Category «Literacy»

Christchurch City Mission Women’s Night Shelter/Walsh House

In Christchurch the City Mission run Women’s Night Shelter and Walsh House both provide accommodation for homeless, abused or otherwise disadvantaged and marginalised women. In respect of the Women’s Night Shelter Altrusa Christchurch provides seven – ten pairs of pyjamas a month for women entering the Shelter. This facility began around the time of the Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 when it was realised there was no night shelter for women – although men had had a facility for many years. The pyjamas are bought at sale prices, when available, and are mostly track type bottoms with T-shirt tops so they can be worn during the day if necessary. The women, on entering the Shelter, have a shower and new pyjamas are provided. Shelter staff have let us know that the women are so grateful and cannot believe that people unknown to them make them feel valued once again. Altrusa Christchurch also runs a “Christmas Boxes” project wherein we provide both the Shelter and Walsh House with gift bags for each of the women in their care at Christmas. These items are often the only Christmas gift the women receive.

Distraction Packs

Distraction Packs are donated to local emergency services. Police and Ambulance have the packs in their vehicles to give to children at the scene of an incident or accident to distract them while their parents are being interviewed or attended to. The feedback from the emergency services has been very positive.The packs contain coloring books coloured pencils, stickers and a book or toy. The items are put in a zip lock bag. We source coloring books with a story to help with literacy. We are using a sponsorship model for this project. Businesses and individuals have sponsored packs at a set value. We assemble as many packs as we have sponsorship for. This means we can use our fundraising for other projects.

Distraction Packs

Laundromat Library

After seeing seeing Laundromat Libraries on Altrusa club Facebook pages, we placed a bookshelf in our local 24 hour Laundromat. Each club member is on a roster to keep the shelf tidy and stocked with adult and children’s books and magazines . Books and magazines are donated. Book drops are publicized on Facebook. The community have embraced the book shelf and keep it well stocked and it turns over quickly. Apart from the initial outlay of paint for a donated bookshelf and member’s time this project has not cost anything. All books donated by club members are counted in the Million Books challenge. Because of the strong community uptake we are happily struggling to meet big numbers. We hope to build on this library idea but putting up a community free library near a local park.

United Through Reading Book Labeling

Members helped label and package book donations for United Through Reading. The books were shipped to military families around the world to connect them through read-alouds while their parents are on leave.

Active Learning in the South Bay

Using the Donors Choose website, our Service Committee selected local classroom projects to support at low-income schools. The projects we selected promoted active learning. This club year, we supported 7 schools and supplied them with hands-on materials to learn about food, sensory materials for preschoolers, school and art supplies, coding robots, books, solar-powered rover kits, and jumbo building blocks.

Valentines for Veterans

Altrusans will be joining members of Womens Life at Marge’s Donut shop to make Valentines for all the Veterans that live at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. We will be making and signing the cards that will be delivered to the Veterans along with donuts from Marge’s Donut shop on Valentines Day. What a great way to eat donuts and work on a service project for the Veterans.

Leaves for Learning with Habitat

We have collected over 125 books in Spanish and English from Baker Books and they will be displayed at the 2 Habitat Restores marked for 1 book per child that comes in with a parent to shop at the Restore. The books range in reading ability from beginner to chapter books for older children or adults. The Service committee will be checking the crate of books every couple of weeks to replenish the supply. We have marked the books with a label that they are donated by Altrusa International Inc. of Grand Rapids, MI and Baker Books.

Make A Difference Day Book for Kids

Please see Altrusa Club of Marshfield for all service projects, all relate to literacy. This particular project used US National Make A Difference Day to provide a total of 350 books divided by local United Way and the Fire Department. Photos on our Facebook page.