Last year, a group of friends and I began a project we called The World Needs You, to show how easy it is to make a positive difference in our community. Over the holidays, we collected hats, gloves, socks and other cold-weather gear for the “store” at an elementary school, where students can “buy” things with rewards earned through good behavior. It was a good way to get these items to children whose families might not be able to afford them.
“Do the kids need anything else?” I asked the coordinator when we dropped off our donations.
“Umbrellas!” she said. “Most of our kids have to walk to school, and when it rains they come in soaking wet.”
Of course! I thought. It doesn’t snow much here, but we do have a lot of cold rainy days, and parents who are pinching pennies might not buy umbrellas. My friends and I got to work: We sent e-mails, called people and talked up the project at social events. Everyone had the same response: “I’ve never thought about that before!” We collected more than 50 umbrellas for the school in time for April showers. Hopefully the kids will be singing in the rain!
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