Recycling Drive Toolkit EMPTIES ARE FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES

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1 Recycling Drive Toolkit EMPTIES ARE FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES The B Fund s mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to BE the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children.

2 Table of Contents Page 3: Page 4-5: Page 6-8: Page 9: Page 10: Welcome Be Informed Overview Objectives Supplies Be Involved Be Inspired Be In Touch Page 11-18: Resources Frequently Asked Questions Sample Letter/ Media Release Customizable Flier Certificate of Accomplishment Sample Thank You Letter/ Donation Return Sheet Donation Jar Sheet 2

3 Welcome Welcome to The B Fund and our Recycling Drive Lesson Plan. The following information will provide you with everything you need to know to execute The B Fund s Recycling Drive activity. Also, in the process, you will model how one can use their time, talents and treasures to benefit the common good and enable our children to grow up with awareness about waste and an appreciation for preserving resources. The B Fund s mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to BE the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. To date, over 350,000 has been raised to provide support and lift any unnecessary financial burdens by distributing a variety of resources to both parents and their children. A few examples to highlight include the distribution of: 10,000 Parking Vouchers 3,000 Meal Vouchers 1,800 Welcome Bags for parents which provide both comfort and useful tools The B Fund is committed to help teach children to grow a culture of caring for others. We do this by providing families with the necessary tools to engage our children s interest in becoming life-long givers. Research shows, children who participate in age-appropriate activities that teach kindness, empathy and respect, and have families that reinforce those strengths at home, develop the muscles they need to become civically engaged. We welcome you to our Recycling Drive Guide. The B Fund believes empties are full of possibilities and this activity will highlight the importance of recycling and the impact we can have on our environment. Whether you hold your drive at your school, town hall or in your home, our world will be a better place with your work and dedication. Finally, we thank you for shining a light on families in need. Your kindness is truly heartfelt. With gratitude, Since 2014, The B Fund has engaged over 3,520 individuals in one or more of our signature programs that teaches participants to use their time, talents and treasures to help those in need. Kathleen VanDernoot Founder, The B Fund 3

4 Be Informed Overview: The B Fund s Recycling Activity offers you a unique opportunity to enhance ones understanding of the importance of recycling and empower them to use their time, talents and treasures to benefit both the common good and our environment. Objectives: Educate participants how they can use their time, talents and treasures to benefit the common good. Highlight the importance of recycling and provide them with the necessary tools to take an active role in conserving our environment while helping those in need. Involve participants in age-appropriate skills that enhance critical thinking skills while working collaboratively with others. Engage participants in an activity that requires them to identify an item that they can re-purpose with the goal of helping the environment and others. Promote the identification of science and mathematic concepts by helping children: o Classify objects and sort them into two categories: plastic vs. aluminum. o Compare and contrast the shapes of each item. o Examine each item to determine the monetary value and record results. o Provide students with an opportunity to predict the value of the recyclables collected. Were you aware that a recycled soda bottle could be made into T-shirts, brushes and hundreds of other plastic goods that can be used for many years? o Grasp the connection between counting the items and counting the money raised. o Interpret the data by creating a bar graph showcasing both the predicted and final results. o Provide participants with the necessary tools to continue their civic engagement and become advocates for our environment and Boston Children s Hospital. Empower student to reflect on their experience and identify additional ways to continue their efforts of helping others and our environment. Inspire and empower participants to share their efforts with their family with the hopes of engaging them in an activity that can be passed down from generations to come. 4

5 Be Informed Supplies: Collection Box/Bin Markers/Crayons Flier (pins or tape will be needed if you decide to use this) Sample Letter/ Sample can and plastic bottle on hand to create a visual for participants Camera/Video Recorder Plastic jar to hold the coins collected The B Fund Donation Jar Sheet Sample Thank You Letter/ Certificate of Accomplishment Donation Return Sheet Optional pre-work if teachers are engaging their students: One week prior to introducing the lesson, reach out to parents/caregivers and inform them of your intentions. Ask them to join your efforts and participate in the following ways: o Identify a cardboard/plastic box that children can bring to school to use for the project. o If they recycle at home, ask them to talk to their child about the importance of recycling and show them where the recycling bin is located in their home. If you already have boxes or a bin to use, feel free to skip this step. If you would prefer your class to create one large recycle bin, please adjust the activity accordingly. 5

6 Be Involved Step 1: Introduce yourself, The B Fund, its mission and inform participants they are going to learn how they can become advocates for Boston Children s Hospital and become active participants in preserving our environment as they learn to execute their own recycling drive. o The B Fund is an organization that inspires kids to use their time, talents and treasures to help families caring for sick children at Boston Children s Hospital. In honor of Earth Day and building off the knowledge we already know about the importance of recycling, we are going to use our very own time, talents and treasures to benefit those in need and preserve our environment. Take a moment to ask the following questions. After each question, give the participants an opportunity to offer their thoughts and feedback: o Who in the room knows what it means to use your time to help others? o Who in the room knows what it means to use your talents to help others? o Who in the room knows what it means to use your treasures to help others? After students have had the opportunity to respond to each question, take a moment to create the chart below on an area, like a Dry Erase Board, where all your students can see and show it to your students: Sorting and donating your gently used toys to a child in need. Creating a get well soon card to a child in the hospital. Spending one hour cleaning the cages at a local animal hospital. Give the students a few minutes to answer the questions and discuss how each of the activities above will receive a check mark in at least two or more of the categories listed above. Now that the kids have an understanding of using their time, talents and treasures, inform them that they will now use their own time, talent and treasures to not only make a difference in the environment, but also benefit Boston Children s Hospital. Time Talent Treasures 6

7 Be Involved Step 2: Start with the following questions: o What does it mean to recycle? o Has anyone ever recycled anything? If so, tell us about it. Allow participants a few minutes to share their experiences and then introduce the following: o The B Fund believes in recycling and feels your empties are full of opportunities. Today you are going to learn how your efforts of collecting plastic bottles and aluminum cans will make a difference. Display several empty plastic bottles, cups and aluminum cans for the children to see. Invite the children to examine and identify the differences in the items. Allow time for students to share their observations and ask questions. Next ask the students the following: o Did you know that a recycled soda bottle could be made into a T-shirt, a brush and hundreds of other plastic goods that can be used for many years? o Did you know that these plastic bottles and cans are treasures? If you take them to a recycling center and place them in the recycling machine, you will receive money. Take a moment to show the monetary value of each item. Allow each child to examine the items and locate the value of each item. Next, ask the children the following: o Let s assume, each item is worth.05. What if I collected 20 items, how much money would I have? Allow time for children to solve the problem. (Answer - 1) o Now imagine if each of you held your own recycling drive, collected 20 items and then put all your money together. How much money would you have? Allow time to solve the problem. Step 3: Display all of the supplies needed to create your own recycling drive box for the children to view. Next inform them they will create their own recycling box. (If you are working in a group and the group has determined they would like to have one large bin, reach out to your local town and request a bin. Once received, allow the participants to decorate the bin and create any additional materials to market their drive.) Display a sample of the finished product for the children to view. Take a few minutes to share with the children how you created the box, why you used the specific supplies and if you drew pictures or wrote words of inspiration on the box, take a moment to explain their purpose. Next, distribute the boxes/bins and allow time for the children to create their project. Once complete, allow the students the opportunity to share their finished project with the group. 7

8 Be Involved Step 4: Now that the box/bin has been created, work with the children to determine the who, what, where, when and why of their drive. Once a timeline has been established, goals have been set and they are ready to launch their drive, take a few minutes to share your box again and review your own who, what, where, when and why of your drive. Once you have completed sharing your efforts, now its time to show the children how this activity requires them to use their time, talents and treasures to benefit our environment and Boston Children s Hospital. When referencing the chart below, feel free to cover the boxes below and allow the children to guess the answers. Creating your own recycling box Collecting plastic bottles and cans Bringing your items to a recycling center to recycle Time Talent Treasures y y y y y y Donating the money you raised to Boston Children s Hospital y y OPTIONAL: If you are a teacher and are sending the project home, follow up with a summary and next-steps to parents/caregivers. Make sure you encourage parents to document their efforts by taking pictures and capturing any interesting sound bites their child may say. Lastly, remind them to fill out the Donation Return Sheet and submit any photos/quotes to info@thebfund.org. 8

9 Be Inspired Congratulations! You and your team have finished. Now it is time to celebrate as a group, share exciting moments and recap your experience. Make sure all of the Donation Return Sheets have been submitted and all of the data has been compiled. If there are photos from the experience, please display them for the participants to view. This exercise will deepen the group s overall understanding of the concept. The following will help guide your group through your closing activity: Step 1: Take a moment to go back to the very beginning when you introduced The B Fund, the project and revisit the goals you established. Now that the activity has been completed, ask the group if they would change their initial goals in any way? Next, consider asking the following questions: o What was your favorite part of the activity? o If you could change one thing about the activity, what would it be and why? o How does it make you feel that your efforts are helping families in need? o Would you like to do this activity again? o Can you think of other ways to raise awareness and inspire others to grow a culture of caring? Step 2: Next, ask each participant to write their names on a piece of paper, fold it in half and place it into the Fairness cup. (Coffee mug, jar, or a regular cup is always great.) Introduce the following statements with your group and share your own experience: j This project made me happy because I was. j Helping others make me feel. Grab your Fairness cup to select a name so that each child has the opportunity to complete both sentences above. Once complete, provide participants with their own Certificate of Accomplishment. If funds were raised, please refer to the Donation Return Sheet for details on submitting your donation. 9

10 Be in Touch The Recycling Drive activity is now complete and it s time for you to share your efforts with The B Fund and your community. Your powerful story will encourage others to get involved with The B Fund and shine a light on families in need. Social Media: Take a moment to share photos and your message. Use the following hashtags: o #thebfund o #philanthropy o #Bostonchildrenshospital o #recycle o #bethechange The B Fund at info@thebfund.org and send us your recap and photos. Please note: By submitting your photos and feedback, you are giving The B Fund permission to use for education and promotional materials. Resources: info@thebfund.org 10

11 Downloadable Resources Frequently Asked Questions What is The B Fund? The B Fund's mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to BE the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children's Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. Why was The B Fund created? Inspiration for The B Fund grew from the experience of one family who endured the agony of caring for a gravely ill child, all while living in a hospital for an extended period of time. Clear to them was the fact that families like theirs were in dire need of support. After thinking about the concept, they felt it was a wonderful opportunity to integrate activities that would encourage people of all ages to get involved and grow a culture of caring. Why should I participate in The B Fund activities? The B Fund is committed to help teach children to grow a culture of caring for others. We do this by providing families with the necessary tools to engage our children s interest in becoming life-long givers. Research shows, children who participate in age-appropriate activities that teach kindness, empathy and respect, and have families that reinforce those strengths at home, develop the muscles they need to become civically engaged adolescents and adults. How are the funds generated from The B Fund spent to benefit children and families? The B Fund is proud to provide support to families caring for critically ill children. Our goal is to lift any unnecessary burden off a family s plate so that they can focus on the well-being of their child. We do this by offering travel assistance, parking and meal vouchers, and other unique resources that will enhance the quality of care for both the child and family. How can I involve my community or school in your activities? A variety of activities are available and we will also customize activities for a specific event. Our goal at The B Fund is to create a movement where individuals are working together to shine a light on families in need. Contact us for more information: info@thebfund.org Is my donation tax deductible? Yes, The B Fund is a nonprofit charity recognized as tax-exempt by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3). Our tax ID number is

12 Sample Letter/ Dear I have some exciting news to share with you I will be participating in The B Fund s Recycle Drive and I hope you will support my efforts by donating your empty bottles and cans. In case you are not familiar with this organization, The B Fund s mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to BE the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. Recently, a friend told me about The B Fund s Recycling Drive and I am so excited to get involved with an activity that requires me to use my time, talents and treasures to benefit those in need! The B Fund s Recycling Drive believes empties are full of possibilities and with that in mind, I will be holding my own Recycling Drive with the hopes of shining a light on families in need. Join me and start collecting those bottles and cans! WHEN: WHERE: QUESTIONS: There are important lessons to be learned through recycling this way. Responsible recycling is an important family activity that we can hand down to generations forever; and your engagement will make this Recycle Drive an enormous success. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I hope you will consider joining my efforts. With gratitude, 12

13 Media Release Date: Media Contact: Kathleen VanDernoot CHILDREN HOST RECYLING DRIVE TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF RECYCLING AND SHINE A LIGHT ON FAMILIES CARING FOR CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN WHAT: believe in the power of giving and the importance of shining a light on families in need. Together we will host a Recycling Drive where the proceeds will benefit Boston Children's Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. WHEN: WHERE: WHY: Our actions will be brave, bold and inspiring. We hope to inspire others to join our growing group of compassionate individuals who aim to make a difference in the lives of families in need and also take action to preserve our environment. EVENT CONTACT: PRESS CALL: About The B Fund The B Fund is a non profit organization whose mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to be the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in their efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. Learn more: About Boston Children s Hospital Founded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospital for children, Boston Children s Hospital is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the largest provider of health care to Massachusetts children. In addition to 395 pediatric and adolescent inpatient beds and 228 outpatient programs, Boston Children s houses the world s largest research enterprise based at a pediatric medical center, where its discoveries benefit both children and adults. More than 1,100 scientists, including seven members of the National Academy of Sciences, 13 members of the Institute of Medicine and 14 members of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute comprise Boston Children s research community. For more information about the hospital visit: bostonchildrens.org 13

14 Recycling Drive EMPTIES ARE FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES Hosted by: Date: Location: The B Fund s mission is to inspire parents and their children through education and activities that empower all to BE the change that will transform the world. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children.

15 On this date Certificate of Accomplishment The B Fund proudly recognizes your charitable efforts and ability to use your time, talents and treasures for the common good. We welcome you to our growing group of brave compassionate individuals who are committed to shining a light on families in need. The B Fund

16 Sample Thank You Letter/ Dear Thank you for supporting The B Fund s Recycle Drive. It was wonderful to see so many family, friends and community members support my efforts and this wonderful cause. Our efforts engaged individuals and raised to further The B Fund s mission of inspiring individuals to use their time, talents and treasures to benefit those in need. Proceeds from The B Fund benefit Boston Children s Hospital in its efforts to support families caring for critically ill children. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this activity and learn more about The B Fund. Their commitment to grow a culture of caring for others is inspirational and I look forward to getting involved in more of their activities. To learn more about The B Fund or get involved, please visit Your Friend, 16

17 Donation Return Sheet Congratulations on your recent success! Your efforts are making a difference in the lives of those in need. Please send your donation in the form of a check or money order. When submitting your donation, please take a moment to review the necessary steps below and fill out the information on the bottom half of the page: All forms of payment should be made out to: jthe B Fund The B Fund offers you a heartfelt thank you for joining our growing group of brave, compassionate individuals who are committed to shining a light on families in need. Payments should be mailed to: j The B Fund PO BOX Wellesley Hills, MA Date of your event: Type of Event: Total Amount of Donation: 17

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