Raising the next generation of animal rescuers

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Being a non-profit animal rescue society, fundraising comes with the job. As much as Meant 2B Loved volunteers would prefer to just focus on animals, it costs a lot to do so. So, when they say they are grateful for every single person who donates, buys something online or in person, supports events they hold or are a part of, etc., they really mean it. But as special as all M2BL donors are, there are a some who just warm their hearts a little more.

There appears to be a rising trend of parents and schools teaching children about social responsibility and the rewards of volunteering. With children naturally inclined to be giving and charities all over Canada seeing declines in donations, nurturing generosity in children, and teaching them that they can create an impact, can help them become better at giving in the future. And as they gain the rewards and feelings of accomplishment that come with aiding animals, it makes them feel good about themselves.

Of all donations Meant 2B Loved receives, and they appreciate them all deeply, the ones from children just feel special. Perhaps it is because they know learning to sacrifice a little now to help the less fortunate will benefit them for the rest of their lives by boosting their self-esteem providing them with a sense of accomplishment. Though M2BL knows the donations are for the animals, they also know the kids offering them may get as much from the donation as the animals they are supporting.

M2BL has received donations from kids since they were incorporated in 2020. This year, some examples of the generosity of the younger generation are:

Ms Dippo’s Grade 1/2 class at the Kimberley Independent School wanted to make a difference by helping animals in need. They learned about Meant 2B Loved through stories of their teacher’s one-eyed foster cat named Winky. Ms Dippo decided it was time to donate her dog’s old crate but wanted it to go in a meaningful way.  The families & staff at K.I.S. donated blankets, bowls, treats & toys! On the sidelines the Grade 1/2 class were also doing a bottle drive. Using the money they raised, they were able to purchase the rest of the items on the Meant 2B Loved wish list. Through this passion project the students learned many real-life math skills through graphing the donations, dividing cat toys to share with the SPCA and subtracting large numbers in our bottle drive budget. The most important lesson though is that their actions can make a difference!

Similarly, after Meant 2B Loved took in 30 kittens in one day (which actually turned out to be 60+ in all), Ms. Patterson’s kindergarten class at Marysville Elementary wanted to help. They held a bake sale at their school to raise money to help the rescue take care of the kittens.

Two young ladies from a family that has been a tremendous support to M2BL raised money during the summer Farmers Markets specifically for the animal rescue while brothers Tristan and Darian started a bottle collecting business over the summer and donated a portion of their proceeds to M2BL.

Some amazing donations also came from kids who used their birthdays as an opportunity to raise and donate money. Gibson, Miles, and Atlin’s selfless acts touched the M2BL volunteers’ hearts.

If you would like your children to get involved in helping a non-profit close to their hearts, here are just a few ways they can contribute:

  1. Host a donation drive. Set up a collection box the child’s school, a local community center to collect donations of items the non-profit needs.
  2. Host a FUNdraiser! Kids can set up lemonade stands and bake sales to raise money or use their imaginations to come up with their own event, like an iced coffee stand, a video game competition, a scavenger hunt… the possibilities are endless!
  3. Donate their birthday – just like Gibson, Atlin. And Miles did.
  4. Share their allowance – let them set a goal of the amount they would like to earn to give to their chosen organization, and then have them do chores around the house to earn the funds. (This is like two benefits in one)
  5. Hand out fliers – have your child design an informational flier about their favourite non-profit, and then after getting approval from that organization, distribute them to neighbours, etc.

And remember, as much as the organization your child raises funds for will be grateful for their contribution, by educating children on causes and how they can create an impact, you are also empowering them to create change and to stand up for their beliefs in the future.