work. You can follow Save the Children on both Twitter and Facebook. Remember, the mission is for you to shine your light; the blessings to others and yourself, endless…..
