This Valentine's Day, consider exploring how the entire family can participate in one of Family-to-Family's family giving programs, and spread a little love to those who need it most.
Programs that are perfect for parents and kids to do together include:
- Birthday Party in a Box - Many families struggle to give their children birthday parties, much less gifts. The Birthday Giving Project is designed to help these families by providing a small "party in a box" for a child in need. Families can decorate and fill a shoe box with everything needed for a small birthday party. Family-to-Family will find a family in need of the box for delivery.
- Books for Life - Host a book drive to collect gently used books for communities and families without the luxury of having full bookshelves. Family-to-Family will provide the name and address of the community for ship the books.
- The "Stuffed Shirt" Project - Instead of game night, have a family shirt stuffing night to assemble care packages of personal items like soap and toothpaste for homeless kids and adults. More information with printable directions is here: https://www.family-to-family.o
rg/hands-on-giving/stuffed-shi rt/
Family-to-Family was started in Hastings-on-Hudson in 2002, after Pam Koner, a local parent and entrepreneur, read an article in the NY Times about extreme poverty in the town of Pembroke, Illinois, and felt compelled to help - with the simple idea of linking families she knew with “more” to families with less. Today Family-to-Family helps families in 27 U.S. communities, and is still run by Pam Koner and team, working out of a storefront office in Hastings.
