4GOOD volunteers spent the morning packing more than 2000 backpacks with our friends from Friends & Helpers. This was the 3rd year in a row 4GOOD participated in this wonderful event! What fun had by all!
Monday, August 22, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
4GOOD Annual Book Drive a Win-Win!
Imagine a library without books. What strikes you first is how much an empty library echoes without books lining its shelves. Thanks to 4GOOD volunteers and donors, BookEnds, and Scholastic, now the New Academy school library shelves are fuller, with 1,372 additional books donated!
Located in Canoga Park, the New Academy is a K-5 independent charter school that emphasizes art and science. The school is part of Tierra Del Sol which is comprised of affordable housing units and a supportive on-site Community Center. The Complex assists families making their economic, educational and personal dreams come true.
Five years ago, our partner BookEnds had already helped fill the school library, but it still lacked books. That’s where 4GOOD came in. In partnership with BookEnds, we organized a book drive June 5 at Carneys in Studio City to help fill the library with books for K-5 students. Not only did families chow some delicious hot dogs and fries, but a face painter and art teacher also donated their time, ensuring that the event was as fun as it was productive. 
We at 4GOOD would like to thank BookEnds (especially Gretchen), Carneys, Colored Faces 4 Fun, Art Teacher Sybilla Duncan and especially to the amazing 4GOOD community for helping us get books into the hands of these elementary school students. We will cherish our new found friendship with the students and Principal Ms. Ellis from New Academy and look forward to contributing to their library next year!
In total 4GOOD collected 1,781 books - WOO HOO!!!
Book Donation Breakdown:
1372 - donated to New Academy
409 - Pre K books donated to WIC & St. John's Child and Family Center in Compton - Adult books donated to the BookEnds Amazon Pilot Program where proceeds go back to BookEnds and the Serra Project helping with people with HIV & AIDS.
Pictures of the Drive and delivery of books to New Academy!! It's all GOOD!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
May 4GOOD updates
Scholastic 2011 Family of the Year
Sometime back in March, I saw an ad on the Macaroni Kids Newsletter for “Scholastic Family of the Year,” a nationwide contest to identify families who are making a difference in their communities. I thought, “We do that...or at least we try!” So I sent in the required essay about how we co-founded 4GOOD, what we do and how it works....
Fast forward to this May 23rd when we were officially announced as Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine 2011 Family of the Year!
It has been an amazing ride and we are so humbled and grateful for all that this brings to 4GOOD! We hope by bringing our story to the national forefront, we will inspire other families to get out there and give back!
Click here to read the full article and see below to check out some of the pictures from the day! Oh, and of course, don't miss the FAMILY 4GOOD storybook with a foreword written by William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman, the Celebrity Ambassadors of the campaign.
We are so thankful to Scholastic and to Got Milk? for helping to bring our story to life in the magazine, the storybook and the Milk ad!!
Thank you,
Erika, Peter, Izak and Eli
co-founders of 4GOOD
Got Milk pictures and Pictures from the article Larsen & Talbert Photography
Monday, May 23, 2011
2nd Annual 4GOOD BOOK DRIVE ~ June 5th
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Join 4GOOD
partnering with Carney's & BookEnds
for the Second Annual
Book Drive
~ Donate your gently used books ~
4GOOD is partnering with BookEnds to help restock the library of a local elementary school in need.
Especially looking for elementary aged books about animals, nature and space ~ but you can donate any kids or adult books!
Carney's will donate 15% of its sales to 4GOOD, so clean out your bookshelf and enjoy a delicious lunch for the whole family!
With a book donation our partner Carney's will give away and a FREE LARGE DRINK with purchase of any sandwich & fries. Limit one coupon per family. Offer only good on June 5, 2011.
You will also be entered in our raffle where you can win a number of cool prizes.
Don't forget to stop by our arts n craft table to make cool bookmarks and create a piece of art for the receiving school library.
Join the movement and sign up to be a 4GOOD member
www.4goodcommunity.org
__________________________
4GOOD will be donating all books to BookEnds, a wonderful organization that engages student volunteers to organize book drives in their schools to recycle their quality children’s books directly into the hands of kids in schools and youth organizations in desperate need of books.
Our goal is to collect over 2000 books during the 3 hour drive...that's a lot of books.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL!!!
PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!
Spread the word about this great event!!!
For more information on the event and to sign up to volunteer go to:
http://eepurl.com/dSPwH
We look forward to seeing you there!!!
partnering with Carney's & BookEnds
for the Second Annual
Book Drive
~ Donate your gently used books ~
4GOOD is partnering with BookEnds to help restock the library of a local elementary school in need.
Especially looking for elementary aged books about animals, nature and space ~ but you can donate any kids or adult books!
Carney's will donate 15% of its sales to 4GOOD, so clean out your bookshelf and enjoy a delicious lunch for the whole family!
With a book donation our partner Carney's will give away and a FREE LARGE DRINK with purchase of any sandwich & fries. Limit one coupon per family. Offer only good on June 5, 2011.
You will also be entered in our raffle where you can win a number of cool prizes.
Don't forget to stop by our arts n craft table to make cool bookmarks and create a piece of art for the receiving school library.
Join the movement and sign up to be a 4GOOD member
www.4goodcommunity.org
__________________________
4GOOD will be donating all books to BookEnds, a wonderful organization that engages student volunteers to organize book drives in their schools to recycle their quality children’s books directly into the hands of kids in schools and youth organizations in desperate need of books.
Our goal is to collect over 2000 books during the 3 hour drive...that's a lot of books.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL!!!
PLEASE TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!!
Spread the word about this great event!!!
For more information on the event and to sign up to volunteer go to:
http://eepurl.com/dSPwH
We look forward to seeing you there!!!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Want to get involoved? Join us and make a difference!!!
4GOOD Volunteer Coordinator Opportunities-
4GOOD is looking to fill a few unpaid volunteer opportunities to help increase the organizations impact in the community by creating and promoting high-quality family friendly volunteer activities. If you have approximately 5 hours a week to volunteer, can demonstrate the ability and commitment for the particular area of need, and would like to do something 4GOOD… we would love to hear from you!
We're looking for a few people with relevant experience in the following areas who would like to help 4GOOD plan and create family-oriented community service opportunities
Volunteer Event Coordinator - If you have experience coordinating volunteer events, are an organized person, and would like to help 4GOOD create and execute upcoming events…we want to hear from you!! We are looking for 2 – 3 volunteers to help us plan and execute upcoming events. You would be working directly with the Executive Director to help plan, organize and publicize the events.
Social Media/ Volunteer Growth/PR Coordinator – Do you have experience or feel you could help get the 4GOOD message out? We are looking for a savvy, fun and social person to help us Blog, Facebook and Twitter Post and bring attention to our mission. You would work directly with the Executive Director to help get our message out.
Technical /Website Coordinator- We are looking to take our “homemade” looking website to the next level…we need help with Metatags, Google Analytics and Website design help. If you think you could help to steer the technical ship 4GOOD…you are what we are looking for.
Please send an email to Erika Athanas- erika@4goodcommunity.org. If you are looking for an internship, credits for volunteering, or just want to do something 4GOOD…contact us.
4GOOD is looking to fill a few unpaid volunteer opportunities to help increase the organizations impact in the community by creating and promoting high-quality family friendly volunteer activities. If you have approximately 5 hours a week to volunteer, can demonstrate the ability and commitment for the particular area of need, and would like to do something 4GOOD… we would love to hear from you!
We're looking for a few people with relevant experience in the following areas who would like to help 4GOOD plan and create family-oriented community service opportunities
Volunteer Event Coordinator - If you have experience coordinating volunteer events, are an organized person, and would like to help 4GOOD create and execute upcoming events…we want to hear from you!! We are looking for 2 – 3 volunteers to help us plan and execute upcoming events. You would be working directly with the Executive Director to help plan, organize and publicize the events.
Social Media/ Volunteer Growth/PR Coordinator – Do you have experience or feel you could help get the 4GOOD message out? We are looking for a savvy, fun and social person to help us Blog, Facebook and Twitter Post and bring attention to our mission. You would work directly with the Executive Director to help get our message out.
Technical /Website Coordinator- We are looking to take our “homemade” looking website to the next level…we need help with Metatags, Google Analytics and Website design help. If you think you could help to steer the technical ship 4GOOD…you are what we are looking for.
Please send an email to Erika Athanas- erika@4goodcommunity.org. If you are looking for an internship, credits for volunteering, or just want to do something 4GOOD…contact us.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
What's happening with 4GOOD ~ January 2011 Newsletter
Check out our latest and greatest updates on all things GOOD!!!
What's happening with 4GOOD ~ January 2011 Newsletter
to sign up to get future mailings go to: SIGN UP
Saturday, December 11, 2010
December 5, 2010- Friends & Helpers Holiday Wrapping Event
The 4GOOD network of volunteers helped to sponsor 10 families...but Friends & Helpers supplied gifts and stockings to almost 3,000 families and teens in Los Angeles, Orange County as well as New Orleans - that is amazing!
With your generosity we were able to give our sponsored families a plethora of gifts to help make this time of year just a little bit easier and fun!!!
4GOOD would like to thank those volunteers who came to the event and pitched in to wrap, stuff bags and break down boxes!!!
If you couldn't join us this year...we look forward to seeing you soon at an event!
As always- we thank all of our supporters to helping us continue to do something 4GOOD!
Pictures below.... or go directly to our photobucket album...
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l580/4goodcommunity/Friends%20and%20Helpers%20event%20Dec%205th/
With your generosity we were able to give our sponsored families a plethora of gifts to help make this time of year just a little bit easier and fun!!!
4GOOD would like to thank those volunteers who came to the event and pitched in to wrap, stuff bags and break down boxes!!!
If you couldn't join us this year...we look forward to seeing you soon at an event!
As always- we thank all of our supporters to helping us continue to do something 4GOOD!
Pictures below.... or go directly to our photobucket album...
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l580/4goodcommunity/Friends%20and%20Helpers%20event%20Dec%205th/
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Congrats to our friends ETM-LA - The Glee cast and AMEX give $100K
Great job and so well deserved!!! Check out this wonderful story!!!
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Glee-cast-did-it---now-you-can--too-.html?soid=1101840893489&aid=cYb9ZNRkwKg
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/The-Glee-cast-did-it---now-you-can--too-.html?soid=1101840893489&aid=cYb9ZNRkwKg
Sunday, November 21, 2010
4GOOD event "Bringing Back The Music"
http://s1124.photobucket.com/albums/l580/4goodcommunity/4GOOD%20-%20Bringing%20Back%20the%20Music/
In partnership with Join the Band, 4GOOD organized a benefit concert to raise awareness and money for Education Through Music - Los Angeles. What a great time had by all. Kids bands performed from JTB and kids from Education Through Music - LA also performed.
I want to thank everyone who participated, volunteered and attended. Thank you for your support of 4GOOD, Join the Band, and Education Through Music – Los Angeles.
All of the JTB & ETM-LA performances were outstanding! To all the performers...by participating, you helped to shape the mission of the event; to raise money and awareness of the need to restore music education to every school child. It was heartening as a parent of one of the performers, and the organizer of the event, to see the kids who are lucky enough to participate in a program such as JTB, share the stage with those who only have music for 45 minutes a week, and aren’t able to take their instruments home.
Whether you purchased tickets & food, took part in the raffle, came to sell product and donated a % back to the cause, or helped in any way with the show, we all did something 4GOOD.
We hope that this will be the beginning of a yearly event that will only grow bigger and better with your continued support.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Erika Athanas
4GOOD Executive Director/Co-Founder
In partnership with Join the Band, 4GOOD organized a benefit concert to raise awareness and money for Education Through Music - Los Angeles. What a great time had by all. Kids bands performed from JTB and kids from Education Through Music - LA also performed.
I want to thank everyone who participated, volunteered and attended. Thank you for your support of 4GOOD, Join the Band, and Education Through Music – Los Angeles.
All of the JTB & ETM-LA performances were outstanding! To all the performers...by participating, you helped to shape the mission of the event; to raise money and awareness of the need to restore music education to every school child. It was heartening as a parent of one of the performers, and the organizer of the event, to see the kids who are lucky enough to participate in a program such as JTB, share the stage with those who only have music for 45 minutes a week, and aren’t able to take their instruments home.
Whether you purchased tickets & food, took part in the raffle, came to sell product and donated a % back to the cause, or helped in any way with the show, we all did something 4GOOD.
We hope that this will be the beginning of a yearly event that will only grow bigger and better with your continued support.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!
Erika Athanas
4GOOD Executive Director/Co-Founder
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
4GOOD volunteers participated in Friends & Helpers BTS event...
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| Supplies donated by our friends at Noteworthy! Thank you! |
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| Volunteers feverishly stuffing pencil pouches that would eventually be put into the backpacks. |
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| Henry Voelker and; Erika Athanas- stopping to capture the moment! |
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| More supplies!!! |
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All the supplies ready to be packed into the backpacks for the 4th and 5th grade kids. |
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| Empty boxes ready to be filled with backpacks... |
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| Mountains of supplies!! |
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| Anne Bergman and Henry working hard!! |
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| Audrey Libatique filling pencil pouches. |
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| Lisa and Audrey Libatique working hard in the hot sun! |
Thursday, July 22, 2010
4GOOD July Newletter...see What's going on at 4GOOD...
Click to go to the newletter.
If you wish to receive future newsletters please sign up 4GOOD member sign up
If you wish to receive future newsletters please sign up 4GOOD member sign up
Monday, June 21, 2010
4GOOD Book Drive- June 6 @ Sweet Harts
The 4GOOD Book Drive
After weeks of planning and getting the word out there 4GOOD had a very successful Book Drive. Thank you to all the people who showed up on a Sunday to donate books!
A Special "Thank you" to everyone who showed up to volunteer to help us sort & organize the books- we couldn't have done it without you!
When 4GOOD member Michael Swords brought an article from Parenting Magazine to our attention, we felt inspired to do something to help raise awareness of the startling literacy gap between low & middle income American Families...so the idea of a one day book drive was born.
Read the article that inspired this event.
www.parenting.com/article/Child/Daycare--Education/The-Early-Literacy-Crisis/2
Sweet Harts in Sherman Oaks partnered with us, giving us a home to hold the event. A big Thanks to Aidan and the rest of the gang at Sweet Harts who came in early on a Sunday! Anyone who came and donated books was given 10% off their purchase of Frozen Yogurt or Gelato. Sweet Harts also gave back 20% of the sale proceeds for the day back to 4GOOD. What a Sweet Deal! Thanks again!
Why is it so important to get involved in bridging the literacy gap?
Here are some startling statistics that inspired us to get involved. It's yet another way to get your children engaged in giving back, especially if explained to them on their level.
* 37% of American Children live in low-income families and 61% of those families have NO age appropriate books in their homes. Some kids go to pre-school and have never held a book. Can you imagine your 3 year old never being read too or exposed to even looking at a book?
* These kids can't even count on school to get exposed to reading and books...80% of preschools and after-school programs serving low-income populations have no age-appropriate books for their children.
* On average a child from a middle class community has 13 books & a child from a low-income community shares one book with 300 other kids.
* Access to books and educational material is the single biggest barrier to literacy development in the United States and beyond. If we can solve the problem of access, we will be well on the road to realizing educational parity – a goal which has eluded this country for generations.”-
Susan B. Neuman, Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ctr. for Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
We donated the books to a wonderful organization called BOOKENDS...here is why we chose them:
* BookEnds, a non-profit organization, that began in 1993 with
8-year-old Brandon Keefe, a kid who wanted to make a difference.
* BookEnds strives to instill the value of community service in its student volunteers. More than 206,000 youth have been involved in organizing book drives, collecting, sorting and delivering more than 1.9 million books into the hands of 478,000 children in the greatest need of books.
* BookEnds has completed more than 578 libraries. (More than 478,000 students are benefiting from the book donations.)
* BookEnds' recipients are those schools that are the most in need and have demonstrated a commitment to actively use the book donations to improve children's literacy.
Some pictures from the day- Thank you to all who came and volunteered!!!
Pictures of the kids helping to make the signs for the Book Drive the week before the event! Great job kids!!!
After weeks of planning and getting the word out there 4GOOD had a very successful Book Drive. Thank you to all the people who showed up on a Sunday to donate books!
- THE GRAND TOTAL OF BOOKS DONATED WAS 1,503. AMAZING!!!
- All the books were donated to BookEnds, a wonderful organization who graciously came to pick up the many boxes on a Sunday when that is not something they normally do. Thank you Breanne!!!
- The Older Teen and Adult books that were donated will be going to the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Summer Night Lights Program- which provides at-risk youths with organized activities aimed at keeping them out of trouble during the summer. Reading is certainly a great activity!!!
- The Younger books that were donated will be going to WIC (women, infant & children). This is a government program that provides assitant to low income families.
A Special "Thank you" to everyone who showed up to volunteer to help us sort & organize the books- we couldn't have done it without you!When 4GOOD member Michael Swords brought an article from Parenting Magazine to our attention, we felt inspired to do something to help raise awareness of the startling literacy gap between low & middle income American Families...so the idea of a one day book drive was born.
Read the article that inspired this event.
www.parenting.com/article/Child/Daycare--Education/The-Early-Literacy-Crisis/2
Sweet Harts in Sherman Oaks partnered with us, giving us a home to hold the event. A big Thanks to Aidan and the rest of the gang at Sweet Harts who came in early on a Sunday! Anyone who came and donated books was given 10% off their purchase of Frozen Yogurt or Gelato. Sweet Harts also gave back 20% of the sale proceeds for the day back to 4GOOD. What a Sweet Deal! Thanks again!
Why is it so important to get involved in bridging the literacy gap?
Here are some startling statistics that inspired us to get involved. It's yet another way to get your children engaged in giving back, especially if explained to them on their level.
* 37% of American Children live in low-income families and 61% of those families have NO age appropriate books in their homes. Some kids go to pre-school and have never held a book. Can you imagine your 3 year old never being read too or exposed to even looking at a book?
* These kids can't even count on school to get exposed to reading and books...80% of preschools and after-school programs serving low-income populations have no age-appropriate books for their children.
* On average a child from a middle class community has 13 books & a child from a low-income community shares one book with 300 other kids.
* Access to books and educational material is the single biggest barrier to literacy development in the United States and beyond. If we can solve the problem of access, we will be well on the road to realizing educational parity – a goal which has eluded this country for generations.”-
Susan B. Neuman, Ph.D. University of Michigan, Ctr. for Improvement of Early Reading Achievement
We donated the books to a wonderful organization called BOOKENDS...here is why we chose them:
* BookEnds, a non-profit organization, that began in 1993 with
8-year-old Brandon Keefe, a kid who wanted to make a difference.* BookEnds strives to instill the value of community service in its student volunteers. More than 206,000 youth have been involved in organizing book drives, collecting, sorting and delivering more than 1.9 million books into the hands of 478,000 children in the greatest need of books.
* BookEnds has completed more than 578 libraries. (More than 478,000 students are benefiting from the book donations.)
* BookEnds' recipients are those schools that are the most in need and have demonstrated a commitment to actively use the book donations to improve children's literacy.
Check them out at www,bookends.org
Some pictures from the day- Thank you to all who came and volunteered!!!
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