With the holidays approaching, we begin to understand why we should give back, and learn how we should give back. Now we are starting to realize the impact of giving back!
Learn what it means to make an impact with Kids Hope USA this holiday season and see how it affects students, schools, churches, and your personal life.
Reducing Loneliness
Loneliness is a growing concern in our world today, and it is exacerbated by the holidays. There are many factors that contribute to individuals quietly struggling.
A few of them being:
- Family Dynamics
- Recently Moved
- Loss of Friendship
- Grieving the Loss of a Loved One
- Retirement or Changing Jobs
- Working Remotely
- Becoming a Parent (or Empty Nester)
- Social Media Comparisons
- Time Off Work/School
- + More
When you shift the focus from yourself and begin to invest in others, the feelings of isolation begin to diminish. Being in community with one another stabilizes you.
The Kids Hope USA mentoring relationship creates healthy practices during the holiday season. Each week, you get out into the community, visit your local elementary school, see the festive decorations made by students, and get to play games and connect with your student. Not only is this refreshing, but it also creates a consistent weekly rhythm, which is great if you are longing for community.
Students also benefit from the mentoring relationship. Each week, your student knows that you will show up and be there just for them. They have a consistent friend to spend time with. They can choose to open up to you about how they are feeling, and they will likely leave the mentoring hour feeling much lighter. Mentors make them feel seen.
Engaged Congregation
Your church congregation is positively affected by your giving back. When you pray for Kids Hope USA, you are engaging in a daily practice of reliance on the Lord. Your church is stronger when you are in consistent prayer.
Through mentoring, you begin to recognize other mentors who are at school when you are. You’ll begin to form bonds with these mentors and, in turn, get to know members of your church community. This carries over into Sunday mornings. A strong, healthy church can do incredible things for the Kingdom!
Peace During Hardships
Mentoring, getting plugged in at your church, and being at school leads to peace during hard times. When people get to know you and what you are walking through, they are able to pray for you, encourage you, and support you when needed.
Your student is able to bring laughter and joy in moments where it might feel hard to smile. Playing games and reading children’s books could be the best way to take your mind off of the difficulties going on in your personal life.
Similarly, your student needs your uplifting presence during challenging times. Their home life might feel rocky, their mental health might not be great, or they may have recently lost a loved one. You might not know just how much your presence matters to them!
Real Connection
In a technology-driven society, many students spend a great deal of time on their devices. When their mentor comes to school, there is face-to-face interaction. Conversations without screens are so important for students (and mentors, too)! Real, personal engagement matters.
Faith in Action
When you give of your time, talents, and treasures, it is a tangible expression of your faith. Mentoring a young person is a great example of being the hands and feet of Jesus…Not with our words, but with our actions. Your faith will increase when you invest in others and be prayerful throughout the journey. What a great impact on your life – a stronger, deepened faith in the Lord!
Next Steps
We have discovered WHY we should give back, HOW we can give back, and the IMPACT of giving back during the holidays. Our challenge to you is that you take the time to reflect and to consider making your holiday season mean a little bit more.
Contact us to learn more about one-on-one mentoring relationships and how to give back to Kids Hope USA!