Dec 29 2008
Make A Child Smile
Make A Child Smilehttp://www.makeachildsmile.org/featur…
I want to tell you all about a wonderful project.
Make a child smile was founded in May of 1998, by Alexandra Bakker.
The Make A Child Smile Organization, also known as MACS, has been a source of support to children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses and their families. Emotional support is provided by creating the opportunity for people to visit the MACS website and learn about the children and their illnesses.
Each month, new children are featured. A picture and biography describing the child and information about their family is published on the website. Hundreds of ‘net surfers, schools, service organizations, girls/boys scouts and church groups use the MACS website as a philanthropic project where they can send cards, letters and small gifts to the featured children and their siblings through postal mail.
In December of 2000, MACS was granted tax-exempt status so that it could expand its mission to include fundraising efforts in order to provide financial assistance to qualifying families for help with medical, funeral expenses or other costs associated with the child’s illness.
Their Mission
To provide emotional and financial support to families whose children suffer from chronic or life-threatening illnesses and also give those who visit the MACS website the opportunity to participate by sending mail to the children.(from MACS website)
Each month 3 children are featured. You are always free to decide each month whether or not you will participate, and whether or not you will send mail to 1, 2 or all 3 of the featured children.
I usually send an ATC to each of the featured children (an ATC is an artist trading card - think of the cards we used to get in bubble gum packages. ATCs are 2.5 x 3.5 inches and can be hand drawn or collage with stickers, etc.).
Participating is simple. Click on one of the links in this post to go to the MACS’ website. Click on the children and read their story. Drop a card in the mail.
Handmade cards make wonderful gifts to send. You can send the mini cards called ATCs or greeting cards. Do rubber stamping with coloured pencil and ink. Add some glitter and maybe even some 3d stickers. Have fun with it and it will bring so much joy to the recipient.
During the last few months of my mother’s life, I remember fondly, how thrilled and happy she was to receive ‘angels of hope’ each day in the mail. Even though she was in excessive amounts of pain, each package raised her spirits and brought joy to her soul. I know first hand just how precious and delightful a gift how much light the simple gift of a card can bring to a family struggling through the darkness.
One last thing, please feel free to share this link with everyone but please do NOT share the address of these children. The example given at the project site shows why. A child’s address was shared widely and the cards and letters kept arriving daily. The child died but because the address was shared the cards kept coming. In that instance they only served to increase the family’s pain. So please, just share the link.
If you are able, I welcome you to join with me in supporting these children and their families through this project. Just follow the link below.
