Charity Begins at Home By MARILYN JONES It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving. —Mother Teresa Perhaps your children know you support worthy causes or emergency appeals in a monetary fashion, and on Sunday mornings as they watch the offering plate pass they understand on a certain level that some of this money might support those in need. But have they ever participated in this kind of giving themselves? The concept of giving isn’t foreign to children. They understand that sharing is good and selfishness is not. By connecting your kids to a ministry project, you provide an opportunity for them to understand other people’s needs and what it means for us to put our faith into action. No one has ever become poor by giving. —Anne Frank things your child likely takes for granted—shampoo, a toothbrush—that are precious to those who have so little. Inn from the Cold in Calgary, Alberta, for example, lists current needs as diapers; baby formula; laundry detergent; and clothing, including outerwear. The Inn began 15 years ago out of a community concern for the growing number of people facing homelessness. Volunteers from several local churches met to discuss how they could help. Today a number of churches, synagogues, mosques, community associations, and other organizations have come together to provide emergency shelter and resources for Calgary’s homeless and others in need. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. —Plato In West Virginia, Appalachian Outreach, Inc. serves areas where other charities don’t exist or are too small to meet local needs. Their mission is to help relieve the burden of poverty and the loss of dignity suffered by the people of Appalachia who struggle to meet the basic needs of daily life. “Our goal is to link resources with needs,” says executive director Rose Hart. “Our resources of furniture, housewares, appliances, and so forth come from this area as well as Pennsylvania and Ohio. People drop items off at our warehouse or we pick up. “We serve the local community by having a storehouse where building supplies are available for homeowners who want to do additions or repairs to their homes,” she said. “We now serve 29 of the state’s 55 counties.” Getting Started Assign your youngest child the task of collecting unused shampoo, lotion, and other toiletries in a hotel room when your family is on vacation. After your vacation, help them package up these items, as well as any additional contributions, and bring them to a local women’s or homeless shelter. This can spark the opportunity to talk to children about the homeless and the joy of anonymous acts of kindness. If you aren’t going on vacation, do a little shopping with your child. Many shelters have wish lists; check the local shelter’s website to see what they might need. After your shopping trip, you and your child can drop off the needed items at the shelter. This will also allow you to talk about some of those 16 Christian Home & School iStockphoto/STEEK | www.csionline.org