Reading to Kids

Reading to Kids is a program dedicated to inspiring underserved children with a love of reading. They coordinate reading clubs at elementary schools in downtown Los Angeles where volunteers read aloud to children and create arts and crafts projects about the stories. Each child receives a book to take home and the books read aloud are donated to the school's library. Reading to children imparts a love of books that leads to improved literacy, a more successful education, and a brighter future. The reading clubs are held on the second Saturday of every month from 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.

For new volunteers, please send me an email and I will register you on the website with our Mudders Making a Difference group. Please send me the following information in your email: (1) your birthday (2) 1 reference and their number (3) an emergency contact and their cellphone number (4) your high school (5) -optional- any previous volunteer experience that you have had and feel is relevant.

Returning volunteers may simply send me an email indicating interest. If you would like you may request a certain grade or to work with someone else who will also be volunteering.

Contact: Abby Korth

Knit-a-Square

We send knitted or crocheted 8"x 8" squares to South Africa to a program called Knit-A-Square(http://www.knit-a-square.com/). On arrival, the squares are sewn together into quilts for poor children in South Africa, many of whom have been orphaned due to the AIDS epidemic.

The instructions for knitting can be found here.

The instructions for crocheting can be found here.

If you do not have yarn please send me an email and I can drop off some in your mailbox. Also, for many knitters/crocheters who find creating squares too simple a task, consider making your test squares 8"x8" or use it as an opportunity to try out new stitches.

Contact: Laurie Egan

Support for the Bernard Field Station

The first Saturday of every month the Bernard Field Station holds a Volunteer Work Day in which MMAD volunteers clear trails, clean up litter, and maintain the grounds of the field station.

Contact: Laurie Egan

Habitat for Humanity

Hosting a fundraiser for next semester, Spring 2012, that will include a raffle, bounce house, fry smith truck, student DJ, and more pending activities. The purpose of the fundraiser is to raise $750, the amount necessary for a Habitat for Humanity project where we will take 8 students one weekend to build homes in Pomona City. We will also be selling shot glasses, under the permission of Dean Chris, to raise money for the project. The building-themed shot glasses will be sold at the Hoch Shanahan Dining Hall in January or February of Spring 2012.

Contact: Arianna Perkins and Sarah Stevens

Shoes That Fit

Shoes that Fit provides new shoes to children in need, enabling them to attend school in comfort, to build self-confidence, and to focus on their schoolwork. MMAD coordinators organize a shoe drive where students, faculty, and staff personally buy shoes to donate. The drive occurs once a semester.

Contact: Laurie Egan

Red Cross/New Hope Blood Drive

We arrange an on-campus blood drive. We table with sign-up sheets and coordinate with these organizations.

Contact: Anne Clark

Food Rescue

Food Rescue is a 1-year-old program where unserved, leftover food from the Hoch is donated to a local church in Pomona that serves over 250 families. Food is donated 5 nights a week. The program works in collaboration with the food rescue clubs at Scripps and CMC. The food is collected and driven over together. We average 12-15 trays worth of food donations every week.

Mudd volunteers are needed for half-hour shifts to help bring the food to the rendezvous point by the Scripps dining hall – no driving involved.

Contact: Julius Elinson