Help Other Kids
Even if you go to the same school,
you might not know what other kids’ lives look like when they go home.
Some might be in families struggling to put food on the table. Others might be battling illnesses you can’t see or struggling to keep up with schoolwork. All kids should have a fighting chance to focus on being a kid and having fun. There are things you can do now to help make sure they do just that.
Ready to Make a Difference?
Check out our Activity Finder to find ways to help near you or projects you can do from home.
Create an account so you can favorite activities and track your impact.
Keep reading to learn about facts, how you can help, our nonprofit partners, recommended books to read, additional resources, and lesson plans.
Did you know…
34% of people in poverty are kids.
1 in 5 kids struggle with learning disabilities and differences.
65% of America’s fourth graders don’t read at a proficient level.
About 1 in 8 houses don’t know when their next meal will be.
1 in 30 kids in the U.S. are homeless.
250,000+ children are placed into foster care in the U.S. every year.
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We need your support to keep making great educational materials for young people, parents, and teachers.
How can you help?
The easiest thing you can do for a child or teen in need is to be kind–friendship can go a long way. But there are other ways you can help make their lives a little easier and brighter:
- Share what you have. Do you have clothes that don’t fit, books you’ve already read, or toys you can part with? You can donate gently used items from home to help homeless families or children in tough situations.
- Host a basic goods drive. From coats when it’s cold to school supplies in the fall, there are lots of things you can collect and donate to help kids year-round. Consider holding a new sneakers and socks drive at your school, after school club, or place of worship.
- Help with schoolwork. School doesn’t come easy to everyone. Offer to tutor a struggling classmate with schoolwork in a subject that clicks with you. You can even become a reading partner for someone younger.
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter. Some shelters have opportunities to give back specifically to kids, as well as whole families. See how you can help kids at the homeless shelter near you. Here’s just one example.
- Find a cause near you. Pick an issue or project in your community that speaks to you – and speak up for what matters. Start your search now.
Our Nonprofit Partners
These are just some of the inspiring partners we work with to help kids across the nation:
National
Founded by a 12-year-old, this project gives brand new sneakers to homeless kids across the U.S.
Los Angeles
This group was founded in 2011 by a group of dedicated volunteers and Founder/Executive Director Alison Hurst, offering hot food, clothing and socks to homeless youth in Venice Beach from their cars.
Reading Partners
Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, and Silicon Valley
Dedicated to giving kids the support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade, Reading Partners helps kids succeed in school and life.
The Bay Area
They are a nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life and well-being for children and youth experiencing economic hardship.
Recommended Reading List
A great way to start helping other kids is to understand what they’re going through. Here are a few different resources to help you see what life is like for other children and teens. As an Amazon Associate Project Giving Kids earns a small commission from qualifying purchases.*
Elementary
by Lois Brandt
by Monica Gunning
by Maribeth Boelts
by Matt de la Peña
by Adam Eisenson
Middle School
by Pam Munoz Ryan
No Place to Be: Voices of Homeless Children
by Judith Berck
Changing Places: A Kids View of Shelter Living
by Judy Wallace, Glen Finland and Margie Chalofsky
by Eleanor Estes
by John David Anderson
High School
by Andy Mulligan
by Virginia Euwer Wolff
by Michael Williams
by S.E. Hinton
Additional Online Resources
Interested in learning more? Check out these organizations and their websites for more information!
Together We Rise [Blog Post]
In this blog post from one of our partners, a boy shares his experience as a volunteer foster brother and how he’s finding ways to help.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
From access to clean water to basic education and health care, many kids around the globe don’t have what they need to live a healthy life. Check out the UN’s 17 goals for a better world and how you can make them a reality.
Access Books [PSA]
Access Books, one of our partners, made this video to show how having a well-stocked library can improve literacy in kids. It might just inspire you to give back to your local library.
*The books, websites, charities, and/or other entities we share does not imply explicit endorsement by PGK, nor does PGK have any responsibility for the content provided by other organizations or websites. Content on this site is provided for informational purposes only.
Educational Materials
Teachers and parents can teach kids about helping animals in the classroom or at home with our educational materials.
Choose the grade level below to find a lesson plan.
Elementary School Lesson Plan
Overview
This lesson will focus on diversity and celebrating qualities that make each person unique. Students will discuss the importance of acceptance, kindness, and inclusion of children who are different from themselves.
Objectives
- Students will discuss diversity among people in terms of appearance, ethnicity, abilities, and personality traits
- Students will reflect on ways to show acceptance, perform acts of kindness, and be inclusive of other kids
Middle School Lesson Plan
Overview
This lesson will focus on the importance of appreciating diversity while recognizing similarities among all people. There will also be a focus on stereotypes and the danger of judging others based on their social group affiliation. The importance of acceptance, kindness, and inclusion of other children who are different will be highlighted.
Objectives
- Students will explore diversity while recognizing there are similarities among all types of people
- Students will discuss stereotypes and the danger of judging others based on their social group affiliation
- Students will reflect on ways to practice acceptance, kindness, and inclusion of children who are different from themselves
High School Lesson Plan
Overview
This lesson will focus on identity, stereotypes, bullying, and promoting cultures of kindness in schools and the community.
Objectives
- Students will explore stereotypes and their relationship to bullying
- Students will examine bullying in schools and groups who are more prone to being bullied
- Students will reflect on ways to promote cultures of kindness in schools and the community