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There are several sites on the web, that describe programs that provide backpacks full of school supplies to needy children, and backpacks full of toiletries and other necessities for wounded military personnel and for victims of disasters.

A sixteen year old girl, with the help of her Mom and some friends, bought 200 backpacks and filled them with toiletries and other necessities for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. They did this with their own funds except for a wonderful donor who provided the money for shipping the backpacks to the affected area.

There are several church groups all over the country, that have programs which provide backpacks stuffed with all sorts of school supplies, such as notebooks, pens, pencils, paper, crayons, markers, glue and whatever other school supplies they can think of to include. Some scout and youth groups are picking up on and joining this effort.

One program run by couple in California, supplies the children of migrant workers with backpacks and school supplies. They run the program form their garage. They also help poor migrant workers with things like food, clothing, housing and job assistance. A 10 year-old boy in Boca Raton Florida, dreamed up a way to help children in his area.

He began to fill backpacks with school supplies for kids who needed them. By the time he was 11, he had a real organization, and had qualified as a charity under IRS rules. The group donates backpacks loaded with notebooks, paper, pencils, glue and other essentials, to schools and charities, all over the state of Florida, that ask for them.

The young man says that if they tell him kids need the packs, thats good enough for me. The word about this group spread quickly among corporations and non-profit organizations. Corporate foundations, local companies, his Dads clients and family and friends all donated cash and supplies. By the time this kid was sixteen he had managed to distribute over 8,000 loaded backpacks.

One of the nations leading office supply companies donated most of the backpacks they have donated about $257,000 in cash and supplies. The young man had enlisted 20 of his friends to help fill the packs, and to personalize them,, and by writing the names of recipients on the luggage tags attached to each pack. The boys mom dad, and half-brother all help, and are officers in the organization, however he writes all his own appeal letters.

The last we knew he was worried about finding a successor, since he was heading off to college. He was worrying that the organization would have to shutdown. This would be a great loss, not only to the kids in need, but also to the rest of us, who no matter what our age, can learn from his example. In cities and towns all over the U.S. churches, civic groups, and individuals have been donating backpack with school stuff to kids and packs with toiletries and other items to adults in areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. They have no idea what a sign of hope these things are to us.

Volunteer Abroad:
Are you looking for an occupation where not only do you get to explore many cultures and learn new things, but also glove trot? Have you explored the option of volunteering abroad yet? Volunteering abroad is rapidly becoming a career option for many youngsters across the globe. Volunteering has always been associated with social causes like rescue work during earthquakes, Tsunami, war, saving the planet, creating eco habitats, educating slum children etc. What a volunteer can really derive out of an overseas work is experience, understanding the different communities and geographical or demographical requirements. A sense of pride, inspiration and this kind of work is good for character building.

Type of volunteerism:
As a volunteer, you can teach English to monks in monasteries in Nepal, care for rare species of birds and other wild life in a nature reserve in Costa Rica or in Kenya. You can do a lot of good through volunteering abroad and reap the benefits too. You can add this experience in your resume and also get the opportunity to do serious traveling and even pursue an educational career. Most people choose overseas volunteer work because they get to travel to some of the most exotic places as well as off the beaten track destinations.

Whether you are interested in teaching English overseas or want to travel to various destinations across the world, you can find volunteering placements, which will satisfy your requirement. Here are three tips that will help you to find opportunities of

Volunteering abroad:
Volunteering Abroad with the right agency: Most of the volunteer jobs abroad are overseen and handled by different agencies. There are many online agencies who will proclaim to find you an overseas volunteering work but you need to know that not all of them are authentic. So you need to be extremely cautious while choosing the placement agency. Always try to get references and conduct a little background check just to be sure. An authentic agency has the capability of finding a placement for you based on your requirement and preferences. Some agencies also provide extensive training where required and overseas assistance. The agencies will charge you for the placement and dont be surprised because this payment will ensure that you get all the support required overseas.

Volunteer Abroad organizations:
Most of the organizations who assist with volunteering abroad have their own website. You may visit any such website and find their requirements, any specialization areas, and the destinations where they need volunteers. You can directly contact them and find out the details. Some social organizations will pay you a small amount for your work while most of them might not be able to pay you anything at all. Every organization associated with volunteer work will take care of your accommodation, local travel and basic necessities. You will have the advantage of choosing where you want to work and for how long. One of the famous organizations is the Peace Corps, and they always have a requirement for worldwide volunteers. You need to apply at least nine months in advance but most of the time government agencies lack flexibility. Another good organization is the International Student Travel Volunteers, Inc. The organization focuses mainly on creating volunteer work opportunities that involves education and conservation. They also provide financial assistance to volunteers and give them an opportunity to create an enriching experience through overseas cultural and educational programs.

Choosing your Volunteering Destination:
Some people are a little nervous about traveling too far off to regions in distant corners of the world. This doesnt mean that you will never get to do volunteer work. You can always find out a voluntary organization that can place you in nearby countries like Costa Rica or Peru. In these Latin American countries you will still be somewhat geographically close and near big cities with access to the amenities and comfort you would other wise have at home. You will be well versed with the immediate environment you are working in and at the same time get the necessary exposure and a rewarding experience.

We know that volunteering a portion of our time is something we should do. There are reminders all around us that our help is needed. Other people will significantly benefit from any time we contribute. But that is not the only reason to volunteer.

Have you thought about the benefits you will get from volunteering? If you consider the many benefits you will receive, you will be asking yourself why you aren’t more involved with helping a cause. Consider these 18 reasons to volunteer some of your time:

1. To make new friends
2. To build personal and profesional contacts
3. To build your self-esteem and self-confidence
4. To develop new job skills
5. To make a difference in the world
6. To increase personal satisfaction
7. To add experience to your resume
8. To develop people skills
9. To develop communication skills
10. To do something as a family
11. To explore career possibilities
12. To feel needed and appreciated
13. To share your skills with others
14. To be challenged
15. To do something different
16. To earn academic credit
17. To improve your health
18. To have fun!

You will get more out of your volunteer experience than you put into it. Don’t hesitate to identify and donate some of your time to a worthy volunteer opportunity. You will be glad you did.

School budgets are short. Cities even need help. On top of that, there are all sorts of organizations that are looking to make some extra money to help fund them. Fundraising is the perfect thing to do just that. If you are looking for some remarkable method of fundraising to turn your school or organization around, there are plenty to choose from, but they may not all be remarkable. In fact, sometimes the simplest of plans works the best.

In fundraising, you need to consider two things. First, you need to understand what the percentage of sales you will receive through the fundraiser. This information should be in writing and put right in front of you before you start with the company. Simply, how much are you going to make off of each sale that is made?

Secondly, youll need to insure that the products that are being sold as a fundraising tool are worth it. Perhaps they are marked up some to help you get your profits, but they still have to be some type of product that people need if you want them to purchase it. For example, you may want to have a fundraiser that provides Christmas purchases at that time of year. Or, in the middle of winter, a fundraiser could be hot chocolate, candies and candles. When the product is something that the individuals will want, they will be more than likely to make a purchase.

How you present the information is important as well. Make sure to tell your prospective customers that you are raising money for the Boy Scouts or you are helping to afford the school a new computer. When they know what the money is going towards, people are more generous as well.

By taking the time to plan well for your fundraiser, it can be more successful than you realize. If you plan to do fundraising, do it with your best foot forward every time.