Almost-Sleepover FAQ

What was the 2011 USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover?

The 2011 USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover was a kid-powered quest to unite kids in community service, shine the spotlight on local charities, and empower kids to make a difference nationwide on Make a Difference Day, October 22, 2011. More than 1,200 kids in 26 states participated in the event!

 

Large group or small, girls or boys (or both!), a USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover is the perfect way for scout troops, after-school clubs, youth groups, homeschool groups, birthday parties, sports teams, families, church groups, friends, classrooms, entire schools or entire towns to join together to make a difference.

 

How small is too small? All it takes is two pajama-clad friends baking cupcakes for a local shelter on Make a Difference Day for your event to be considered an official USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover. How big is too big? The sky’s the limit!

 

Please note: There is DEFINITELY room for more than one almost-sleepover in each state or town! The more almost-sleepovers, the more kids empowered, the more communities involved, the more local charities helped, the more of a difference we can all make!

 

In the Beginning…

The 2011 USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover event was built on the almost-sleepover event sisters Delaney and Addie Kenney and friends Willow and Rosalie Coleman, Sophie Marnin, Marlah Hohlfelder and Isabel Kessler hosted in Guilford, Connecticut, in October 2010.

 

At that event, the girls asked each of their friends to bring a pair of new winter pajamas as the price of admission. The girls and almost 40 of their friends collected 70 pairs of new winter pajamas that night. The girls chose Life Haven, a homeless shelter for pregnant women and women with young children, to be the recipient of all those pairs of pajamas. The girls also asked guests to bring gently used coats, extra food and spare change to donate to Columbus House, Guilford Food Bank and Pennies for the Planet that night.

 

The girls spent their time that October evening making cookies-in-a-jar mixes for seniors, painting holiday ornaments for hospital patients, and decorating cards for retirement home residents. They also danced, sang, practiced yoga, and enjoyed pizza and ice cream—classes, food and supplies generously donated by local merchants and teachers!

 

2011 National Make a Difference Day Award Winners!

Our 2010 local event was chosen as a 2011 National Make a Difference Day Award winner out of more than 2,000 entries nationwide. As honorees, the girls received $10,000 from Newman’s Own to donate to charity.

 

Taking it Nationwide: Welcome to the USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover!

In 2011, the girls decided to reach for the stars by going on a community service quest to inspire kids nationwide to unite in community service. The result: More than 1,200 kids in 26 states helped more than 100 charities nationwide with 38 almost-sleepover events from Connecticut to California in 2011. Our nationwide almost-sleepover event was one of the top 3 finalists in the 2012 Make a Difference Day All-Star competition and received the 2012 Youth Community Impact Award from the Connecticut Red Cross.

 

The United States of Community Service, Inc. (USCS)

USCS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering kids to make a difference in their communities, nation and world by providing opportunities for families to get involved in community service and by working with and supporting the efforts of other nonprofit organizations. Visit www.uscsnow.org for all the details on this nationwide, kid-powered community service quest!