Community Service Projects
Thanksgiving Food Donation Service Project – Fall 2009
During the months of October and November we worked on a community service project to provide Thanksgiving meals to children and families in need. School in the Hills collected, sorted, and delivered complete meals for forty families to Angelheart Children’s Center. Angelheart Children’s Center is a shelter for children who have been victims of abuse and neglect. There are children housed within the shelter itself, as well as foster families living outside of the shelter who have welcomed children into their homes.
During the month of October children in the primary classrooms worked hard to write different food items on cut feathers, such as “two boxes of stuffing,” or “two cans of green beans.” Once all the feathers were finished we hung a different set on each classroom door to make a beautiful turkey. With their parents, children plucked feathers from the turkeys throughout the month, bought the items that were written on their feather, and brought them to school to donate.
During the month of November, after all the food items were collected, the children worked hard to sort each item into categories. We then worked in small groups to fill reusable grocery bags with everything that a family would need for a complete Thanksgiving meal. The children made hand decorated cards to place in the bags with the food, wishing the children and families a happy Thanksgiving!
Throughout the project, we talked often with the children about how some children and families do not have all the food and material things that we do, and it is important for us to do what we can to help them. The children learned firsthand that the meaning of Thanksgiving is not only to be thankful for what you have, but also to give to others what you can.
Soles for Souls – Helping Haiti – January 2010
Over 1000 pairs of shoes!
During the month of January the School in the Hills Community worked to help the country of Haiti after the devastating earthquake by collecting children’s and adult’s shoes for the Soles for Souls program. Together, families went through their closets and brought in gently used shoes to the school. The children watched in amazement as the collection at the front of the school grew and grew, until the front office area was practically overflowing! Parents also generously donated money to help pay for shipping costs to get the shoes to Soles4Souls.
Throughout the project, we talked with the children about the joy of helping others. The children were excited to help the people of Haiti by looking at their own homes for shoes they could share. The project reinforced for the children how good it feels to do something to help others in need. They also learned that even though the amount they themselves could give may have seemed small, the difference a group of people could make when joined together sure added up!