Project
Ideas 
Issue Date: October 16, 2005
Hurricane victims receive a new surge of help ... In Warren, Ohio, students at Alden Elementary, Trumbull County residents and employees of the Tribune Chronicle newspaper (a 2004 Make A Difference Day national honoree) are collecting backpacks, paper, pencils, pens, erasers and other school supplies for kids in the Gulf Coast. The items will be sent to Margaret McGlown, (a 1997 Make A Difference Day national honoree) who lives in Coahoma County, Miss., which is north of the severely affected areas. Her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, will distribute the supplies to children the hurricane displaced. In Detroit, Girl Scout Troop 6434 and Saving Our Kids are collecting funds for the Humane Society of the United States to help animals the storm left stranded. In Fremont, Calif., students at Chadbourne Elementary are making cards thanking the Coast Guard for heroism during the crisis. In Presque Isle, Maine, the Abnaki Girl Scout Council is amassing school supplies for students. In Provo, Utah, 100 kids at Slate Canyon Youth Center, a lockup facility for juvenile offenders, will create 200 "busy bags" filled with school and activity supplies for New Orleans children now staying at nearby Camp Williams. In New Orleans, entertainer Naomi Judd will donate 25,000 copies of her new children's book, "Gertie the Goldfish," to First Book, which will distribute 5 million new books to displaced kids and adults and to damaged schools and libraries along the Gulf Coast. Special relief Help Hurricane Katrina victims in the name of Make A Difference Day by donating to the American Red Cross. Or mail checks to: American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C., 20013. Please put this code on checks: F5ZMV500.
... while every other problem under the sun is tackled, too.
Around the world, UPS employees wrap up a week of volunteering with a push on Make A Difference Day -- they'll fix school buildings, plant gardens and more. In nearly 30 cities, Citigroup volunteers will support Habitat for Humanity builds and hurricane relief projects. Nationally, General Motors dealerships have spent October raising funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and will see one recipient, David McNutt, 17 -- a cancer patient who raised $15,000 himself -- ride with Lance Armstrong in the LIVESTRONG Ride for the Roses in Austin. In 37 states, One Warm Coat, a group that gives away winter coats, will have coat drives. Across the country, National Hockey League teams will reach out to sick kids. Players from the Los Angeles Kings will visit Childrens Hospital; the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim will head to Children's Hospital of Orange County. Nationally and around the world, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Ladies Auxiliary will focus on assisting our military and their families. Kentucky, New Jersey and Mississippi -- as well as Make A Difference Day 2002 national honoree Ohio -- have government-sponsored statewide efforts. Kentucky collects food for the hungry and launches a health awareness effort. In Gurnee, Ill., Jim Stanislawski, and his magician pals will hold a 90-minute magic show. Price of admission: non-perishable food. It's a way to turn tragedy into triumph and honor the memory of his daughter, Jackie, who died in a car accident in 2003. When her parents went through her belongings, they found a trunk of food; the 20-year-old student and day-care instructor had been organizing a food drive, and her parents didn't know about it. "She was just doing it on her own," her father says. "Jackie made a difference every day." In Santa Barbara, Calif., Hearts Adaptive Riding, a therapeutic riding facility for the mentally and physically challenged, will recruit volunteers and throw a community party. In Salt Lake City, Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand will perform "Dream Big," the country group's chart-topping single and theme for the show Three Wishes, for sick kids and their parents at Primary Children's Hospital. In Merritt Island, Fla., youngsters in the Homeschool Exchange, a group of 20 families and 40 children, will make coloring books for the Brevard County Sheriff's Department to give to children in crisis situations.
In Gurnee, Ill, Magician Jim Stanislawski and friends will hold a food drive in Gurnee, Ill. It's in memory of Stanislawski's daughter, Jackie, who died in a car crash. Soon after, he found her car's trunk packed with food -- the 20-year-old student and day-care worker had been organizing a food drive, and her parents didn't know about it. "Jackie made a difference every day, and we thought this was an appropriate way to celebrate her life."
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