Our little-project-that-could hit the big time in 2011, as at least 1,200 kids in at least 26 states from coast to coast celebrated Make a Difference Day in USCS style–making a difference for more than 100 charities nationwide! Click on the links below to read all about our USCS nation!
Thanks to your support, our USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover captured the bronze in a super close race for the 2012 Make a Difference Day All-Star Award!
According to USA WEEKEND magazine: “Nearly 68,000 online votes were cast in USA WEEKEND’s first Make A Difference Day All-Star Award competition. The winner: Lucas Metropulos, 19, a Duke University freshman, with 22,420 votes. Not far behind Metropulos were the brothers of Delta Sigma Pi, a collegiate business fraternity, and Addie Kenney, 9, and her sister, Delaney, 10, of Guilford, Connecticut.”
It was just last year the kids’ local Guilford, Connecticut almost-sleepover event won a 2011 Make a Difference Day Award and $10,000 for charity from Newman’s Own. The girls surprised Life Haven, a temporary shelter for pregnant women and women with young children, with that $10,000 prize.
In 2011 the girls launched their own community service organization, The United States of Community Service., Inc., and took their almost-sleepover idea nationwide—inspiring more than 1,200 kids in 26 states to support more than 100 charities with almost-sleepover events from Connecticut to California this past year.
The Make a Difference Day All-Star Award winner was decided via a public online vote in February. Fishing for Families in Need founder Lucas Metropulos will be splitting the $10,000 prize between the Florence Fuller Child Development Centers in Boca Raton, Florida, and the Ronald McDonald House in Durham, North Carolina.
Congratulations to all the finalists–and a job well done, Lucas Metropulos!
About The United States of Community Service Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover
The USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover is a nationwide quest to unite kids in community service, shine the spotlight on local charities, and empower kids to make a difference nationwide to celebrate Make a Difference Day, our country’s largest day of service. The event is the first project from The United States of Community Service, Inc. (USCS) a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering children and their families to make a difference in their community, their nation and their world by providing opportunities for families to get involved in community service and working with and supporting the efforts of other nonprofit organizations.
About our 2011 USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover
The 2011 USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover took place when more than 1,200 kids in at least 26 states made a difference for more than 100 charities with almost-sleepover events nationwide in 2011.
The idea for the nationwide community service quest was hatched in 2010, when Delaney and Addie Kenney, Sophie Marnin, Marlah Hohlfelder, Isabel Kessler, and Willow and Rosalie Coleman celebrated Make a Difference Day by holding an almost-sleepover with their friends in Guilford. The girls asked each of their friends to bring a pair of new winter pajamas as the price of admission to the fun-filled community service event. The 38 girls who attended ended up collecting 70 pairs of new warm and cozy pajamas that night to donate to Life Haven—a temporary shelter for pregnant women and women with young children in New Haven. To make even more of a difference, the girls and their friends collected more than 50 gently used coats for Columbus House and Christian Community Action; food for the Guilford Food Bank; and almost $80 in change for the Pennies for the Planet initiative. The pajama-clad girls spent their time that October night putting together cookies-in-a-jar mixes distributed for senior citizens, painting ornaments to brighten the rooms of hospital patients during the holiday season, and writing cheerful cards for residents of a local retirement home.
After seeing how the community came together to make their little-project-that-could a huge success (with local businesses and teachers generously donating time, talent and goods), the girls entered the feel-good event in the 2011 National Make a Difference Day Award contest—and bested more than 2,000 entries nationwide to be honored as one of ten National Make a Difference Day Award winners by USA WEEKEND magazine, Points of Light Institute’s HandsOn Network and Newman’s Own. As national winners, the girls received $10,000 from Newman’s Own to donate to the charity of their choice. The girls chose Life Haven, and surprised the organization with the donation and launched their own organization—The United States of Community Service (USCS)—at a press conference in April 2011.
Even before receiving the national recognition, the girls had already decided to shoot for the stars for Make a Difference Day 2011. “After friends in New York used our almost-sleepover event as the blueprint for their own local community service celebration, the girls wondered aloud whether kids in other states might be interested in the idea,” said mom Laurie Kenney. “And here we are!”
Over the summer, the USCS girls worked to spread their community service message with their Create a Flavor, Change the World ice cream contest, working with Ashley’s Ice Cream owners Joe Ametrano and Brian Anderson to choose two official flavors—Nutella Chip (created by Brennan Gollaher of Guilford, CT) and Red-White-and-Blueberry (created by Caroline Holmes of Greencastle, PA)—for this year’s nationwide event. Thanks to the generosity of Ashley’s and its customers, the ice cream project raised more than $6,000 for five child-centered charities here in Connecticut: Guilford Library’s Children’s Room Adopt-a-Book Program, The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice, Life Haven, The Children’s Center of Hamden, and Ucan2′s LifeStraw project.
With 1,200 kids in 26 states across the country making difference for more than 100 charities with Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepovers in 2011, Laurie Kenney is amazed at just how big the girls’ little local project has grown. “We launched the project as a way to empower kids to reach for the stars and to get involved in and excited about community service,” said Kenney. “The fact that this event has made difference in so many lives for so many worthy organizations in so many communities is absolutely amazing!”
For more information about the community service project and about almost-sleepover events that took place nationwide in 2011, visit www.uscsnow.org.
The Connecticut Red Cross has awarded the United States of Community Service its 2012 Connecticut Red Cross Community Impact Youth Award, because: “Your commitment to making a difference in the lives of others through your United States of Community Service exemplifies the values and mission of the Red Cross.” The award will be given at the Annual Heroes Breakfast of Greater New Haven in April. USCS was nominated for the award by Brian Anderson, co-owner of Ashley’s Ice Cream–Connecticut’s BEST ice cream and our generous partner in our Create a Flavor, Change the World ice cream contest that raised more than $6,000 for child-centered charities in July 2011.
Click here to read about each individual almost-sleepover event!
Welcome to the United States of Community Service Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover—a nationwide Connecticut kid-created, kid-powered quest that united kids in community service, shined the spotlight on local charities, and empowered kids to make a difference nationwide to celebrate Make a Difference Day 2011.
The nationwide event took place in conjunction with Make a Difference Day, our country’s largest day of community service, with more than 1,200 kids in at least 26 states making a difference for more than 100 charities nationwide with USCS Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepovers!
The idea for the nationwide community service quest was hatched in 2010, when Delaney (9), Addie (8), Willow (12), Rosalie (8), Sophie (10), Marlah (8) and Isabel (8) celebrated Make a Difference Day by holding an almost-sleepover with their friends in Guilford. The girls asked each of their friends to bring a pair of new winter pajamas as the price of admission to the fun-filled community service event. The girls and almost forty of their friends ended up collecting 70 pairs of new warm and cozy pajamas that night to donate to Life Haven—a temporary shelter for pregnant women and women with young children in New Haven. To make even more of a difference, the girls and their friends collected more than 50 gently used coats for Columbus House and Christian Community Action; many, many pounds of food for the Guilford Food Bank; and almost $80 in change for the Audubon Society’s Pennies for the Planet initiative. The pajama-clad girls spent their time that October night putting together cookies-in-a-jar mixes distributed to local senior citizens at Thanksgiving, painting ornaments to brighten the rooms of hospital patients during the holiday season, and decorating cheerful cards for residents of a local retirement home.
After seeing how the community came together to make their little-project-that-could a huge success (with local businesses and teachers generously donating time, talent and goods), the girls entered the feel-good event in the National Make a Difference Day Award contest. In February, the girls were thrilled to learn that their event had bested more than 2,000 entries nationwide to be honored as one of ten National Make a Difference Day Award winners by USA WEEKEND magazine, Points of Light Institute’s HandsOn Network and Newman’s Own. As national winners, the girls received $10,000 from Newman’s Own to donate to the charity of their choice. The girls chose Life Haven—and surprised the organization with the donation.
Even before receiving the national recognition, the girls had already decided to shoot for the stars for Make a Difference Day 2011. “After friends in New York used our almost-sleepover event as the blueprint for their own local community service celebration, one of the girls wondered aloud whether kids in other states might be interested in the idea,” said Kenney. “And here we are!”
Over the summer, the USCS girls worked to spread their community service message with their Create a Flavor, Change the World ice cream contest, working with Ashley’s Ice Cream to choose two official flavors—Nutella Chip (created by Brennan Gollaher of Guilford, CT) and Red-White-and-Blueberry (created by Caroline Holmes of Greencastle, PA)—for this year’s nationwide event. Thanks to the generosity of Ashley’s and its customers, the ice cream project raised $6,112 for five child-centered charities here in Connecticut: Guilford Library’s Children’s Room Adopt-a-Book Program, The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice, Life Haven, The Children’s Center of Hamden, and Ucan2′s LifeStraw project.
This September, two local singer-songwriting teens, Kara Welch and Colleen Burkle, both of Guilford, made a difference by writing an official theme song for the nationwide event, based on words and phrases submitted by the USCS girls. The result, We Can Change the World, perfectly captures the message and the spirit of kid-powered quest and was performed live at the Guilford event on October 22nd. A video of the truly amazing song and song lyrics are available at www.uscsnow.org.
With kids across the country making difference with Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepovers, Laurie Kenney is amazed at just how big the girls’ little local project has grown. “We launched the project as a way to empower kids to reach for the stars and to get involved in and excited about community service,” said Kenney. “The fact that this event has made difference in so many lives for so many worthy organizations in so many communities is absolutely amazing!”
Click here to read about each individual almost-sleepover event!
About AlphaGraphics New Haven
Our USCSNOW signs, letterhead, envelopes, stickers, and note cards are thanks to the generosity of AlphaGraphics New Haven, a locally owned/operated full-service printing and visual communications company dedicated to serving the needs of small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater New Haven area. Visit www.agnewhaven.com or call John or Jim Cunneen at 203/230-0018.
About Our Logo Designer
The red-white-and-blue United States of Community Service logo (USCSNOW) was designed pro bono by Paula Galluzzi, a Madison, Connecticut graphic designer specializing in brochures, catalogs, corporate identity, direct mail, logos, newsletters and marketing materials. Email paula.galluzzi@gmail.com.
About Make a Difference Day
Sponsored by USA WEEKEND in partnership with HandsOn Network and supported by Newman’s Own, Make a Difference Day is our nation’s largest day of community service. Held annually on the fourth Saturday of October, Make a Difference Day is a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Last year alone, more than 3 million people across the country participated in Make a Difference Day events.
October 22, 2011, Knights of Columbus Hall, Guilford, CT—The USCS girls (Delaney, Addie, Willow, Rosalie, Marlah, Sophie and Isabel) celebrated Make a Difference Day with their own almost-sleepover at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Guilford on October 22, 2011. The event was one of many almost-sleepover events that took place in at least 26 states nationwide on that day–bringing together more than 1,200 kids from coast to coast–thanks to the girls’ efforts to spread the word about the power of kids and community service with their nationwide kid-powered community service movement: The United States of Community Service Make a Difference Day Almost-Sleepover.
The girls were joined at the Guilford event by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, a long-time supporter of the girls and their community service efforts. “I am enormously proud of the girls for their accomplishments and enthusiasm in working to make their community a better place, and for encouraging children and their families around the country to do the same through service-filled almost-sleepovers,” said DeLauro. “I call this group of girls the Guilford Seven, and they and their friends are doing great things here in Guilford—and now nationwide.”
The Guilford event was part of the nationwide celebration of the power of kids and community service started by Delaney, Addie, Willow, Rosalie, Marlah, Sophie and Isabel here in Guilford last October. After winning a National Make a Difference Day Award and $10,000 for charity from Newman’s Own for their local event last year, the girls took their community service-filled idea nationwide.
At the fun-filled community service event in Guilford on October 22, the girls made a difference for several worthy organizations and causes:
During the event, the girls and their friends crafted 96 ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree at The Children’s Place at Connecticut Hospice, the organization’s pediatric unit; decorated 240 cupcakes for the men and women at Columbus House; assembled 84 cookies-in-a-jar mixes to be distributed to local seniors during the holidays; and wrote 80 messages of hope and gratitude for children of those serving overseas for Operation Honor Cards.
In addition, the girls and their friends accepted 19 gently used men’s and women’s coats for Columbus House; 40 children’s coats for Christian Community Action; 3 giant bags of gently loved stuffed animals, 40 new coloring books and 47 packs of new crayons for Project Smile to distribute to police departments to use on emergency calls to comfort kids in crisis; and 190 pounds of food for the Guilford Food Bank.
Speaking from the heart, Congresswoman DeLauro talked about honoring the memory of 4-year-old Tristan Peterson of Guilford, who suffered from Dravet Syndrome, and who died in September, and pledged her support to Dravet Syndrome Foundation founder Lori O’Driscoll, of Monroe, Connecticut, who attended the event with her 6-year-old daughter Ciara, who suffers from the rare form of epilepsy.
“One of the things that is underfunded in this country is epilepsy,” said O’Driscoll. “And when you take something as rare as Dravet Syndrome, it is grossly underfunded. That’s what our mission is, and that’s what we’re doing in addition to providing support to families. In just under two years, we’ve raised $1 million for research. And I don’t say that to brag. I say that because we were started by three parents, much like this organization. We all volunteered. We all pulled together fundraisers, much like this one. And that’s what can happen when a small group of people come together to make a difference in our communities.”
Gesturing to her daughter, Ciara, who enjoyed every minute of the community service extravaganza, O’Driscoll shared her story. “I was told that by age 6, Ciara wouldn’t be walking, she wouldn’t be talking and she certainly wouldn’t be reading. And she’s doing all three. And I say that because our message is a message of hope: Never give up, never stop trying and never stop believing that together you can make a difference.”
While Tristan’s family was unable to attend the event, they told event organizers they were touched by the donation to the Dravet Syndrome Foundation being made in Tristan’s name and hoped the event would spread the word about the rare syndrome, so that other families could get the support they desperately need.
With so many amazing moments shared that evening—including a rousing sing-along of “We Can Change the World,” the event’s theme song, written and performed by talented Guilford teens Kara Welch and Colleen Burkle; the dance-a-thon with Diana Dart Harris and hair-cut-and-style-athon with Hair Concepts of Madison to raise money for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation; and the event-ending yoga session with Full of Joy Yoga and Little Warriors Yoga—the highlight of this very special night of service was both short and sweet: 6-year-old Ciara O’Driscoll taking the microphone to announce the start of the dance-a-thon for the Dravet Syndrome Foundation. “USCS is all about making a difference NOW for Dravet Syndrome Foundation!” said Ciara, as the 86 kids in attendance—including Ciara—took to the dance floor…and never stopped!
Thanks to our community partners!
Once again, we are supremely grateful for the generosity of our community partners: AlphaGraphics New Haven, Ashley’s Ice Cream, Big Y, Breakwater Books, Colleen Burkle and Kara Welch, Crystal Hanger Cleaners, Full of Joy Yoga, Paula Galluzzi, Guilford Savings Bank, Hair Concepts/Madison, Diana Dart Harris, Jordie’s Toy Shoppe, Little Warriors Yoga, Pasta Avest, The Purple Bear, Father Jim Shanley and St. George Catholic Church, and Walmart.
