OTHER WAYS WE'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE
WARM HANDS, WARM HEARTS*
Did you know that one of the most requested items from homeless men at homeless shelters is gloves? In fact, the homeless use gloves year round, not only in the winter. The gloves not only give the homeless warmth during the chilly spring and summer nights but also provides their hands with protection as they rummage through trash and dumpsters while trying to survive on the streets. This campaign is a unique, annual glove collection in the way that it is specifically for underprivileged men within Cleveland. We focused on men because typically when donations are received at shelters like St. Hermans or the West Side Catholic Center, the donations are for women and children, and many shelters lack men's donations.
SPRING CLEANING*
Spring Cleaning is an annual toiletry collection that typically takes place in the spring months. Spring Cleaning produces close to a thousand toiletry products per collection that are donated to the women at the Julie Adams House as well as the homeless at the West Side Catholic Center. Products collected include toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, bars of soap, washcloths, and many other toiletry items.
positive PEN pals
Never underestimate the power of words. For this fun and easy project, volunteers write letters and holiday cards to the people staying at Project Hope, located in Painesville, Ohio. Those staying at this shelter often feel discouraged and need positive encouragement. Our letters, though simple and small, have been received with enthusiasm at the shelter.
THE BUDDY PROJECT*
Every 10th, 20th, and 30th date of the month, M.A.D. Club sends a group of volunteers to visit the children and teenagers residing at the Rosemary Center home on Ridgewood Drive. We have taken part in various activities to offer our friendship to the children, such as attending carnivals with them, planting a pumpkin patch in their backyard, taking trips to the park, going to Boo at the Zoo for Halloween, making fun arts and crafts, and during the holidays, singing Christmas carols! For the children who are Catholic, our volunteers have taken them to mass at St. John Bosco's parish, usually on the first and third Sunday of each month. Following this, they are taken to Children's Liturgy of the Word during the priest's homily.
THROWING PARTIES FOR UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS
Volunteers celebrated Christmas and Easter with two communities of underprivileged children.
Every year, a friend of M.A.D. Club hosts a Christmas party for the children in one of these two communities. This party is very similar to other Christmas parties for children: the kids eat pizza, play games, and leave with a goody-bag. However, for these children, this party means so much more.
M.A.D. Club created the souvenirs from this party for the children. Because the party was celebrating Christmas, M.A.D. Club decorated over 60 styrofoam ornaments to give to the children at the end of the party. Although many of the children that attended did not have Christmas trees at home, they were overjoyed with the ornaments nonetheless!
On another occasion, M.A.D. Club worked with the same community to help prepare for an Easter egg hunt being hosted for this group of children. M.A.D. Club members stuffed candy into over 600 Easter eggs for the hunt, and the kids had a blast!
For a separate group of underprivileged children residing in Painesville, Ohio, members operated and volunteered at an Easter party for the children that lasted all day!
TEAMING UP LOCALLY
M.A.D. Club partnered with Skin Rehab, LLC in North Royalton to host a toiletry collection specifically for the ladies at the Julie Adams House. The owner generously gave her clients 50% off one of her services if they donated ten items from a list of needed toiletries at the House. With the help of Skin Rehab, M.A.D. Club was able to collect nearly 400 toiletry products for these ladies!