Just One Day for At-Risk Kids

I love the idea that someone could just donate a day, or even part of a day, to help at-risk kids. In the world of people working with that youth population, it's universally hard to get people to step up for one-on-one mentoring or other forms of longer term commitments to kids, especially for boys. The idea of getting lots of people to donate just one day really appeals to me. That's what the folks at Youth Guidance in Chicago are doing.

Youth Guidance has been providing supportive services for at-risk kids in Chicago for a long time . . . 86 years to be exact, and they have a comprehensive menu of services. It's their Donate A Day program that recently caught my attention. As they say about the Donate a Day program, ". . . volunteering no longer needs to be a major sacrifice." In this creative program, an adult or a group can show up for a day to paint a classroom, help with a book drive, or have the staff at Youth Guidance customize a project just for you. They will even come up with a date and time that works for you and/or your group. Because Youth Guidance works with over 70 Chicago schools, there is no shortage of opportunities for involvement on your day of service. Give us a call, they say, and then show up for a day to make a difference in the lives of Chicago’s neediest kids.

What if there was an easy way for everyone, in cities across the country, for elders, adults, or college students, to give a few hours or a day to help make a difference in schools and the lives of at-risk kids? How would that change life in your community?

Now that is a vision that makes my heart sing!

You can visit the Youth Guidance website to learn more about their Donate A Day program. You might even want to consider donating a little chunk of time to a youth-serving organization in your community. It would be a chance for you to "Do Good, Feel Good, and Be Good." I know they are waiting for your call!

---

If you're not yet a subscriber to the Man-Making Blog, and you'd like to receive these posts by email 3-4 times a month, go to this link for a free subscription.