Need Ideas

[Josiegirl]

One of my dcfs with 2 kids, had a house fire Monday night and it'll be months before they can move back into the house. They thought at first they'd have to rebuild but I guess they'll repair. My question is, I'd love some suggestions for what I could do for them. They're being given clothes and dcm's work is making meals for them. I did give them a gift card to the grocery store for $50 and also $60 in cash. I had the dcks all make cards for them. At the moment, they're in a motel but are trying to find an apartment. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Not this weekend but next weekend, I'm going to see if I can take the kids during the weekend sometime.
Thanks for any ideas.

[drseuss]

Do you have a few other families you work with? I think if it were me, I'd come up with an idea for a fundraiser that all my families could participate in (as they were willing and able to). It could be something as simple as having everyone donate stuff and have a big yard sale, with all profits going to the affected family, or purchasing fundraiser boxes of candy bars and asking your willing daycare families to sell them.

[Unregistered]

Do you have a few other families you work with? I think if it were me, I'd come up with an idea for a fundraiser that all my families could participate in (as they were willing and able to). It could be something as simple as having everyone donate stuff and have a big yard sale, with all profits going to the affected family, or purchasing fundraiser boxes of candy bars and asking your willing daycare families to sell them.

The only problem with that is that some people feel embarrassed if their personal lives are made into a big production and some people are too proud to accept much help from others (especially out of the family) and don't appreciate being treated like a charity case. If you did do the fundraiser/rummage sale, then I would suggest just saying it's for charity or a family in need (not giving their names) or not saying anything at all and just give them the proceeds anonymously.

[SilverSabre25]

I definitely think that offering care outside of regular hours would be very helpful--so they can apartment hunt, etc. Could you find out if anything very precious to dcg was ruined and replace it?

I would think that something like taking up a collection from your other families for a gift card to maybe a department store/Target kind of place might be helpful. They may be getting clothes for free but there might be something specific they want or need, or household stuff for their apartment, that kind of thing.

[bloominggenius]

First of all, find any pictures you have of their child. The most devastating thing you lose in a fire are the memories. Make them a scrapbook to restart their photo collection. Next, make a backpack for each child with coloring books and crayons, books to read and travel games or flash cards. This will help mom while they are stuck in a hotel room.

[daycare]

First of all, find any pictures you have of their child. The most devastating thing you lose in a fire are the memories. Make them a scrapbook to restart their photo collection. Next, make a backpack for each child with coloring books and crayons, books to read and travel games or flash cards. This will help mom while they are stuck in a hotel room.

I love this idea. I lost a lot of my photos in a flood that happened in mostly our garage years ago. I lost all of the pictures of my son's biological mother, my best friend. It was the most heartbreaking thing for me when it happened and then even harder to have to tell him.

I also love the idea of a back pack. If you have an extra computer or lap top you can let them borrow, I would maybe ask if they needed one so that they could look online for apts, pay bills, etc.............

[Josiegirl]

Thank you! I will try to start printing out pics this weekend. I've already told dcm I'd like to take the kids next weekend. Maybe(if funds allow) I'll take them to McD's and buy them a couple things at Walmart. I cannot imagine being 3 and 6 and losing most of your things. To little kids, that's what's important, even though dcm has been having tons of discussions about real priorities.

[grateday]

Try places were people are giving things away

Someone locally had a house fire and a friend was helping them out. So she went to freecycle, craigslist, and facebook. She asked everywhere for certain things. This friend bought them a trailer and was trying to furnish it. I called her up because she picked up a bed from me and asked her if she needed some of the furniture I had a working vaccum, etc.