Offsite Opportunities
There are a lot of opportunities to support the Mi Escuelita program both onsite and offsite. Listed below are a few opportunities that can be done by individuals or groups. Contact Caroline Smiley at csmiley(at)miescuelita(dot)org or 214.526.0220 ext. 20 to find out how we can work with your schedule and interests.
Assemble Family Literacy Packets (Homework)
These packets are plastic bags with sheets of instructions and materials necessary for the parents and children to work on a project together. They can either be done here on site or they can be done offsite, like at a school or in an office break room. We need 3600 packets done every month, so we are happy to have a group come and assemble 50 or 5000. We are part of the First Lady's Family Literacy Initiative, which means that we strive to improve literacy in three ways: child literacy (what we teach in the classrooms), parent literacy (which they get through GED and ESL classes that we teach or refer), and family literacy time, aka homework time. Every night, the parent is expected to spend 30 minutes working on homework with their child. Three nights a week, they check out books from our library and read to them, and the other two nights a week, they work together on projects for school. These packets give the parents and children something to do together, enhance the parent-child bond, gets both the parents and children reading together, and establishes the nightly homework routine.
Requirements
Number: As many as possible.
Time: You need to set aside at least an hour to set up and get into a rhythm. This can be done any time.
Skills: Patience for repetition.
Organize a Donation Drive
We need supplies of all kinds. Donate your old arts & crafts materials or organize a drive for age-appropriate books in English and in Spanish, toothbrushes, bandages, school supplies, backpacks, etc. Check out our wishlist for more ideas. It saves Mi Escuelita money and time that we would have to spend buying or asking for donations of these materials. It also keeps the classrooms bright and fresh and the kids healthy.
Requirements
Time: Flexible.
Skills: Driven personality.
Holiday Volunteers
Barnes and Noble Gift Wrapping
Wrap presents at the Barnes & Noble store across from North Park between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This activity generates cash contributions and children’s books for Mi Escuelita.
Navidad en el Barrio Gift Project
Between Thanksgiving and early December, help sort donated gifts. This activity generates Christmas gifts for Mi Escuelita children and their siblings.
