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Kids With A Cause receives correspondence from individuals around the world who believe in our cause and want to help. It is because of this desire to make a difference in the lives of less fortunate children, that "Helping Hands" was created. This allows everyone to do what they can and to help...and there is no cost to participate!
Here's how "Helping Hands" works:
You simply complete the Enrollment Form, if you are interested in joining us and lending a helping hand.
You may also send or email a photo, if you would like us to post it along with your name on our web site.
You will then receive a monthly email newsletter from Kids With A Cause that highlights our "Helping Hands" and describes the charitable activities others have done to make a difference. The newsletter will also include pictures and special articles about the work of Kids With A Cause...and why your "Helping Hands" are so important to us!
You may be selected, as one of our "Helping Hands", to tell your story in our newsletter as a feature article and inspire others to do what they can to help, too.
You will also be eligible to win some unique Kids With A Cause gifts from our "Helping Hands" drawings that will be held each month throughout the year. (Remember, there is no cost to join.)
The best part of "Helping Hands" is knowing that you are part of a group that cares.
We are proud to know that you are willing to lend a "Helping Hand" and we thank you for your support.
Please click here to sign up and join us in our mission of bringing hope and happiness to children in need.
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Hello Everyone!
I hope you're all doing well. It's that wonderful time again for you to read about some very special people who are lending a "Helping Hand" to Kids With A Cause. I feel lucky because I have had the pleasure to interview them and learn more about their special qualities.
For those of you who are joining us for the first time, let me explain a little bit about these articles. Every month 2 recipients are chosen from the "Helping Hands" participants and through email correspondence we conduct an interview. Once the interview is completed, I write an article and it is posted on the website for all to read (as well as maybe get ideas on how you, too, can lend a "Helping Hand").
"Helping Hands" is a way for individuals around the world to help others who are less fortunate in any way they can. So if you're one of those people who want to help others, then join us by filing out the Enrollment Form on our website - it doesn't take long, its free and best of all, you'll be joining people who want to make a difference.
Now that you're all caught up, let me get onto this story about 2 amazing people and their efforts to help children and teens in need. With this said, it is my pleasure to introduce to you Kailey S and Rebecca N.
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Kailey S.
Burbank, CA
Kailey S. is new to Kids With A Cause and we are grateful to have her join the charitable efforts of our organization. Once she heard about our cause she decided to set up a Green Lemonade stand for St. Patrick's Day to benefit Kids With A Cause. It was with her kind donation that we were able to get 65 boxes of crayons to go along with our new Kids With A Cause coloring books that we gave to the students at the Jeffrey Foundation. The kids loved the gifts they received from us and the event was great. The best part is that I had the chance to learn more about it in my interview! So now let's hear more about Kailey and how she decided to lend a "Helping Hand"…
Renee: I'm always curious.... how did you hear about Kids With A Cause?
Kailey: I heard about Kids With a Cause from my mom at first. I told her that I really wanted to do something for others and I asked her to help me find a way to do that. She told me about "Helping Hands" and she said she found it by asking around and looking online. I like that they help in so many different ways and they help lots of different people.
Renee: That's so great that you wanted to help people and asked your mom to help you find out how. Once you found out about Kids With A Cause, what made you decide to join "Our Helping Hands?"
Kailey: It was easy to want to join "Helping Hands." I looked at the website and saw the ideas and different ways that I could help. I just really want to find ways to raise money to help others and "Helping Hands" is wonderful because there are so many different ways to help.
Renee: That's right, it's pretty easy and it's totally great how everybody involved does their best to help out, just like you! Tell me about an experience you had lending a "Helping Hand" to someone. What did you do and how did you feel?
Kailey: I had a canned food drive at my home in Las Vegas for the homeless. It was really easy and actually a lot of fun. My family and I spent a Sunday at our grocery store. We collected cans of food as people left the store. Once they saw us and knew what we were doing, many people went in to the store and then dropped cans in our boxes as they left. It was at Thanksgiving and we drove our truck down to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada. They have a huge room in downtown Las Vegas where they serve meals for the homeless. They were so excited it really was neat. We filled up the whole truck!
Renee: Wow! That's a great idea and so nice of you to do, especially during Thanksgiving. What are some of the ways that you think others can help?
Kailey: I think everyone needs to give whatever they can and if you don't have money to give, there are so many other things you can do. You can ask everyone in your class at school to bring in an extra tube of toothpaste one month or a bar of soap and then you can put together the "Kits With A Cause" that "Helping Hands" needs...that's what I'm working on right now.
The lemonade stand was easy! Everyone could do that in their own neighborhood. My goal is to do one special thing every month for "Helping Hands." If everyone did something once a month, imagine how much we could do!
Renee: You're so right! I remember when I was in school and we put together boxes or baskets filled with lots of different needed items for others. Sometimes the littlest thing can make the biggest impact. If you could do anything you wanted to lend a "Helping Hand", what would it be?
Kailey: If I could do anything I wanted to lend a "Helping Hand" I would build a special house for people to stay when they were homeless. I would have people come to the house and help them learn how to find a job and a place to live. That would be my dream. It makes me so sad to see people sleeping on the streets.
Renee: Agreed. When I see people on the streets, many times I cry, because it's so sad. Your idea to have a place for them to stay and learn life skills is something a friend of mine wanted to do, too. What are your hobbies and interests and what are your plans for your future?
Kailey: I really love theatre. I like to sing, dance and act. Seeing people smile when I perform is a really nice feeling.
Renee: That's awesome! I get the same feeling when my work or performance makes someone smile! I heard about the green lemonade stand you had on St. Patrick's Day. Can you tell me about that?
Kailey: The green lemonade stand was a blast. I saw on the website that "Helping Hands" needed crayons for the coloring books that they made for children who were sick at the hospital. It was St. Patrick's Day and I thought it would be fun to sell green lemonade by the pool at our apartment!
My brother, Kyle, helped me and also some of the kids at the apartment pitched in and helped, too. I charged .75 for a glass, but when people saw that it was to buy the crayons, they would donate even more sometimes.
Then my mom took me to the store and she let me buy the crayons myself. I really liked that feeling, knowing that I made that money and it was going to help put a smile on a child's face.
Renee: That was so thoughtful of you and very creative! I love what you did! It gives me ideas for other holidays or causes, too. Pink lemonade for breast cancer awareness, green and red lemonade for Christmas...and so many more! Another idea can be to sell different color juices for special times of the year and the money can go for different things. Wow one story gave me all these ideas, isn't that great?
I am so impressed by these ideas and loved finding out more from Kailey. It's so great to hear about or see people, especially children and teens, take an initiative to research who/how they can help.
Thank you, Kailey, for all your help. We hope to have you with us for many events and years to come.
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Rebecca N.
Temple City, CA
Now, let me introduce you to another wonderful person who I had the pleasure of interviewing, Rebecca N. She lives nearby Kids With A Cause and has been able to attend several of our events. She enjoys helping others and one of her personal interests is stage production. Are you ready to learn more about Rebecca? Awesome, here it goes…
Renee: So, Rebecca.... just how did you hear about Kids With A Cause and when?
Rebecca: I heard about Kids With A Cause when my little sister was in the hospital about 4 years ago. Kids With A Cause was on the pediatric floor and my sister was not interested in having visitors that day. After a while, she changed her mind.
She ended up having a great visit with them! They played with a new Barbie including changing the clothes several times, they drew pictures and colored and they talked and talked. She fell in love with everyone. That visit really made my sister forget why she was in the hospital.
Renee: Wow, that's great that they were able to make her feel better. I know from experience what it's like to make someone's day when they're in hospital as well how it feels when someone takes the time to make your day. What made you decide to join "Our Helping Hands?"
Rebecca: I decided to join because I wanted to help other people just like Kids With A Cause helped my sister and has also helped my entire family.
Renee: That's so sweet of you to lend a "Helping Hand" to others from the experience you and your family had when Kids With A Cause helped your family. Tell me about an experience you had helping someone. What did you do and how did you feel?
Rebecca: I help people all the time. It just seems so natural for me. I do it without thinking. I always end up with a smile on my face and a good feeling in my heart.
Renee: I agree. I get the same feeling when I help others. I always seem to be doing something to help including at least one fundraiser each year. What are some of the ways that you think others can help?
Rebecca: If everyone would just do a little then our world would be a better place. People could volunteer to read to kids, help with the elderly or even just a friendly smile will go far.
Renee: I couldn't have said it better myself. We can all do something to make a difference. What ideas do you have to help raise money and help children in need?
Rebecca: We could do a car wash or have a concert with Kids With A Cause singers. We could try to have kids in schools have a Read-A-Thon and get sponsors, teachers or parents to pay a small amount of money for every book read.
Renee: You're good at coming up with ideas! It's wonderful and gets me brainstorming, too! If you could do anything you wanted to lend a "Helping Hand", what would it be?
Rebecca: I would visit the orphanages and hospitals on a regular basis. I love being with the kids and showing them that I care.
Renee: That is such a great way to spend your time and lend a "Helping Hand." What are your hobbies and interests and what are your plans for your future?
Rebecca: My hobbies and interests include cheerleading, soccer, film/production, but most of all helping others. Nothing in life can beat the feeling of helping someone else.
My plans for my future are to continue with Kids With A Cause. When I finish high school I plan on studying film production. I have been in the film class at school for three years and have been stage manager for many productions including our annual musical.
Renee: Those are some pretty great goals. What would you like others to know about Kids With A Cause?
Rebecca: I would like them to know that Kids With A Cause is an amazing group. My experience with everyone in the group is that everyone is there to help others and not themselves. Linda gives her heart and soul to the charity as well as all of us. The world needs Linda Finnegan and Kids With A Cause.
Renee: I couldn't agree with you more. It's always a pleasure to be involved with Kids With A Cause and, as you said, Linda Finnegan makes a huge impact in the world and in the lives of many. It's so cool that you and I think alike. I have heard that you have participated in Kids With A Cause programs & events. Can you tell us a little about that? What was your favorite memory?
Rebecca: I have participated in many events including selling items from the Kids With A Cause International Marketplace at Farmers' Market; helping kids at National Adoption Day; spending a weekend of sailing and camping at Catalina Island; coordinating and participating in the Whitewater Rafting trip; going to an orphanage in Mexico; helping the kids and families at Skid Row; lending a "Helping Hand" at the Junior Blind event and going to Greensburg, Kansas to help the children & families who lost their homes and everything they owned in a tornado.
My favorite memory was going to the orphanage. I remember when we arrived, the kids were waving and smiling at us and so excited for us to visit them. I knew at that moment that I was supposed to be there.
We played games, danced, had a piñata and gave out backpacks full of clothes and goodies for them. The little ones wore their backpacks (that were twice their size) with such pride. It was very difficult to leave the kids.
I also was saving my birthday and Christmas money for something special. I decided that things are not important and I used my money to go to Kansas with Kids With A Cause. We helped the tornado victims. Families in Kansas didn't have a town left. It was a sight that I couldn't believe. We also had a "Battle of the Bands" event in Missouri to help raise money for South Africa AIDS babies. During the concert it began to rain really, really hard. We had to quickly clean up. We realized that the Kids With A Cause banner was still hanging on a fence and we had to run across a huge field to get the sign. Boy were we drenched!
I will continue to be a part of "Helping Hands." I thank Kids With A Cause for showing me what life is about. It is about helping others!
Renee: That is so cool how you attended all those amazing events. The rain however, didn't sound like too much fun ha-ha-ha. But at least it was for a good cause- - so in the end, it's all worth it.
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Wow, I am so impressed and truthfully the stuff I learned from these interviews was my inspiration for this month's article. Every interview I do gives me inspiration and continues to remind me why I myself write these articles and lend a "Helping Hand." It's a great feeling like Kailey and Rebecca said, to help others.
I have so many new ideas as I always do from the interviews and I hope it helps all of you to be inspired to lend a "Helping Hand."
Thank you Kailey and Rebecca for what you do! We are happy to have you on our team and look forward to working with you for years to come. To all of you reading this, if you haven't already, please join us and do what you can to lend a "Helping Hand."
That's all for now, so until next time keep smiling, keep reading and keep helping!
XOXO,
Renee
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