Feel Good Friday - Kids in Need Foundation

It’s that time of year when summer vacations are coming to an end and back-to-school plans are being made. What a great time to learn about the Kids in Need Foundation.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota the Kids in Need Foundation (KINF) “works to create equitable learning spaces by distributing supplies and resources to teachers and students in underserved schools, where 70% or more of students qualify for free or reduced-cost meals through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)”.

In a survey conducted with teachers across 35 states, KINF found that 62% of students arrived without the necessary supplies on their first day, 62% of students did not have access to the necessary supplies at home and 69% of students did not have second semester replacement supplies. This lack of supplies not only impacts students class preparedness and participation, it affects their confidence levels, self esteem and social engagement at school. That’s where KINF comes in.

There are several programs focused on advancing educational equity. If you want to Supply a Student with the essentials for school, you can organize a backpack build for your organization or community group. Teachers working in schools where 50% of students are eligible for NSLP can receive a semester’s worth of core school supplies through the Supply a Teacher program.

The Second Responder program provides supplies to teachers and students affected by natural disasters around the country, and the The Rural and Indigenous School Equity program supports learning resource needs for teachers and students in rural and indigenous communities. Finally, there is a National Network of Resources Centers that provides teachers the opportunity to 'shop' for school supplies at ZERO cost to them.

In 2024, KINF provided $100 million in resources to more than 5 million students and over 200,000 teachers in all 50 states and Washington D.C. You can learn more by visiting the impact section of their website.

If this has inspired you, there are many ways you can support the Kids in Need Foundation. Volunteer your time, organize a backpack build, make a monetary donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow KINF on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - SFBA Bench Collective

Today’s Feel Good Friday organization is inspired by something I saw in my neighborhood this week. Let’s learn more about the SFBA Bench Collective.

Photo from sfist.com

The SFBA Bench Collective, as in San Francisco Bay Area, is a volunteer-led initiative founded by Darrell Owens and Mingwei Samuel, who were frustrated by a lack of seating along bus corridors with high ridership. To combat this, they formed the SFBA Bench Collective as a way for communities to help themselves.

As they explain on the website, “the Bench Collective is decentralized collaboration of local residents who build, install, and maintain much-needed benches, mainly at bus stops.” In recent weeks, I’ve seen 6 benches pop up in my neighborhood in Oakland, giving people waiting for the bus a place to sit while they wait.

The cost for materials to construct a bench runs around $70 and there are detailed guides on the website that provide step by step instructions. If you don’t think you have the skills to build a bench you can adopt a bench. That means you’ll visit your bench on a weekly basis to ensure it is safe, to buff any tags, and to pick up trash. The Bench Collective lets you know the best spray paint colors to buy to cover any graffiti.

While most people who see and use the benches are in support of them, official reaction has been varied. The City of San Francisco has raised concerns over maintenance and liability, while the Richmond City Council recently passed a permitting process that would allow community members and groups to install benches at bus stops throughout Richmond. With over 70 benches installed in the East Bay and more popping up in San Francisco, cities are going to have to figure out how they want to respond. 

If this inspires you to respond and provide some much needed relief to people waiting for the bus, there are several ways you can get involved. Request a bench, build a bench or adopt a bench. You can also make a general donation, be sure to mention SFBA Bench Collective in your contribution message, or support a GoFundMe raising money for artists to decorate the benches installed on Mission Street in San Francisco. Power to the people! 

Feel Good Friday - TEXSAR (Texas Search and Rescue)

The Mister Rogers quote, “always look for the helpers” is what has inspired today’s post. In response to the recent flooding in Texas, I went on a search for the helpers and found TEXSAR.

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Austin, Texas Search and Rescue, known as TEXSAR, is one of the largest non-paid search and rescue organizations in the State. Their mission is “to serve our communities and our state by providing requesting agencies with a highly trained, autonomous search and rescue team.”

What began with six volunteers over 20 years ago has now grown into an organization with multiple divisions across the state that deploy hundreds of volunteers into all 254 counties in Texas. See what that looks like in this short video.

The 380 volunteers with TEXSAR include wilderness search and rescue technicians, flood and switftwater technicians, K9 handlers, medical professionals and pilots. The teams deploy when they are requested by the Governor of Texas; state, local and federal agencies; local law enforcement; and relief organizations such as the American Red Cross. TEXSAR has their own equipment and incident management team. They have already deployed crews, boats and K9s to Kerr County to assist with search and rescue operations there.

TEXSAR also has a community support team that helps with disaster preparation and education as well as providing resources following a crisis or disaster. As part of the celebrations of their 20th anniversary, TEXSAR is posting stories highlighting volunteers who are “Texans helping Texans”. You can read them at this link: 20 years, 20 stories.

If you live in Texas and want to support TEXSAR, you can attend their fundraising Search Party in September or become a volunteer. Search and rescue training is provided. The rest of us can shop for merch, make a donation and amplify their work on social media by following TEXSAR on Facebook or LinkedIn and subscribing to their YouTube channel.

 

Feel Good Friday - National Archives Foundation

Happy 4th of July! Once you finish celebrating Independence Day with a parade or a barbecue, take a moment to learn about today’s Feel Good Friday organization, the National Archives Foundation.

Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Washington, DC, naturally, the National Archives Foundation is “an independent nonprofit that increases awareness of the National Archives’ mission to preserve, protect, and share America’s stories.” 

The purpose of the Foundation is to support the Archivist of the United States in developing programs, technology, projects, and materials that “educate, enrich, and inspire a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage through the collected evidence of its history.”

Historic documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights are housed in the National Archives Museum in Washington, DC. There are also regional archives, records centers, and Presidential libraries and museums where you can view pieces of our history. Even a virtual visit to the regional archives is pretty interesting. The National Archives at San Francisco has historic military records, genealogical resources, and a list of former Alcatraz inmates.

Online you’ll find educational resources for students and teachers in a program called Civics for All of US. The goal of this initiative is to promote civic literacy and engagement. You can also explore the Women’s History programming or take a look at America’s 100 docs. The Foundation is inviting people to vote on which documents they feel are most important to US history. The top 16 records will go head-to-head before the United States’ anniversary in 2026! This gallery shows all 100 documents in the competition. 19th Amendment anyone?

Finally, for those of you who like to plan, the Foundation already has events on the calendar to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary next year. Learn more at America 250.

If this post got you feeling all patriotic and you want to know how you can help the Foundation, here’s how. Make a donation, or shop to support National Archives exhibits, public programs, and educational initiatives. You can buy copies of historic documents, books, games and socks! 

 

As always, help spread the word on social media. Follow the National Archives Foundation on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel. Happy 4th!