The doorbell rang and a group of four adorable girls were on the other side of my door selling cookies. They came in, introduced themselves, and asked if I wanted to donate money to the Jimmy Fund at Dana Farber. I invited the posse into my home and grabbed my wallet in a hurry.
My children were quietly doing their homework, but were instantly attracted to the sight of homemade cookies. Yet, I saw this as a golden opportunity! I began to pepper the girls with questions about what they were doing and why. I urged them to tell my kids about the work they were doing because this was an important lesson that just appeared on my doorstep. Truthfully, I considered myself very lucky to be in the right place at the right time. I wanted to donate to the Jimmy Fund. I wanted to teach my children about volunteerism. I wanted to spread the word about the work four fourth grade girls from Melrose were doing.
Chores vs Cancer. That is the name of the group. It consists of Talya Hamberg, Megan Casey, Isabella Tenriero, and Miranda Faller. These young girls from the Horace Mann school in Melrose, MA were amazing. They gather together every Thursday for the Jimmy Fund. They bake cookies, work on a game plan to raise money and awareness. The girls walk around the neighborhood sharing information about The Jimmy Fund.
Did you know that the Jimmy Fund has a section on their website titled “Kids Conquer Cancer.” The website offers suggestions of events to help teach children about philanthropy. “Teach children and young adults the importance of philanthropy by participating in a fun fundraising event that supports patient care and cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. By participating in these events children are able to tap into their creativity, build self–confidence, and learn the importance of fundraising in the community.”
Chores vs Cancer was born as a way to conquer some personal events that had a big impact on each of the girls. There was a child in their small elementary school who became ill. But instead of just moving on to the next activity, these girls decided to do something positive. It was their idea to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. And they were very excited to do this! Collecting money for the Dana Farber was more important than helping one person.
I asked these spirited young women about the work they were doing. They told me they have been meeting since October, 2014. They started raking leaves, shoveling snow, and doing any kind of chore they could think of to make money. They made plans for a Bake Sale. They plan to offer their services as Mother’s Helpers too. They walk around their neighborhoods for a cause. They got involved!
Miranda, Talya, Isabella, and Megan told me they want people to know that they should do to help their community. They believe it is important to help the world be a better place. It is imperative to think about others, not just yourself. They believe that all it takes is a few minutes to give back. They recognize that it doesn’t take a lot of effort to do something nice for the world. The girls have learned that helping out is really fun, especially if they work together to make a difference.
“Kids need our help so they can get better.”
Here is what I want you to take away from this post:
Get involved.
Make a difference in your community.
Donate your time or your money.
Educate yourself and your family about ways to become a philanthropist.
