Finding community service opportunities for kids can be hard. Matthis, 13, and Luca, 10 of Shelter Island, New York are no strangers to giving back to those in need. Through their involvement with their karate studio, they have participated in fundraisers for St. Jude’s Hospital and to support those impacted by Tourettes. This past year, after learning that their karate sensei was an adoptive parent, they decided to focus their efforts on raising funds for youth navigating the foster care system. Luca noted,

We heard about how kids have to move with trash bags and that made us really upset.

With their connection through their karate studio and their drive to give to others, Matthis and Luca decided to dedicate their fundraising to Foster Love - Together We Rise.

Kids Can Make An Impact

Matthis and Luca got creative in their efforts. They used Foster Love - Together We Rise’s online fundraising platform to share with friends near and far in addition to hosting a dedicated garage sale and lemonade stand. Maiwenn, their mom, expressed that this was a perfect fit as they needed to clean out some items around the house during the time they were working on their fundraising project. She shared how the boys worked diligently to add snacks and drinks to the stand and man it during the sale. When the fundraiser ended they raised a combined total of $525 to donate to youth in the system.

Words of Wisdom

Matthis and Luca excitedly share their experience and gush, “It went really well and was a lot of fun.” To other people looking for community service activities for kids, Matthis said,

You should try it. It was fun and easy and you can do cool stuff like have a garage sale.

We can all learn something from the spirit of kids who choose to spend their time giving back. No matter how small the person or community, all it takes is a big heart and a creative idea to make a real difference in the lives of foster youth.