DOUBLE THE JOY

 It is Giving Tuesday and this movement is just about on everyone's radar and my wish is that it will inspire many to participate and make an impact in giving a helping hand to others, globally.  So many have been affected by disease,natural disaster,violence, poverty and so many other crises.

Choose To Care(CTC) the organization that was created to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need, is ready to meet its obligation to sponsor a public school teacher's request for

resources for their students.  This sponsorship is done through Donors Choose, an organization founded in 2000 by a High School teacher in the Bronx, NY.  The aim is to empower public school teachers nationwide to ask for greatly needed materials for their students.

CTC's journey for the month of December, started on this special day, dubbed Giving Tuesday and has taken us to Livingston Junior High School, located in Livingson, Alabama.  This is where Ms. F. Sharp, the caring teacher of 6th and 8th graders has requested uniform shoes for her students. "Shoes with a little bling, please" is her catchy title. "Help me give my students shoes that will help motivate them and improve their self-esteem"

We are set to double the bling and make a difference.  We also know that a pair of shoes in a time of need is much more than shoes to protect the feet.  It is hope, It is dignity, and it certainly shows that someone cares. Today, as our mission commands, we are practicing generosity so that these children will walk in hope.

As always, our gratitude for your support, that has allowed us to continue our work.  Don't forget to do your part to keep mother earth green.  It is a responsibility we must all share.

May your holiday season be one of PEACE, LOVE AND GOOD HEALTH

JOIN THE JOURNEY

 "Mind is a flexible mirror, adjust it, to see a better world" Amit Ray

Choose To Care(CTC)(choosetocaresite.org) was created in 2008 with the mission of protecting the feet of children and young adults in need at home and abroad; by placing a brand new pair of shoes on their feet and a smile on their faces.

CTC has committed to sponsor a public school each month through Donors Choose(donors choose.org). This is the nonprofit organization that allows teachers in public schools to submit classroom projects requesting resources for their students in need.We at CTC, truly believe that children should not have to scramble for the resources they need to help them strive. We are always looking to expand our mission because the need is so great.

For the month of November we are on our way to "A Mario Loiederman" middle school, Silver Springs, Maryland.  Ms. Mackie, their teacher, submitted a project for her 6th - 8th graders, aptly named, "Tap those feet." She wants her students whom she described as  being passionate about dancing, to learn tap techniques.  She also wants each of them to have their own tap shoe; but coming from low-income households, it is difficult for families to afford such purchases.

CTC is honored to help make this happen.  Although a pair of shoes will not solve the problems associated with poverty, it may just lead them on a more meaningful journey, keeping them in school, bringing them joy and pride, empowering them to become agents of change.  I am sure your spring dance concert will be a blast and we will be cheering you and your students on in spirit.

We are filled with gratitude for our supporters.  Let's do our part to protect planet earth!  Each of us is able to give a helping hand to stop the erosion.  While you are it, please try a delicious plant dish.This is a great contribution which over time will help to keep our planet fit!

Yours In Service!

Every Kid, Having Resources, They Need

 "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something;And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do"  Albert Schweitzer

Each day I am given the opportunity to show kindness without expecting anything back.  With that in mind Choose To Care(CTC), the organization's whose mission is to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need; makes an effort to assist in creating a world where every child is empowered to thrive.

I am proud to give to Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the nonprofit that has supported teachers and students since 2000 with resources they need. CTC sponsors a public school project from teachers requesting shoes of all kind for their students in need, each month.

The month of October has taken us to Mr. Rivas, who teaches Grades 6-8 at Paul Revere Middle School, Houston, Texas.  This teacher, wanted "to spread some sense of relief from the daily hardship that many of our less fortunate families face" Mr. Rivas is seeking soccer shoes for his students so that they will be able to compete with other schools and according to him, this will give them a sense of equal opportunity and may make a difference in the direction one takes in life.

Thanks for your support, for stepping up courageously to help CTC's mission.  And while we are on a roll, let's do our part to protect our planet.

Yours in Service!

LET THEM BLOSSOM

 Ms. Smith, the teacher for grades 6-8 at Ready Springs Elementary school, Penn Valley, California, submitted her project which she called "Tap-Mania."  This amazing teacher has started a tap dancing class where the students will learn tap skills.

Choose To Care (CTC) loved this teacher's innovative idea and chose to sponsor this project for the month of September, satisfying our mission to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need.

CTC is also carrying out their determination to give to a public school monthly through Donors Choose, the nonprofit organization that provides a valuable place for public school teachers, nationwide to submit their projects, to help students obtain much needed resources.  We applaud you for your involvement in the building blocks of their lives.  

We couldn't have done this without you, our donors. Thank you for your dedication and commitment.

"No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted." Aesop

With Deep Appreciation!

Where The Journey Continues

 We welcome the month of August as Choose To Care(CTC) continues its monthly journeys of searching for public school that are in need of resources for the teachers' classrooms.  We hopped off at Brunson Math & Science School, in Chicago, Illinois.  Mrs. Williams, the kindhearted teacher submitted a request for comfortable play shoes for her kindergarten and first grade students, whom she said, pleaded for shoes that fit, so they won't have to worry about their little toes being pinched.

CTC is on a mission to provide a brand new pair of shoes that fit, to the child in need and we are honored to sponsor Mrs. Williams classroom.  We continue to work with Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the classroom funding site for teachers across the nation, because they understand how important it is for all children to have the resources they need to develop their skills and learning experiences.

Our gratitude to the dedicated teacher!  And to CTC supporters, thanks for believing in us!

With Profound Adoration!

"Grant me courage to serve others; for in service there is true life" - Cesar Chavez

STILL HAVE A DISTANCE TO TRAVEL

 Since 2008 Choose To Care(CTC) has been fulfilling its mission by providing a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need, globally.  The nonprofit has also provided shoes for public schools through Donors Choose(donors choose.org), a teacher founded nonprofit that accepts classroom requests for project funding from teachers across the country.

Since the pandemic, CTC has stepped up its goal to sponsor a public school each month and has been able to do so.  Of course there is no magic wand to make the decision of which requests will be next, especially when the need is so great; but some thought is put into which project gets picked, most of the times cost is a factor.

This time "Soles for Souls" caught my eyes. The gym teacher, Coach Craven at Dooley Elementary School, Plano, submitted a project for her grades 3-5 students.  She too had the desire and dream to start a nonprofit organization to provide shoes for the students in need, so they can live a healthy and active lifestyle.

This is CTC's choice for the month of July.  We applaud you for your commitment to the children you serve.  We will keep taking steps to reach a world where each child has the resources they need to succeed.  Of course we are not there yet!  

John Quincy Adams said:

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader"

Peace & Love!

Sunny Side Up

 For the month of June, Choose To Care (CTC) is shining the light on Mr. Padgett's project from the Jim Hill High School,Jackson, Mississippi. This caring teacher wrote to Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the nonprofit organization created to support teachers and students projects across the country.

We are forever in awe of the length the teachers will go ensure that their students have the resources they need to help them thrive.  We do have a renewed reverence for all teachers, watching them defy what seemed like the impossible, to continue teaching during the pandemic.

At CTC we will continue to engage in showing kindness to these children in need, so that they can feel a sense of value and belonging and not be ashamed because of their circumstances.  Creating change is the aim of the CTC organization.  Pablo Picasso wrote: "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away"

We are patiently trying to provide the children with the tools they need to be successful in school and we know for sure that even a small gesture can transform them in what seems like a magical manner. Our message to the children is to work hard and don't give up on hope.  It is our responsibility to help the youth have lives of growth and fulfillment. We are honored to sponsor this classroom project, which the teacher dubbed "It's Gotta Be The Shoes, Part 2" A line he said he borrowed from the Air Jordan commercial featuring  Spike Lee. We are happy that these practice shoes will give your team a uniform look as you wanted.

Friends, please choose to be an ally to these champion teachers when you get the chance!

Yours In Inspiration!

Heart & Sole

 "Set  wide the window. Let me drink the day" Edith Wharton

Today is the beginning of the beautiful month of May.  it is time for Choose To Care(CTC) to make good on its promise to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need.  We adore the work of Donors Choose, the organization that was created to help teachers in public schools nationwide, receive resources for their students in need; who are often times living in impoverished circumstances.

We have traveled to Desert Hills Elementary School, in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where Mrs. Reyes, made a good argument for her students and funding of her project.  She requested dancing shoes for them, saying that dancing increases their flexibility, improves their balance and muscle strength and in addition promotes social and emotional skills.  We do agree with this caring teacher and have granted her wish to provide brand new pairs of dancing shoes for her students.

Since we were already on the road, why not make another stop!  This time we stopped by Rudolph Blankenburg Elementary School, In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; where the teacher, Mrs. Gardner, asked for and received new school shoes for her eager to learn students, so they can start the year off right. She described the school as a place where her students thrive and feel secured; but many wear shoes until they have holes. She thinks they deserve a pair of shoes that fit and so do we.She sang praises for her fellow teachers who do so much with so little, wanting their students to succeed.

We are on a mission to assist students in need to have resources that will help them to be the best they can be, giving them a chance to experience a brighter future.

"The capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest meaning and significance" Pablo Casas

Enjoy the fabulous month and all its wonders! 

Peace & Love

OUR SPRING STORY

 It's the month of April and Choose To Care(CTC) is getting ready to honor its commitment of sponsoring a public school teacher's classroom project each month, through Donors Choose(donors choose.org), the organization that supports teachers, nationwide.

We have chosen Ms. Smith's Grades PreK-2 from the Brandenburg Primary School, Brandenburg, Kentucky.  She requested SHOES FOR SCHOOL for her students.  According to this teacher, she wanted to lift the self-esteem of her students, many of whom study Braille; and they arrive to school in worn out and ill-fitting shoes, that leave them feeling shameful.  Because of this, they find it difficult to concentrate in class.

We have used the CTC's platform to promote a healthy lifestyle and keeping mother earth green.  So along with outfitting the students with a brand new pair of shoes, CTC has sent the messages of: Doing Right by the Environment; Keeping Fit and Healthy, and discovering along the way, why MY PLATE Matters(choosemyplate.gov)(outright.org) These will make lively discussions for teacher and her students.

Special thanks to our awesome contributors who have sprung into action. There are many stories like this one, that open your heart and propel you to give a lending hand.

"The capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest meaning and significance" Pablo Casals

CTC, doing our part to bridge the gap!

With Gratitude!

SO MUCH BETTER WORKING TOGETHER

 The title said: Happy Feeet Make Tennis Sweet.  This came from Coach Parks, at  the Hardee Senior High School, Wauchula, Florida and she was requesting resources for her grades 9 to 12 students.  According to Coach Parks, nearly all students are from low-income households, living in a rural community.

She wants them to shine not only in the classroom but also on the tennis court.  They have been cooped up for so many months and are ready to join in fun activities.  Most cannot afford the tennis shoes that they need to help them move with confidence, keep their feet protected, while they sharpen their skills and minds.

Choose To Care (CTC) is ready to put a little more care in the world and we know that our support will make a world of difference to these children. CTC(choosetocaresite.org) is proud to continue its mission to provide a brand new pair of shoes for the children in need. 

We applaud Donors Choose(donors choose.org) for going the extra mile of providing a platform for the devoted public school teachers nationwide, that allows them to request help for their students.

Doing our part to bridge the gap!

To all supporters, remember to do your part to keep the earth green!

Cheers to National Nutrtion month - 3/2021

 The theme for 2021 is  PERSONALIZE YOUR PLATE.

Visit: Eatright.org for your nutrition and health information.

Yours In Service!

A GRATEFUL DEBTOR

 Donors Choose(donorschooese.org) has supported students and teachers since 2000 and is making sure  that public schools nationwide are noticed.  They have asked us to answer a teacher's request for resources for her classroom.

A new year! And Choose To Care's (CTC) commitment of the past year to sponsor a school each month still stands.  We are inspired by Ms. Doede request for her grade 9-12 students at Trillium Academy, Taylor, Michigan and CTC's sponsorship carries out its mission to give each child a brand new pair of shoes.

This donation was given in honor of one of our ardent contributor to CTC, YV, who has joined us to bring goodwill to others.

We are also on the move to bring others on board to care for mother earth.  Each of us can find a way to contribute to the Going Green Movement.

Each school that we sponsor is given the message of keeping healthy and strong. Visit: eatright.org for tips on how to nourish our bodies.

"A drop of kindness makes the spirits soar. Do what you can."psw

A salute to Black History Month!

LIVING UP TO ITS PROMISE

 The charity store, BLOSSOM is created to earn funds that will be shared with organizations seeking resources for the youth and others in need and are actively involved in environmentally friendly projects.  With the destruction of mother earth, happening so rapidly, it is an important part of this mission to assist in saving our planet.  The recipients will be prodded to pay attention to this serious matter, with a message included each time they receive sponsorship.

Our aim is also to buy goods made by artisans at home(locally) and faraway places such as Bangladesh, the African Continent and wherever else there is a struggle to sustain a livelihood.  This move would improve their quality of life.  We have already started this ambitious plan by buying goods from Tanzania, made by the Masai Tribe, in 2019.  These quality goods are usually made by a community of skillful women. Of course our sales will determine how much help we can offer to those in need.

Each of Choose To Care's blog will add  "A GO EASIER ON THE PLANET" ending, as a reminder that we each have a responsibility to help the planet stay green. 

Remaining Eco-Friendly!                                          

Believing In A Better World!

Cheers!  Go Easier On The Planet

Getting Their Shine On

 Choose To Care (CTC), the organization that provides a brand new pair of shoes for the child in need seeks opportunities through Donors Choose, the organization that is rated the number one classroom funding site that answers public school teachers' request for a variety of resources for their classrooms.

In the year 2020 CTC fulfilled their promise to sponsor a classroom each month.  Quite simply we could not have done this without our supporters.  For 2021, although we may have doubts because of dwindling donations, we are going forward as if we know we will succeed and have a repeat performance.  We are driven to work for children. With that in mind, we will step courageously into 2021 with great ambition.

For the end of year, 2020, we have chosen along with other donors to sponsor Ms. Gabzdyl, Grades 3-5, Lafayette Elementary School, located in Seattle, Washington. This teacher said she has created a Maslow Closet, where she keeps supplies to care for the needs of her students, many of whom come from homes dealing with housing issues, food insecurity, and are improperly dressed, preventing them from doing their best. She requested comfortable shoes to keep their feet warm.

We want to be part of the creation of a world where every child is empowered to thrive. We can do more together, you hear over and over.  We have a new year approaching, to give a child a chance to a brighter future.  Thanks supporters, we are touched by your immense kindness.

A reminder to care for mother earth - Think Green!

Visit: choosetocaresite.org; donors choose.org; eatright.org