Quarters for Kids provides a win/win situation allowing students to help other children while learning about philanthropy and developing leadership skills.  It is a great way students to learn about hunger and homelessness here in Colorado, creating a spirit of community service.  Additionally, students get to express their creativity when developing methods to collect quarters that are fun and unique.

It is important to teach our students that homelessness and the resulting hunger problems in our society are caused by many factors including poverty, eroding opportunities for work, lack of affordable health care, mental illness, and domestic violence.  It is crucial to dissolve myths about the average homeless person, and instead give a comprehensive picture of the many difficult problems that force members of our community onto the streets.

For facts about homelessness in Denver and for more resources, please click the link below:

Teacher tools- homelessness.docx

Additionally, students need to understand why hunger is a growing problem in our society and why food is most commonly the necessity that parents cannot afford.  Even basic discussions on how students feel when they are hungry will help to illustrate the additional challenge homeless children face each day.

For more facts and information about hunger in Denver, please click the link below:

Teacher tools- hunger.docx