Adopt a School: Guilford Elementary
The mission of our Adopt-a-School relationship with Guilford Elementary School is to help meet the physical, relational and spiritual needs of the disadvantaged through service and generosity, and to encourage the staff who work with these families.
By leveraging the talents and resources of many volunteers we have the opportunity to positively affect the lives of students, their families and the staff of Guilford. We can help to fill the gap created by budget cuts and a poor economy with our abundance, and share the hope that is in us.
The Adopt-a-School program offers a variety of opportunities to serve the community with varying levels of time commitment and resources.
Guilford Elementary has vast needs, and no organization could adequately fill all of these needs in their first year of partnership. In order to be sensitive to the leadership of the school, we have spent time with them, getting to know their needs and listening to them. From those discussions we have come up with a list of service areas that we hope will expand as we serve them faithfully and build their trust.
How can you help?
GIVE
Donate toward RBC Community Ministries, so we can provide supplies for the staff, along with providing other assistance as needed. You can give online by selecting "Community Ministries," or drop a check in an offering box with "Community Ministries" in the memo line.
[Click here to access online giving at RBC]
HOMEWORK HELPERS
We are excited to tell you that Guilford Homework Helpers have begun. Because of the lack of volunteers the number of kids had to be cut down. Please consider volunteering. The more people that volunteer, the more kids that can get help. It is only one hour on Wednesdays 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Assist students that are performing below grade level with their homework
Requirements: Application and brief training
Commitment: Weekly for the school year
After School: Tuesdays or Wednesdays, 2:30-3:25 p.m.,
Before School: choose one day a week Monday - Friday from 7:00 - 7:30 am starting in mid-September
[Click here to sign up!]
MONTHLY SNACKS
Provide non-perishable snacks for teachers to store in the classroom for students who do not have snacks.
Requirements: Servant's heart
Serving Time: Minimal; you can deliver snacks to church or school
Commitment: Monthly
[Click here to sign up!]
ADOPT A FAMILY
Provide ongoing support of a Guilford Elementary School family, to provide some assistance with basic needs (food, clothing, etc.), friendship, homework help, holiday gifts, notes of encouragement, prayer, etc.
Requirements: Servant's heart, ability to provide some limited financial help
Commitment: ongoing for the school year
[Click here to sign up!]
TEACHER ENCOURAGEMENT
Provide ongoing support and encouragement for a teacher. to provide some assistance with basic classroom needs (Target gift cards, incentives for the kids such as fun pencils, erasers, notebooks, stickers), friendship, holiday gifts, notes of encouragement, prayer, etc.
Requirements: Servant's heart, ability to provide some limited financial help
Commitment: Ongoing for the school year
[Click here to sign up!]
TRANSLATORS: Spanish/Arabic/Vietnamese
Assist teachers, administrators and volunteers to communicate with student’s parents by translating conversations.
Requirements: Flexibility to go to students homes if needed
Serving Time: As needed
Commitment: As needed
[Click here to sign up!]
BOOK DRIVE: For the next several weeks, we will be collecting new and gently used children’s books. Research shows that children who have books in their homes have significantly higher reading achievement than those who do not have access to books. We would like to provide each child with three books for them to keep. You can drop off your donation in the designated bins in the lobby. Books will be collected until March 18, 2012.
THANKSGIVING DINNER
Assist in the various aspects of their annual community Thanksgiving Dinner.
Thank you for the overwhelming response to volunteer for this event! Check back next fall to sign up for the 2012 Thanksgiving Dinner.
SHOPPING AT GIANT FOOD STORES: If you shop at Giant Foods and are not already supporting your own children’s school(s), you can go online and register your Giant card on behalf of Guilford. Every time you shop at Giant, Guilford will earn points that will be converted into money that the school can use in any way they choose. Last year, most of the schools in Loudoun County earned between five and ten thousand dollars through this program. It doesn’t cost you anything to enroll, and it’s “free money.” Go to https://www.giantfood.com/our_stores/bonus_bucks/designate_school.htm?execution=e2s1 to register your card. The Guilford Elementary school ID is 02102
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION: Another great way to help this school financially without it costing you anything is to participate in the Box Tops for Education program that General Mills sponsors. Just clip the box top symbol off of the products that you are already buying, bring them to church and put them in the donation box labeled “Box Tops For Education” in the lobby. Last year, Guilford earned $675 through this program. We can help them earn significantly more. You don’t need to register to donate your box tops, but if you enjoy shopping online or would like to get coupons for General Mills products, you can earn additional rewards by registering at www.boxtops4education.com
