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Hold your own Product Drive - Creative Examples

Inspired by the recent tornadoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, Metropolitan Preparatory Day School in Illinois wanted to help to K.I.D.S. help those individuals that have been affected by a natural disaster. Each class did research on a different type of natural disaster and the students gathered information about a type of natural disaster, listed important facts, and indicated how individuals might be affected by this type of disaster. During the student council meetings, they discussed how difficult it must be to lose everything and came up with a list of items that families may have lost (i.e., shampoo, toothpaste, etc). The students were extremely motivated and they donated brand new basic essentials items in hopes to help survivors of natural disasters! Counselor Megan Finkler, said, “It’s amazing to see how much the students have learned. They are now aware of the difficulties families face when hit by a natural disaster.”

When the children at Imagine Rosefield, in Surprise, AZ, first learned about the devastating tsunami in Japan, they wanted to help. Ms. Nelson’s first and second grade class collected basic necessities such as socks, diapers, baby wipes, and blankets on behalf of K.I.D.S.’ Japan relief efforts. In a letter written to K.I.D.S. by students Brook, age 8, and Sabrina, age 7, they said, “We read about tsunamis and learned about the one that hit Japan. We thought to give to Japan because Japan needed help because of the tsunami. We wanted to make Japan the same as it was before the tsunami. We put up signs and asked the school to bring in new blankets, socks, diapers and baby wipes.”

Although K.I.D.S. normally receives the majority of our donations in large quantities from retailers and manufacturers, we also welcome donations from product drives held by everyday people and group.

Roslyn Trinity Preschool in NY held a disaster relief product drive for Japan. They collected brand new diapers, baby wipes, bottles, and other basic essentials. The donated products will be distributed to the following three cities critically damaged by the tsunami: Rikuzentakata-shi, Kamaishi-shi, and Otsuchi-cho.

During the 2010 Holiday Season, K.I.D.S. saw an increase in toy and product gift drives for children and families in need. Among the workplace drives were also some schools, and none stood out more than Xavier High School in New York City. The faculty, staff, and students collected 727 toys and 173 articles of clothing, providing K.I.D.S. with 900 items for our partner agencies to distribute for Christmas! The school’s efforts were summed up by Joseph Petriello, Director of Ignatian Service Programs at Xavier. “During Advent and Christmas, we acknowledge, in a special way, that gratitude is at the heart of Xavier High School’s mission as a Jesuit school. Our community truly has much to be grateful for in our own lives, and we are continually called to seek charity and justice for those most in need. I’m inspired by the thoughtful giving of our faculty, staff, and students, and hope that our generosity continues to extend to our sisters and brothers not only for this holiday, but in our everyday lives as well.”

Truesdell Education Center, with kind donations from students, family and friends, donated over 150 teddy bears to the children of Haiti through their “Teddies, Not Tears” campaign. Audrey Childs, the Team Coordinator for the 3rd and 4th grades, said, “Our goal was to help our students become a little more empathetic, and research and respond to a global situation that was far away from them, yet could have an impact on them because it involved children.” The teddy bears were assigned to The Church of Bible Understanding in Petionville, Haiti.

The Ohio University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee took part in a Mid-American Conference-wide initiative to send relief to the children of Haiti after the devastating earthquake. Ohio’s SAAC chapter collected 553 bars of soap to send to Haiti. This amount was helped by the donations of many in attendance at the final home men’s basketball game of the season against Bowling Green. The bars of soap were donated to The Church of Bible Understanding in Petionville, Haiti.

At Inman Park Cooperative Preschool (IPCP) in Atlanta, GA, they held a basic essential product drive. Jill Canelli, the Curriculum and Nature Education Specialist, said, “We were grateful to find the organization K.I.D.S.- and be given an opportunity to be a part of the network of organizations helping the children of Haiti. Partnering with K.I.D.S. by donating goods was a tangible way for the children, staff, and parents to be a part of the global outreach to support these children in crisis.” Over the course of one month, the IPCP community donated over 72 lbs. of products that included diapers, wipes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, baby bottles, and sippy cups to K.I.D.S.