At our school, Acouple of years ago We adopted the local nursing home. On different holidays our students(either in classes or at lunch recess) will make decorations for the resident's door or cards for the residents. Some grades go over and sing to the residents.
We also have a Math-a-Ton and Spelling Bee. One grade will go to a store and buy items for children that are in safe homes and the other grade will go to the grocery store to buy food for the Catholic Charities food give away, which the Teacher will use as a math lesson also.
We have also decorated bags for the Meals on Wheels to deliver meals in.
I know a school in our area decorated paper bags for a grocery store to put customers groceries in.
Coat drives and Hat, Mitten & Scarf drives are also done in our area. Decorating a local store or a fast food restaurants windows on holidays are also done.
We try to do a number of community outreach programs every year. We kicked off the school year with a toy drive for the local hospital. Every child who visits the ER or is admitted is given a small age-appropriate toy. Every school in our district is taking one month of the school year for this project.
We also 'adopt' a local shelter during the holidays. Every class adopts one or two children. We disclose their first names and ages only. Rather than donating toys, we ask our students to bring in books, school supplies, or clothing (all new). Last year, the response to this was overwhelming. Teachers held wrapping parties too! It took a caravan of six minivans and SUVs to take all the donated gifts to the shelter!
We don't do anything as a PTA, but our school does. On Fridays a different theme is assigned. One Friday might be to bring in an extra snack & juice box which is later donated to a headstart program nearby. One friday might be to bring in a baby item which would be donated to a local battered womens shelter.
Around the holidays kids are asked to bring in mittens, hats & scarfs to be donated to a youth group. Every other Friday is for donations and has a different theme.
We also do a Coat drive for winter. We do a canned food drive as part of Red Ribbon Week (Drug Awareness Program)in late Oct. and give the items to a local food pantry. We have also pooled together when there is a family in urgent need due to loss in fire, both in our school and community. Are your students old enough to help out in a local soup kitchen? This can prove to be very enlightening to young people.
The kids do a Math-a-thon with all the Proceeds going to St. Judes Childrens Hospital. We do a food drive for a local food pantry, we do a drive for winter coats for kids in need and last year the kids raised funds for seeing eye dogs.
