Join In Efforts To Provide Food And Education For Poor Children

By Kathleen Reed


Helping the poor is something everyone should do. Children deserve compassionate aid from the community around them. Fortunately, many people enjoy helping. It's best when private individuals or groups help, since aid is not diluted by passing through a government agency. The personal touch is also valuable; relationships can be formed that may last long after a child no longer needs food and education for poor children.

Public assistance is much in the news today. Some say we can't afford the programs we have, others say the poverty-stricken can't do without them. What is known is that many programs like 'no child left behind' and 'the war on poverty' cost billions of taxpayer dollars and achieve little.

Others feel that this is a responsibility that churches, civic groups, businesses, and even schools should assume for their local area. One very good argument for private help is that no bureaucrats, who deserve and get a salary, are needed for planning, gathering, or distribution. The money or goods donated go directly to the recipient when the work is done by dedicated volunteers.

Churches often collect school supplies in late summer and give, for example, a loaded book bag to children who qualify for this aid. Congregations can form a relationship with one school, and those who pass out the book bags will get to know the children they are helping, as well as teachers and school officials.

In many areas, department stores place boxes near the door for shoppers to fill with school supplies or packaged groceries, depending on the need. It's easy for most families to donate a box of crayons, a notebook, or a pack of pencils while they are doing their own 'back to school' shopping. People enjoy dropping a box of cake mix or a can of baked beans into the box on their way out of the store.

Some churches form relationships with a particular school and even make sure that kids have food over the summer vacation. They collect boxes of cereal and jars of peanut butter and distribute them to registered families at the beginning of every month. The participants get to know each other, and both caregivers and recipients benefit. This is a great program, because no one has to give a lot but added together the gifts add up to more than enough.

There are lots of opportunities in the area of education besides giving school supplies. People can offer free tutoring to students of all levels. Local business professionals may speak at schools or teach at community colleges. Businesses can offer internships or summer programs to introduce high school kids to the world of law, finance, or retail.

If you care, you can find a way to help. In your area, you will have civic organizations that buy eyeglasses for school kids, food banks that need volunteers, teams that need coaches, and after-school programs that need helpers or directors. Professionals can teach at a community college or speak at 'career day' at the high school. Commend stores or scout troops that collect packaged food or school supplies. Never pass up the opportunity to help a poor child get ahead.




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