“To create a culture of service we need to expand opportunities for children to help their communities. I founded Good Cents for Oakland to get kids excited about helping their local communities and to give them meaningful ways to contribute to the greater good.” …Dagmar Serota, Executive Director
Good Cents for Oakland believes that kids CAN make a real difference in their communities if they’re given age-appropriate information about issues affecting their community and the tools to help.
We want kids to be excited about helping others, so we’ve created a program where they can make meaningful decisions about who and how to help. We inform kids about issues and encourage them to talk to others about the issues they find important.
Our programs combine service to the community with learning. Children learn social studies and science when they read and discuss issues affecting their community. They learn the importance of voting when they cast their ballots to decide how to help. They use language arts skills to make posters, write letters and talk to others to encourage them to help. They build math and financial literacy skills as they sort and weigh the coins they collect to donate to the non-profit they’ve chosen to support.
Good Cents for Oakland operates three service learning programs in Oakland, California and nearby cities: our flagship program, the 10-week, elementary school Penny Roundup Program, a six-week, pre-k/kindergarten Hunger Program benefiting the Alameda County Community Food Bank and City-wide Service Days, family community service and educational events held at Oakland parks. Over 2,000 children at 10 schools participate in our programs this school year. We hope to introduce a middle school program in the 2009-2010 school year.
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Announcements
2nd Annual City-wide Service Day for the Planet
Sunday, 9/28 1-4pm at Dimond Park, Oakland
Bring your family! Help clean Dimond Park and plant seedlings for Oakland school and community gardens. Enjoy games, prizes and other fun activities for kids that teach the importance of the 4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot). Free giveaways for participants. (while supplies last). Click here for more information
Wine and Art Event
Thursday, 10/2 7-9pm
Nonesuch Gallery, 2865 Broadway, Suite 1 (at 29th St.)
Help us honor Suzan Bateson, Executive Director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank, winner of our 2008 Community Helper Award, and join us for a silent auction of fine wines and other wonderful items and art (a portion of the art sale proceeds will benefit Good Cents for Oakland). Tickets: $25 each. Buy tickets now. Please write 'Wine and Art" tickets in the comments section.
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