Sleep Out for Shelter Service Learning Event – May 20, 2011

Lake Harriet Community School

 

The entire LHCS community is invited to participate in a school wide service learning project called “Sleep Out for Shelter.” This fundraising event is part of our school’s year long service learning initiative on housing. The goal of this project is to raise enough funds for 8-10 shelters for Haitian families who lost their homes due to the earthquake. LHCS has partnered with the American Refugee Committee (ARC) to plan and carry out the Sleep Out for Shelter. ARC is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that provides humanitarian assistance in 7 countries around the world, helping people regain control of their lives. The people ARC serves have lost everything to events completely beyond their control. In Haiti, ARC’s goal is to build 2,000 shelters for families who lost their homes. Our school can help that effort by participating in the Sleep Out for Shelter.

 

What is the Sleep Out for Shelter?   

The Sleep Out for Shelter is an event in which students give up their shelter for one night, get pledges from friends and families, and donate the funds to the American Refugee Committee, who will build the shelters for families in Haiti. 
 

When is the Sleep Out for Shelter?

The Sleep Out for Shelter is FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011, 7pm 

Who is participating in the Sleep Out for Shelter?

Students and their families, staff and teachers are all encouraged to participate in this event. 

How do you participate?

There are several levels of participation in the Sleep Out for Shelter. You can make it a family event or you can invite friends over to camp out at your home. If you choose to invite any students over to your house for the Sleep Out for Shelter, please comply with school policy by completing a criminal background check. There is a $5.00 charge, and complete the form no later than May 5 to allow time for processing.   Please see LHCS volunteer policy (http://lakeharriet.mpls.k12.mn.us/volunteer_policies_3.html) for more information.  

Your child may not be comfortable sleeping out in a tent. That is just fine! You can still participate and call it a “Sleep Under” instead of a “Sleep Out” and just make it an evening event.

 

Parent toolkits are available to those who sign up to participate. These toolkits are provided by ARC and contain information about Haiti, ARC, and the transitional shelters. They also contain fun learning activities families can do together to reflect on the experience after spending the night in a tent.

 

Information about the Sleep Out for Shelter will be provided by student council members at the Carnival. Parents can pick up the Parent Toolkit, sign up forms, background checks and pledge forms at that time. These forms will also be available on the school website and in the school offices.  The Pledge Form is currently available below and at the upper right of this page.  We will have other forms posted soon.

 

We are excited that you are participating in this school wide community service learning event!

 

Any questions? Please contact Diversity Committee members Maree Hampton (mmhampton@earthlink.net)

or Kathy Seipp (kseipp2@msn.com)