Give a Little: Give a Lot Committee

Changing the World, One Dollar at a Time

"Give a Little: Give a lot" is a project whose goal is to provide food, shelter, medicine, and education to the most needy around the world. It raises funds to be able to give this aid, but it also raises awareness about
global poverty and how little it takes to help others.

"Give a Little: Give a lot" works on the premise that a little goes a long way.  It's aim is to collect single dollars from as many people as possible through students of elementary and highschools. To us, a dollar might not very much  (it can buy 1/3 of a cup of coffee at starbucks) but that same dollar, in poorer countries, can feed four people a hearty lunch from a soup kitchen, or buy bags of cement to construct homes.

The project has been implemented successfully in this manner: Schools have an awareness week during which the students would learn about the hard living conditions of others across the world and then inform the community so as to make a difference together. The students are provided with a packet of fliers and thus, they set out to ask friends, neighbors, and relatives for a mere dollar each in exchange for an informational flier. The single dollars raised, when combined, have amounted to over $8,800 so far, (since having been started by a highschool sophomore in 2001). It really doesn't take much to help others because together, the many single dollars make a huge difference to somebody, without asking much of anybody.

At the end of the awareness week, the principal may write a check to an already established organization. In the past, I have had contacts with missionaries from the St. James and Maryknoll Societies who work directly with the poor in Peru (however, the project is not limited to a particular area, nor is it religiously affiliated.) The checks are sent as assigned gifts to specific contacts in impoverished and devastated areas and the contact proceeded to make sure the donation was applied as intended, and sent us back
pictures and details of the difference made. The school can choose from a list of possible projects to fund, or suggest their own.

"Give a Little: Give a Lot" has funded the reconstruction of two soup kitchens which were destroyed in an earthquake in Moquegua, Peru. These "comedores"  provide food for 50-100 people a day for 25 cents a meal. The project has also enabled the construction of an adobe house in Moquegua for a family who previously lived in a straw shack with dirt floors, no sewerage, and no running water. "Give a Little:Give a Lot" has provided wool blankets for children during a cold wave emergency in Puno, Peru, and purchased sweaters and a dryer for a boys' orphanage where children were getting sick.  It also donated 400 books and numerous supplies for 135 orphans in a boys' home and 184 children in a girls' home in the slums of Lima. In addition, it raised 700 dollars worth of books for schools in Nicaragua.

Besides providing relief, "Give a little: Give a Lot" is interested in empowering people to be able to support themselves. The concept follows the old adage "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime." For example, the soup kitchens are run by the mothers of the town who are thus employed and take turns cooking.  The project has also endorsed workshops which teach woman craftsmaking skills (shoes etc) so that they can earn a living. Similarly, when a family's mother died of a heart attack, "Give a Little: Give a Lot" sent not only food and supplies to the family, but also purchased a sewing machine for the unemployed father so that he could support his two autistic and blind daughters by making and selling blue jeans.

With the help of Pangea members, more schools have gotten involved. Presently, "Give a Little: Give a Lot" is currently being implemented in a couple local confirmation programs where highschool students get involved in the charity as community service. The funds from these projects are going to aid the town of Los Brasiles, Nicaragua,  in hopes of providing uniforms for students unable to purchase uniforms and backpacks to go to school, wheelbarrows to transport water form the one well of the town which services
200 people, and hopefully provide a "comedor" to feed the children. The inspiration for these goals is Ester Davila, who lives in this town and whose lack of access to medicine resulted in a very severe skin cancer. Her faith and positive attitude throughout her immense pain is uplifting, and despite her many needs and few possessions, she is constantly thinking of others and sharing all she can.

An elementary school that had been interested in getting involved in "Give a Little: Give a Lot" will be implementing it in the coming weeks, in response to the devastating Tsunami crisis.

If you would like to get involved- by knowing a reliable contact who can use the money raised for the neediest; expanding the project by contacting local schools, or one that you have attended; to contribute any ideas for the project, or To Donate Your Dollar, please contact givealittle.givealot@verizon.net

For more information, visit the website.

At Tufts, please contact Jeanine Cerundolo.