Bringing Joy to Others

During this season I love to provide students with opportunities to give back to others.  This year we are doing a service-learning project with Catching Joy! I love this charity because a child who saw the need to give back to his community started it! It shows students where an idea can take you! It puts the joy of giving in the hands of the child. Check out Maxwell’s idea for the world he wants to live in here! The values of the organization are similar to those in our classroom community:

• We believe engaging children in volunteering teaches them to be caring and compassionate towards people, animals, and the environment.
• We appreciate that every child has time, talent and treasure to offer.
• We value the importance of families and friends volunteering together as it fosters stronger and more loving connections and community.
• We recognize the ripple effect that one person and one good deed make in the world.
• We affirm that Catching Joy means helping others.
• We have learned that true joy belongs to the giver.

Students can join any Catching Joy event! The one our class participated in was to help create Blessing Bags for those in need. The bags will be filled with cards, water bottles, toiletries, and snacks. They will be delivered to Second Step, Women's Lunch Place, Pine Street Inn, etc. The message of kindness, joy, care, and love will be spread on  the bags. I hope our students enjoy creating something that will put a smile on their faces! Joy will be dropping off items for our students to stuff the bags, but if anyone would like to donate items to go in the bags please feel free to send to our classroom the week after Thanksgiving. Contact Joy at joy@catchingjoy.org for more information or to learn how you can help!

Feel free to follow Catching Joy on Facebook to learn about other volunteer opportunities for kids!