The National Network for Youth is constantly lobbying the government and investigating effects of current policies to protect and provide for homeless and disadvantaged youth.

Books

Read more about homelessness in these great books.

Homelessness in the U.S.

Here is the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness. Here you'll find tons of shocking facts about homeless people, and who they are. For example, did you know that 25% of homeless people are U.S. Military veterans?

"Panhandling: A little Understanding"

"Have you ever walked by a person and been a approached for money? What did you do?"

Read this person's account of what it was like being a panhandler, and get a better understanding of those people you often ignore on the streets.

Movies/Documentaries

Here are some great things you can watch about homelessness. Be inspired by these stories, then do something.

Try writing a paper without a working pencil. Pretty difficult huh! Well kids across the globe are attending schools where they face this predicament daily. Help make education possible for these students by collecting school skits and donating them to institutions that need them most.

How do I start?

Get organized! Before you start collecting items, find out…

• What items will you collect (what supplies are really needed)
• Where will you send the items
• How will you pay for shipping

Free the Children is a great organization that provides you answers for all the above questions.

A Few Organizations to Consider

• I Love Schools lets you search for schools in your area to check out their wish lists. Find out what they need and then get started collecting.

Or if you want to donate some extra cash check out...

• Adopt-a-Classroom and get connected with a teacher who needs supplies. This site will ensure that 100% of your donation goes straight to the goods and you'll get a chance to form a relationship with kids who are trying to learn just like you.

Make it into a Competition

Assign each grade a type of item that they will collect. Position boxes for the different supplies in strategic areas on campus. Offer the grade that is able to collect the most school supplies a pizza party or free candy. Work with administrators to provide this extra reward.

A Shopping Spree

Accept cash donations as well and organize a trip to a local price club or try ordering supplies online so you can purchase materials at a low price. Approach the retailers and explain your project, maybe they will offer you a discount. If you talk to school supply stores ahead of time, they might be willing to match your collections. Make sure to hold the campaign after back to school shopping is over so stores will be anxious to get rid of their leftover supplies.

Create the boxes

Make it into a party! Invite students to the school gym one afternoon to sort through the collected items. Provide snacks or ask students to bring their own goodies. Bring some speakers and set up some music to keep everyone entertained.

Free Shipping?

Approach postal carriers in your area and explain the campaign that you are working on. Invite them to participate by shipping your school supply kits for free. If they aren’t interested you can collect stamps. If each student donates one stamp to the cause, you’ll eventually get enough to cover the cost.

For more ideas about fundraising, check out these tips!

Follow-Up

After you’ve sent the supplies don’t give up. Contact the organization that distributed the materials and find out exactly who will be benefiting from your collections. Where did they go and when will they be received. Maybe you can even get some pictures of the students with their new supplies so that you can display the success of your campaign. Is there anything else you can do to help the kids in this community?

Get the all clear

You don’t want to get on your principal’s bad side so first make sure that h/she is okay with this sort of thing.

Get your teachers on board

Have the teachers promise to do something crazy (like crawl to work or sleep on the roof) & watch the jeans pile up. The hope of punishing a teacher has a way of inspiring people.

Get your peeps on board

You don’t want to do this alone so recruit all your homies to help you out. Pull the guilt trip and/or friendship card if you have to - hey, it’s for a good cause!

Spread the word

You need to market your drive! Make posters and flyers ahead of time giving people the details!

Get attention

Use your creative noggin to decorate the boxes/barrels. You can even put it on t-shirts, pants, whatever! The more people know, the more jeans you’ll probably get.

Use your lungs

Ask if you can make an announcement over the PA system, during morning announcements or homeroom. Or use your big mouth during lunch or in between periods and shout out the cause.

Make it Easy

People are more likely to help if they don’t have to do much work, so offer to pick up the jeans at their house or set up a jeans collection bin in the front of your school or in the lunchroom. As a matter of fact, DO IT ALL!

Show off the goods

Display the jeans you’ve gotten to get other teens into the mix.

Close down

Officially close the drive by posting the number of jeans you collected in the main lobby or lunchroom and give special thanks to everyone who chipped in.

Now that you’ve got the Goods

Donate the jeans you’ve collected to a homeless shelter in your area. Check your local phone book or community center for more info.

Drive Ideas

Can’t think of anything off the chain to raise jeans? Check out our list of 11 Ideas for a Jeans Drive.