November 13, 2008

SUNDAY (and Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and ….) FRIENDS

Twelve years ago, Janis Baron was a typical suburban Mom with three teenage kids enjoying a comfortable life in sunny California. The one "problem" that gnawed away at her was that her kids never really knew adversity-not that she wanted them to be anything other than happy, but she knew that they really had to learn how others lived-that everyone did not lead an easy and comfortable life. She also knew that volunteerism, which was an important part of her own life, was something her kids and many of their friends never really experienced.

With the hope that she could somehow change that situation, Janis arranged to take her kids and some of their friends to a nearby homeless shelter where her hope was that the kids would interact and develop a connection. She could not have been more disappointed with the outcome-the shelter kids just did not "connect" with their visitors. But…that all changed when she came up with the idea of having the kids work together to clean up the grounds around the shelter. The reward for cleaning up was stickers which seemed to somehow inspire the kids (and then their parents) to do more. From cleaning up to creating original artwork to beautify the shelter, Janis had discovered the key to a successful program.

Today, Sunday Friends runs a twice-monthly program in a local San Jose school. The program attracts the area’s poorest families (mostly first or second generation immigrants) who work together with volunteers "empowering families in need to break the cycle of poverty. Children and parents earn basic necessities while they contribute to their community, learn life skills and develop self-sufficiency." Just how they "contribute to their community" is accomplished by offering the participants classes in parenting, developing a good work ethic, perfecting job skills and other critical "life lessons". One of the activities that I particularly like is when kids and/or parents sit down to write thank you notes to donors who contribute to Sunday Friends. Here they learn several skills not the least of which is to perfect their language and writing.

In return for participation in the day’s program, participants earn credits which they can use in the "Sunday Friends Treasure Chest". What is in this treasure chest? The very important basic necessities everyone needs-diapers, school supplies, personal items.

The Sunday Friends model works. A visit to their web site describes many successful pieces of this program that change lives not only for the participants but also for the volunteers who contribute their time to make it all happen. San Jose, California (where Sunday Friends is located) is not unlike many other parts of this country. Think of how many people could be helped if this model was adopted in other regions.

In our conversation with Janis Baron today, we asked her what a donation would do right now to help her in her work. Her email response said it all:

OF COURSE, we can use $500 for the holiday season! Our families’ greatest need, to be honest, is for enough consumable products, such as diapers, toiletries and laundry detergent, to get them through the long break between our December 14 program and the January 11 program.

We are hoping to receive enough gifts from our community to sweeten the holidays, but our donors are turning their attention to toys right now and neglecting the ongoing basic needs. We want our families, some of whom are losing jobs in this trying economy, to be able to make ends meet until the new opportunities arrive in the new year. They are earning and saving their tickets and hoping to find the needed commodities in our Treasure Chest. Your donation of $500 will allow me to say YES instead of NO to fully stocking our "store" with the basic necessities this December.

Please visit http://www.sundayfriends.org/ to learn more about Janis’ dream…we think you will be impressed.