Kids Fan Out Across San Rafael to Explore Their Superpower to Give!

by Ilene Lelchuk Snyder

The students of Sun Valley School will not spend this Sunday morning watching cartoons or playing video games, but instead at school and in the community learning about compassion and the power to make a difference.

More than 100 people are participating in the elementary school’s inaugural Day of Giving from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Kids and parents will cook lunch for Marin homeless families, create superhero capes for the brave patients at Children's Hospital Oakland, beautify the Canal Community Garden and raise money for charity with bake sale stands, including one at Andy's Sun Valley Market (at 5th Ave. and California).

“The seeds of compassion and empathy have really started to sprout,” said parent organizer Kala Shah. “These kids are enthusiastic, excited and have ever-growing hearts!”

The idea for Day of Giving was born out of the school’s “Go Inspire Go Community Heroes Club,” a student service club started by Shah last year. A few dozen kids meet twice a month to discuss hunger, homelessness, foster youth, animals, affordable medicine and more. They participate in coat and food drives, service projects, fundraising and random acts of kindness. Shah recently won a $10K LinkedIn Social Innovation grant to replicate the program at other schools.

“I’m really proud of our families, who are expanding a once small lunch club into an inspirational community event,” said Principal Julie Harris. “They are taking time out of their busy weekend to slow down and reflect on what they have and what they can give. I expect we’ll see that awareness about sharing, caring and respect reflected back in our classrooms."

If you see the kids out in the community, please cheer for them! And visit one of their bake sales sites, including at Andy's Sun Valley Market (at 5th and California) and across from West End Nursery on 5th Avenue. They hope their good work will inspire others to commit random acts of kindness, too.

FOLLOW US! We’re on Twitter @GoInspireGo, #DayOfGiving and #CommunityHeroes.  On Facebook @ www.facebook.com/sunvalleyschoolpto

The Day of Giving is made possible in partnership with:

Go Inspire Go: a nonprofit, video-based website that inspires people to “Discover and Use Your Power to Help Others.” Go Inspire Go creates inspirational videos featuring regular people who use their talents and resources to better their community. www.goinspirego.com.

And … Homeward Bound of Marin, Canal Alliance, Children’s Hospital of Oakland, Andy’s Sun Valley Market, United Markets, Trader Joes - San Rafael, and the Sun Valley School PTO, www.sunvalleypto.com