How to Help

HOW TO HELP - VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Our mission is to create a kind and caring community for resource families and children in foster care throughout the Lehigh Valley...and beyond.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

The Kindness Project would not exist without our passionate volunteers. We welcome individuals, church groups, scouts, schools, civic groups, or anyone who would like to lend a helping hand in supporting the many foster care families around the Lehigh Valley.

One very helpful way to provide support to The Kindness Project is to have your group or organization coordinate a DONATION DRIVE. Contact us for details on how to partner with us in this way!

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM

If interested in volunteering, please complete the form below.

For anyone interested in volunteering at The Kindness Exchange, PA Clearances can be emailed to KindnessProjectLV@gmail.com.

VOLUNTEER FAQs

What are some of the volunteer needs at The Kindness Project?

Our needs are often changing along with the seasons. The primary tasks include:

Washing/sorting incoming donations
Taking unused donations to Goodwill
Helping at The Kindness Exchange during open hours (PA Clearances req'd)
Assisting with seasonal transitions/organization at The Kindness Exchange
Cleaning, landscape work
Assisting at special events (several times each year)
Administrative tasks (sending birthday cards/encouraging notes)
Fundraising

What can children do to help?

We love to hear about children and teens in our community who are interested in helping! Because we are working with a delicate population of children in foster care, we must be careful about who is volunteering at The Kindness Exchange during open hours.

Here are some ways your children can help:

Assist in organizing donation drives with their school, church, or other youth organization
Paint 'Kindness Rocks' to place along our pathway at The Kindness Exchange
Make encouraging cards or artwork that we can pass along to the foster children who visit our shop
Teens may be able to come during off-hours to help with sorting of donations, cleaning and outside maintenance.

Please contact us with any specific questions!

What PA Clearances are required in order to volunteer at The Kindness Exchange shop?

For the safety of the children we serve, we follow the same policies as many schools and churches working with children. We ask that you provide current copies of the following PA Clearances.

Please use Volunteer Service Code 1KG6ZJ for the FBI / IdentoGo application to receive the discounted fee of $22.60.

If you have existing PA clearances, they should have been processed less than 5 years (60 months) ago.

How many hours are required to be a volunteer?

We are thankful to all who inquire about getting involved with The Kindness Project! There is no expectation about how much or how little time a volunteer should offer. Every hour given, is an hour that supports our efforts to serve local children in foster care.

We will work with you personally to decide the best way you can join our volunteer team and how much time you are comfortable giving to our cause.

FOSTER CARE FACTS

Over 443,000 U.S. children were in foster care as of 2018. The majority of children entering foster care are less than one year old.

In 2016, Pennsylvania had 44,359 total referrals for child abuse and neglect, up 66% from 2012, the highest number of reports recorded to date.

The number of Lehigh County foster care referrals doubled between 2016 to 2017.

In 2016, approximately 81,884 grandparents in Pennsylvania had the primary responsibility of caring for their grandchildren.

47% of children entering foster care are white, 21% are black/African American, and 20% are Hispanic. Over 75% of youth in foster are separated from their siblings.

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM

VOLUNTEER FAQs

FOSTER CARE FACTS

Over 443,000 U.S. children were in foster care as of 2018. The majority of children entering foster care are less than one year old.

In 2016, Pennsylvania had 44,359 total referrals for child abuse and neglect, up 66% from 2012, the highest number of reports recorded to date.

The number of Lehigh County foster care referrals doubled between 2016 to 2017.

In 2016, approximately 81,884 grandparents in Pennsylvania had the primary responsibility of caring for their grandchildren.

47% of children entering foster care are white, 21% are black/African American, and 20% are Hispanic. Over 75% of youth in foster are separated from their siblings.

Neglect/abuse is the number one reason for children entering foster care (62%).
118,000 children in the U.S. are awaiting adoption.

KindnessProjectLV@gmail.com

SUBSCRIBE

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM

VOLUNTEER FAQs

FOSTER CARE FACTS

Over 443,000 U.S. children were in foster care as of 2018. The majority of children entering foster care are less than one year old.

In 2016, Pennsylvania had 44,359 total referrals for child abuse and neglect, up 66% from 2012, the highest number of reports recorded to date.

The number of Lehigh County foster care referrals doubled between 2016 to 2017.

In 2016, approximately 81,884 grandparents in Pennsylvania had the primary responsibility of caring for their grandchildren.

47% of children entering foster care are white, 21% are black/African American, and 20% are Hispanic. Over 75% of youth in foster are separated from their siblings.

Neglect/abuse is the number one reason for children entering foster care (62%).118,000 children in the U.S. are awaiting adoption.

KindnessProjectLV@gmail.com

SUBSCRIBE

Neglect/abuse is the number one reason for children entering foster care (62%).
118,000 children in the U.S. are awaiting adoption.