SPRING 2014 Volume 14-1
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S E M I T O R E H SUPER
In this issue
Read the story of Stone Soup!
Meet Poverty Superhero Maria!
Play the Poverty Sundae Game!
Ignite Good!™ Story Contest!
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How will YOU make a difference?
Poverty is a Big Deal e h t f o f l a h t u o b A 3 ( n o i t a l u p o p s ’ d l wor n o s e v i l ) e l p o billion pe r e p 0 5 . 2 $ n a h t less day.
In the United States, 16 million children (1 in 5) live in poverty.
POVERTY:
when someone does not have enough money to pay for their basic needs
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More than 1 billion people n a e l c t e g t o n n ca water. Global Game Changers Vol. 14-1
Meet Maria Keller,
Poverty SUPERHERO! Our Spring 2014 Superhero is Maria Keller. She is 13 years old, but she has been working to combat poverty for 5 years already, since she was only 8. Maria loves to read, so she decided to collect books for kids who don’t have as many books because they live in shelters or stay in hospitals. She started a special organization called Read Indeed, and people from all over the country have been helping her collect and sort books and get them to the kids who need them. She had a goal of collecting 1 million books by the time she turned 18. And guess what? She ALREADY reached her goal! Congratulations!
Fast Facts About Maria: Age: 13 Hometown: Hopkins, MN Superhero Quality I Want: I think I would like to have the ability to move incredibly quickly, simply because you can get so much more done. Favorite subject: Math and Chinese Favorite Animal: Dogs Favorite Movie: The Chronicles of Narnia What I want to be when I grow up: I’m not sure. Perhaps becoming a doctor, working in a third world country helping people. Hobbies: Shopping and going to movies with friends. My heroes: My parents are my heroes and I greatly admire Mother Theresa.
But that doesn’t mean Maria is done. Her new goal is to make sure her books get to kids in every single state in the United States. Read on to learn more about Maria and how YOU can help her in her mission. 1. Have you gotten any friends or family to get involved in your charity work? What have they done? During the past 5 years, I have received help from many, many friends and family, who have held book drives and who volunteer at the Read Indeed warehouse. They sort, count, and package books for delivery. I also have about 200 ongoing volunteers to come to the warehouse to help.
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COLLECTING BOOKS FOR KIDS IN NEED
READING
MY TALENT
MY HEART
MY SUPERPOWER!
2. Do you have any advice for other kids who want to get involved? I would like other kids to hold book drives in their school, church, neighborhood, etc. They can then work with me to find places in their own locations to donate the books to in Read Indeed’s name. That way, the books get to the kids faster and we save on shipping costs. 3. Tell me a little bit about your family. My mom is a writer and my dad owns a brand management firm in Minneapolis. I have a 10-year-old brother, and two dogs. I also have a huge extended family with 20 cousins. 4. What are some of your favorite books? The Giver by Lois Lowry, Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling, The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, just to name a few. You can find more of my favorite books on my website, ReadIndeed.org 5. Is there anything else that you want to tell us about yourself or your cause? I’ve learned how important books are in people’s lives. I love Thomas Jefferson’s quote: “I can’t live without books.” It is perfect.
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Charities That Help People In Poverty Maria’s Charity Read Indeed is a nonprofit literacy organization and the vision of Maria Keller, a book-loving 5th grader who wants to make the world a better place—one book at a time. Maria wants children and teens to have books in their homes! She collects and distributes gently used and new books to children from ages 0-18. She reached her goal of 1 million books in October 2013 and is now striving to collect and distribute books to every state in the U.S. and every country in the world.
Other Charities National Center for Families Learning’s goal is to inspire and engage families in the pursuit of education and learning together. NCFL provides support and strategies to a network of entities involved in families learning together, including educators, schools, community-based organizations, and libraries. Literacy is essential to success in today’s economy, now more than ever. The family literacy approach harnesses the strength of parent-child bonds to help those who are most at risk of failing .
CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Our mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and decades of experience, we promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. We seek a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security.
Coalition for the Homeless is the nation's oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless men, women, and children. We are dedicated to the principle that affordable housing, sufficient food, and the chance to work for a living wage are fundamental rights in a civilized society. Since we began in 1981, the Coalition has worked through litigation, public education, and direct services to ensure that these goals are reached. Global Game Changers Vol. 14-1
Read the Folktale of Stone Soup Once upon a time, somewhere in post-war Eastern Europe, there was a great famine in which people jealously hoarded whatever food they could find, hiding it even from their friends and neighbors. Three soldiers trudged down a road in a strange country. They were on their way home from the wars. Besides being tired, they were hungry. In fact, they had eaten nothing for many, many days. “How I would like a good dinner tonight,” said the first. “And a bed to sleep in,” added the second. “But that is impossible,” said the third. On they marched, until suddenly, ahead of them, they saw the lights of a village. “Maybe we’ll find a bite to eat and a bed to sleep in,” they thought. Now the peasants of the place feared strangers. When they heard that three soldiers were coming down the road, they talked among themselves. “Here come three soldiers,” they said. “Soldiers are always hungry. But we have so little for ourselves.” And they hurried to hide their food. They hid the barley in haylofts, carrots under quilts, and buckets of milk down the wells. They hid all they had to eat. Then they waited. The soldiers stopped at the first house. “Good evening to you,” they said. “Could you spare a bit of food for three hungry soldiers?” “We have no food for ourselves,” the residents lied. “It has been a poor harvest.” The soldiers went to the next house. “Could you spare a bit of food?” they asked. “And do you have a corner where we could sleep for the night?” “Oh, no,” the man said. “We gave all we could spare to the soldiers who came before you.” “And our beds are full,” lied the woman. At each house, the response was the same — no one had food or a place for the soldiers to stay. The peasants had very good reasons, like feeding the sick and children. The villagers stood in the street and sighed. They looked as hungry as they could. The soldiers talked together. The first soldier called out, “Good people! We are three hungry soldiers in a strange land. We have asked you for food and you have no food. Well, we will have to make stone soup.” The peasants stared.
“Any soup needs salt and pepper,” the first soldier said, so children ran to fetch salt and pepper. “Stones make good soup, but carrots would make it so much better,” the second soldier added. One woman said, “Why, I think I have a carrot or two!” She ran to get the carrots. “A good stone soup should have some cabbage, but no use asking for what we don’t have!” said the third soldier. Another woman said, “I think I can probably find some cabbage,” and off she scurried. “If only we had a bit of beef and some potatoes, this soup would be fit for a rich man’s table.” The peasants thought it over, then ran to fetch what they had hidden in their cellars. A rich man’s soup, and all from a few stones! It seemed like magic! The soldiers said, “If only we had a bit of barley and some milk, this soup would be fit for a king!” And so the peasants managed to retrieve some barley and milk. “The soup is ready,” said the cooks, “and all will taste it, but first we need to set the tables.” Tables and torches were set up in the square, and all sat down to eat. Some of the peasants said, “Such a great soup would be better with bread and cider,” so they brought forth the last two items and the banquet was enjoyed by all. Never had there been such a feast. Never had the peasants tasted such delicious soup, and all made from stones! They ate and drank and danced well into the night. The soldiers asked again if there was a loft where they might sleep for the night. “Oh, no!” said the town folk. “You wise men must have the best beds in the village!” So one soldier spent the night in the priest’s house, one in the baker’s house, and one in the mayor’s house. In the morning, the villagers gathered to say goodbye. “Many thanks to you,” the people said, “for we shall never go hungry now that you have taught us how to make soup from stones!”
The soldiers asked for a big iron pot, water to fill it, and a fire to heat it. “And now, if you please, three round smooth stones.” The soldiers dropped the stones into the pot. Global Game Changers Vol. 14-1
DEBT Money that is spent over what is earned.
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Host a Poverty Badge Party
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1. Discuss the difference between what you want and what you need. Have everyone draw a picture of something they want. Then, have everyone draw a picture of something that they need. 2. Learn about the Poverty badge. 3. Go online to find out about poverty in another country. 4. Play the Poverty Sundae Game (below). 5. Have guests bring gently used toys, books, or clothing to the party. At the end, travel to a local homeless shelter or similar organization to donate what you’ve collected. me paper from a hat a G e a d y Sun ts draw a et a scoop of ice g Poverlttoppings. Have gueasm only, Cs
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Global Game Changers Vol. 14-1
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IGNITE GOOD!™STORY CONTEST to be a SUPERHERO OF THE MONTH Visit us at the GGC Website: www.theglobalgamechangers.com
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Global Game Changers Vol. 14-1