Advocate for Homeless Women & Children Through a Writing Campaign

Description:

Grace Helping Hands is a nonprofit organization dedicated toproviding toiletry kits and feminine hygiene products to homeless women andchildren in Montgomery County and beyond. We are offering an impactfulvolunteer opportunity for MCPS students to earn SSL hours while advocating forthose in need.

Volunteers will participate in a writing campaign toraise awareness and request support from local legislators, businesses, andmanufacturers. Students will draft emails to local congresspersons, stores,vendors, and manufacturers, urging them to support Grace Helping Hands bydonating products or funding.

SSL Hour Equivalency:

• Each completed and approved advocacy email = One (1) SSL hour.

Instructions for Earning SSL Hours:

Writing Campaign Requirements:

• Research and draft advocacy emails.
• Address letters to designated recipients (e.g., elected officials, business leaders).
• Collaborate with Grace Helping Hands for message approval and impact tracking.
• Submit final drafts to [email protected] for approval.

Submission & Approval Process:

• Submit advocacy emails as a document to [email protected] for approval.
• Make edits based on feedback provided by Grace Helping Hands.
• An adult representative will review and approve submissions.
• SSL hours will be awarded once the required number of approved advocacy emails is completed.

Skills Gained:

Advocacy & persuasivewriting
Community engagement & leadership
Real-world impact on homelessness

How to Participate:

Contact:
For more information or to sign up, please contact [email protected]

Students will notbe the ones sending the emails, but rather, the students will submit the emails to [email protected]

Please note the following guidelines for student service through live virtual platforms:

A students parent/guardian must provide thenonprofit with written approval of the students participation in the virtualplatform prior to the student serving/volunteering.

Students must use personal/private accounts (notMCPS student accounts) to engage in the virtual platform.

Students will only engage with others under thedirect supervision of a nonprofit supervisor. The nonprofit supervisor will bedirectly present in the virtual space (including any breakout sessions) at alltimes.

The nonprofit supervisor will initiate and hostall virtual sessions. If the nonprofit supervisor is not available to initiateand host the virtual session, the session will not occur.

Virtual sessions will not be recorded.

Students should not share or upload any videos,pictures, or images of themselves, unless the nonprofit organization hasobtained a signed form/waiver from the students parent/guardian authorizingpermission/release.

Join us in making a differenceone email at a time!

Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the students parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety and privacy at any time the student is interacting with the nonprofit and its clients. The nonprofit organization will determine the number of SSL hours awarded based on the evidence submitted. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns. This service activity is designed to be completed within the safety of the students home.