Attention Please!!!
Invisible Youth Network has declared Saturday, October 10, 2009 as Youth Outreach Day--and hopes to make this a regular event scheduled for the second Saturday in October in the years ahead. So, what does this mean to you, the reader? In short... How might you participate in this event that is designed to reach out to homeless and/or otherwise at-risk youth? There are many things one could do when it comes to participating in something like this, and you can do one of more of what I'm about to suggest--and/or even think of some of your own. A few suggestions to get you started (some of which can be started right on October 10, and others that will need some pre-October 10 preparation):
Invisible Youth Network has declared Saturday, October 10, 2009 as Youth Outreach Day--and hopes to make this a regular event scheduled for the second Saturday in October in the years ahead. So, what does this mean to you, the reader? In short... How might you participate in this event that is designed to reach out to homeless and/or otherwise at-risk youth? There are many things one could do when it comes to participating in something like this, and you can do one of more of what I'm about to suggest--and/or even think of some of your own. A few suggestions to get you started (some of which can be started right on October 10, and others that will need some pre-October 10 preparation):
- Prayer and/or positive thoughts is always a great starting point--but it's just a starting point, as we're expected to put wings on our prayers and to convert our positive thoughts into positive actions.
- Once you have studied this information in order to know more about what this event is all about and its possibilities, write to your elected officials (everybody from the Mayor/Town Council right up to The President of The United States--or, if you're from another country, whomever the powers-that-be are there) asking that they might declare the second Saturday in October as Youth Outreach Day--not as a holiday where people get paid leave from work but just as one of those holidays that appear on calendars such as Groundhog Day, Sweetest Day, etc.
- While you're contacting people, you might also include your local media and some of your favorite celebrities asking them if they would get involved in some way when it comes to celebrating this special day.
- Become familiar with our mission by visiting our website and checking out our online directory in order to learn about at least some of the places online where IYN is represented. Perhaps, you might find some groups and/or activities of which you might want to be a part. You might also like to check out our volunteer page and see what is needed there that might be a match for you and/or somebody you know.
- October 10 would be a great day for businesses to give a percentage of what they take in that day to Invisible Youth Network and/or any local agencies/churches/etc. who are doing something positive for homeless and/or otherwise at-risk babies, children, teens, and young adults. If you are a business owner, you might consider doing this. If you don't own a business, you can still discuss this with those who own/manage the restaurants, stores, and other establishments in order to encourage them to do this.
- At the time of this writing (September 19), we have a growing number of chapters/affiliates of IYN, one of which is out of a high school. You can find some of them here and here. We would like to encourage more high schools to start chapters by contacting us to find out the requirements (which are, actually, quite simple). What would be wonderful would be for several high schools to start chapters and, then, have their first order of business (fundraising) to occur on Youth Outreach Day with some suggestions being (but not limited to): bake sale, car wash, walk-a-thon, talent show, showing classic movies (complete with popcorn) in the school auditorium for a small admission fee, having a carnival.
- Get with your neighbors and have a yard sale with all money taken in going to IYN.
- If you're a popular musician, have a concert where at least part of your profits will go to IYN.
- Churches and other organizations could host a very meaningful dining experience in their fellowship halls. For a donation of five dollars, each diner gets a place at a table where each spot includes an envelope, which is to remain unopened until the servers come around to take orders. At this time, each envelope is opened, and a card with a number on it is taken out and placed into some kind of device to hold it up. Only the servers know what the numbers stand for (a number of numbers stand for the same thing) and will start serving the diners accordingly. Some people will get a single item such as a piece of fruit, box of raisins, or small package of oyster crackers along with an empty styrofoam cup for getting served water. Other people will get sandwich bags containing seven potato chips and their styrofoam cups. A handful of people will get lucky and be served a steak dinner with all of the trimmings along with a bottomless cup of their chosen soft beverage. The majority of people will get a styrofoam cup of water--and a cardboard with the same picture on both sides to be placed in what held their numbers: a nasty-looking dumpster with the words "Now serving dinner!" written above it. The five dollar donations would, of course, go to IYN. Each dinner guest would be given at least one of our pamphlets to take home.
- You could get with some friends or go alone to shop for items listed on our wish list. You could either do this on October 10 and, then, mail what you've bought to IYN headquarters the following Monday or else you could be doing your shopping in the days leading up to October 10 on which you go to the post office early to mail off the TLC packages.
- If you know where homeless youth spend time (if you live in, or near, a community that has them), get with a group of people and have a cookout with them as the guests of honor.
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