Get Involved

Mike and I have been trying to come up with various ways we can serve more effectively and efficiently now that we have a newborn.  We still want to be active citizens in this world in helping those in need.  I got on the LDS website and found some great resources while searching through the Welfare System home page.  There are countless ways we can get involved and I thought I would include two of them on my blog:

School Kits Even when children are fortunate enough to attend schools, they often lack the educational supplies needed to create a functional and engaging learning environment. A school kit can transform even a meager setting into an appropriate educational space. Assembly Instructions 4 unsharpened pencils 1 pencil sharpener 1 box pre-sharpened or unsharpened assorted colored pencils (approximately 7" long, about 12 pencils to a box) 1 pair blunt-nosed scissors with metal blades 1 rubber pencil eraser (approximately 1" by 2") 1 straight edge ruler—not to exceed 12", with metric measurements 450 pages of paper in glued or spiral-bound notebooks or letter-size legal pads, all with lined sheets. Sheet sizes 8 ½" by 11", 8" by 10 ½", and 8 ½" by 11 ¾" are acceptable (no more than 6 notebooks or pads per kit). 1 durable cloth bag made of heavy fabric (see cloth bag guidelines below) Cloth Bag (for School Kit) Cut two pieces of fabric into 14" by 18" rectangles. Serge or zigzag all edges of both pieces of bag fabric. Put right sides of bag fabric together. Starting at the top of the side seam (side seam = 18" length), sew around three sides of bag (2 long sides, 1 short side). Make sure to backstitch. Turn top hem down 1". Press top. Handles Cut two 26" by 3 ½" handles from a piece of fabric (½" webbing may also be used). Zigzag or serge one long side of each handle. With right side out, fold over raw edge and overlap serged edge. Stitch lengthwise down center of handle. Pin or secure handle in place. Repeat with the other end of the handle on the same side of the bag. Repeat on other side of the bag. After handles are secure, stitch hem of bag, including handles around entire hem. Reinforce stitching on handles. Place a 3" strip of Velcro on inside of bag between handle straps, and sew in place. Place all items inside the cloth bag. Take or ship the completed school kits to the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center, or a bishops' storehouse. Hygiene Kits Hygiene kits provide disaster victims with basic items necessary for health and cleanliness. Assembly Instructions 2 unbreakable combs (no sharp handles) 4 toothbrushes (packaged) 1 tube of toothpaste (6-8 oz., no pumps) 2 bars of soap (approximately 4 to 5 oz.) 2 hand towels (new towels, approximately 15" by 25". Please do not use dish towels or washcloths. To sew towels, serge or zigzag the edges of terry cloth to make a 15" by 25" towel.) Place items in a heavy-duty, one-gallon sealable bag. Remove all air before sealing. Place hygiene kits in a cardboard packing box, and take or ship them to the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center, or a bishops' storehouse. ***If you don't have time to serve you can always donate online.  Check out the LDS Charities the church supports.