Many of you may be familiar with Dr. Jane Goodall, renowned primatologist.  But did you know that she is the inspiring founder of an organization that is dedicated to motivating the youth of today to be the leaders of tomorrow.  Roots & Shoots youth take action all over the world by identifying problems in their communities that effect people, animals, and the environment; implementing service projects and youth-led campaigns; and exchanging ideas online and in person.

The organization’s goal is to create a fun, flexible, and supportive environment where young people and adults can share inspirations, participate in special events and worldwide campaigns, and experience successful results.  Kids from around the world participate in their classrooms, home schools, nature centers, neighborhoods, refugee camps, zoos, scout troops, and more.  Projects can range from helping endangered species to implementing reusable bag campaigns to creating tree nurseries to promoting worldwide peace.  According to Dr. Goodall, the answers to so many global problems are in the meaning behind the organization’s name:  “Roots creep underground and make a firm foundation. Shoots may seem weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls.  Hundreds of thousands of roots & shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world can break through these walls.”

© YesKidzCan!, 2012

When six year old Stevie Nelson decided to dedicate his 6th Birthday to helping animals in need at the Northeast Nebraska Humane Society, he (along with his family) never imagined that just a few months later, Stevie would be named “Kid of the Year” by the organization that inspired “Stevie Nelson’s 6th Birthday Wish.”

Stevie’s story started with the loss of his two beloved dogs, Bo and Luke, that went missing just days before his 5th Birthday. His only 5th Birthday Wish was to have his “boys” back. Sadly, that wish did not come true.

Soon after, Stevie was moved to action by an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) commercial showing animals in need.  He started “Stevie Nelson’s 6th Birthday Wish” asking friends and family to skip traditional birthday presents, and instead, bring toys, treats, collars, leashes, food, or monetary contributions to benefit the animals in foster care at Northeast Nebraska Humane Society.  Along with securing loads of needed items, Stevie also raised a lot of money.  He surpassed his initial goal of donating $6,000 and presented a check of $25,778.19 to his local humane society.

It comes as no surprise that the ASPCA named Stevie the ASPCA “Tommy P. Monahan” Kid of the Year for his work in advocating for animals in need.  Stevie joined six other outstanding people (and animals) at the 2011 ASPCA Humane Awards in New York City where he will receive his award.  And like any true philanthropist, Stevie continues to help animals in need.  We think Stevie has earned an additional title:  “Dogs’ Best Friend!”

© YesKidzCan!, 2011

Did you know that there are 377 million pets in the U.S. but only 311 million people?  If you were ever considering making a furry addition to your household, perhaps this is your month!

One place to consider starting is PetFinder.com which has a database of more than 180,000 dogs searchable by age, breed, size, and gender.  According to PetFinder.com, the most common reason animals are brought to shelters is because of an incompatible fit, not because of behavioral issues.  And if your family is super busy, consider adopting an already-trained, older dog.  Could be one of the best things you do for a four-legged friend and your family!

© YesKidzCan!, 2011

For many of us, most of our exposure to farm animals has been through a school or family trip to the petting zoo or pumpkin/apple picking excursions.  At least in our experience, the animals have seemed well cared for and in tip top shape.  But perhaps you or your kids do not know that there are farm animals that are not kept in great conditions?

Thank goodness for farm sanctuaries that rescue neglected or even abused animals and assist in disasters by securing homes and transportation for animals in need.  Disasters can be natural (such as floods or  hurricanes) or man-made (such as when a factory closes it doors for financial reasons). Many farm sanctuaries invite in the public so they can see cows, pigs, chickens and other animals in healthy surroundings and exhibiting their natural behaviors in order to educate them about the need to treat these animals with dignity and kindness.

To find the farm sanctuary closest to you, you can contact the Humane Society of the United States Farm Animals and Sustainable Agriculture section.  Also the HSUS is coming out with a new Kids’ Activity Book for National Farm Animal Awareness Week that has fun facts and animal survival hero stories as well as puzzles, games, and coloring pages.

So while your kids may not be able to to snuggle up to a chicken, cuddle up to a cow or play fetch with a pig as they might with the family dog, cat, or guinea pig, they can still show farm animals some love by learning about them and helping them roam the fields, dig in the earth, or expand their wings — as nature intended.

© YesKidzCan!, 2011

(Excerpts from the story shared by Dawn Nelson, Stevie Nelson’s mom)

Video games, DVDs, bikes, toy cars, anything related to superheroes…this is what a typical birthday list looks like for most little boys turning six years old. However, Stevie Nelson of Tilden, NE, had a different kind of list this year. For his sixth birthday, he asked for dog food, cat food, animal treats, various chew toys and money, $6,000 to be exact, a thousand dollars for each of the Stevie’s years so far. All to benefit the Northeast Nebraska Humane Society.

His dream gift is a safe shelter for Northeast Nebraska’s unwanted dogs and cats who are still looking for their forever homes. Animals have always had a special place in Stevie’s heart. Stevie’s compassion for animals reached an entirely new level last year after his two charcoal Labrador Retrievers, Bo and Luke, went missing from their family home just two days before his fifth birthday. Stevie’s only birthday wish last year was to have his two best friends returned to him—a wish that was unfortunately never granted.

Instead of having a traditional sixth birthday party, Stevie requested that his birthday party guests not bring him any gifts, but rather bring gifts that would help the thousands of unwanted pets in Northeast Nebraska, including dog/cat food, vitamins, toys, collars, leashes and treats. He stated that he wanted to “fill trucks full of donations.” Word spread across the country and soon people nationwide started making monetary and product donations.  To date, Stevie has raised $25, 778.19 in monetary donations and an estimated $5,000 in product donations.

According to Stevie’s mom, “He has made something so  positive come out of our family’s tragedy. This is an excellent example of  ‘Paying it forward.’  What is equally amazing is when Stevie’s friends in Tilden heard his story, they wanted to help him raise money so much that they split the contents of  their piggy banks with him. That was incredibly touching to me.”

Stevie shared, “I am just happy to get to help more animals feel loved.”  His mom added, “I have never measured the success of this fundraiser by a dollar amount. This has been a valuable experience. We are so pleased that at age of 6 , Stevie was able to look beyond himself and see a bigger picture and a desire to help others. I think we can all learn from that.”

For more information, or to make donations visit Stevie Nelson’s 6th Birthday Wish.

© YesKidzCan!, 2011

Allow us to introduce you to Susan Newmand and Mary Jo Rhodes – two social entrepreneurs passionate about frogs.  Yes, frogs!

They founded an organization called Frogs are Green, a conservation group with the mission of alerting people to the potential extinction of frogs and other amphibians and offering solutions for their survival.

Frogs absorb chemicals into their skin and are extremely sensitive to environmental threats.  We ingest and absorb the same chemicals in our water and other consumer projects, and frogs serve as excellent environmental messengers by showing us potential dangers.  These animals face serious environmental threats from toxins in the environment, climate change, and over collection by the pet, laboratory, and restaurant trade.

To raise funds to support their work, Frogs are Green sells adorable t-shirts, calendars, posters and other resources.  They also offer contests as ways to get children involved.

Frogs are Green offers a fun way for our kids to learn about using business ventures to help solve social problems, and at the same time, learn about the potential threats to an amphibian that is a kid favorite – the green frog.

© YesKidzCan!, 2011

When our military women and men are deployed, they face the difficult decision of finding a place to love and care for their animals.  Several private organizations are dedicated to finding long-term companionship and care while the military personnel serve our country.  Perhaps you and your child would have an interest in raising funds for one of these groups, spreading the word, or even serving as a home for someone’s pet!  Here are groups that help find homes for animals of all kinds:

www. FosterMilitaryPets.com The mission of this program is to provide a safe and secure temporary foster home for pets of deploying military personnel until they return home.

www.Netpets.org Netpets.org’s MilitaryPetsFOSTER Project is a global network of individual foster homes that will house, nurture, and care for dogs, cats, birds, horses and all other pets for Military personnel only.  It’s recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as the Pet Assistance Provider recommended by the military.

www.Operationnoblefoster.org This website is provided as a public service and staffed by Purebred Cat Breed Rescue, an organization that strives to provide a safety net for Purebred cats and support rescue efforts for all cats.

Consider helping to give a temporary home to pets whose owners are away from home providing a valuable service to our country.

© YesKidzCan!, 2010

Kids love to give their pets gifts, and we have an easy and fun gift and giving experience this holiday season for you and your kids that is just a click away.   Thanks to The Best Friends Animal Store, you and your child can shop for a special holiday gift for your dog or cat.  Through your purchase, you’ll be helping animals across the country. The Store offers many accessories and adorable toys for playing, chewing and cuddling, healthy treats for a job well done… or just because.

Proceeds from the Store support The Best Friends Animal Society, the largest animal sanctuary in the U.S. and home to about 2,000 abused or neglected animals from around the country.  Through an extensive network, the organization helps communities to set up spay/neuter programs, shelters, and foster and adoption programs.

Starting, September 19, www.Petfinder.com will host a Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable Pet Week to try and place thousands of animal that are often passed over because of their age, size, color, or other reasons.  Sadly, 43% of shelters and rescue groups say their listed pets have been homeless for one to two years.  So if your kids are angling for a pet, now may be the time to visit www.petfinder.com.  As they say, “the less obvious animals often have more love to give!”

(As published in The Savvy Source, August 30, 2010)

Kids love pets.  Owning them, petting them, and cuddling them.   And, so many pets would benefit from kids taking care of them — particularly those in rescue shelters.  The challenge is many facilities require volunteers to be at least 16 years old.  So if you have younger kids, where do you begin?  With the help of a wonderful organization, www.adopt-a-pet.com, a nonprofit that helps get homeless pets into caring homes, I have some great tips about where you should start and how you can follow through.   First, double check with your area rescue groups or pet adoption agencies about their age limits for volunteers. Many will let 12-year-olds volunteer.  And, younger kids may be allowed as well if they are accompanied by a parent.  Next, see which of the following ideas are right for you and your kids of all ages:   

Donate supplies — Shelters usually have a wish list of supplies they need.  Go through your house with your kids to see if you have any items needed at the shelter. These can range from blankets to a computer printer to an old crate and more. Your kids could also decide to use some allowance or holiday money to purchase much-needed grooming supplies.  A well-groomed animal is far more likely to be adopted than one that is scruffy.

Work an adoption event – Shelters frequently host adoption events to help animals find homes.  Your kids can hand out flyers that publicize an upcoming event at school, around the neighborhood, or during extracurricular activities.  At the event itself, kids can help parents attract people to the information table.  Older kids can walk, groom — and yes — clean up after the animals on site.  All necessary parts of caretaking!

Give some TLC — While shelters are safe havens for homeless animals, they can also be stressful places, too.  They are foreign environments filled with many anxious and loud animals with a constant flow of strangers.  Petting and comforting animals is a wonderful way to ease their anxiety and make your kids feel pretty good at the same time. Adopt-a-pet.com also suggests a few fun twists.  Bring a bunch of friends and soothe the animals together.  Or, hold a “pet-a-thon” where your kids can get family or friends to sponsor them for each animal they pet.  The money raised can either be donated to the shelter or used to purchase needed supplies off of a wish list.

Use technology skills —   The Internet has revolutionized the pet adoption process.  Posting photos and descriptions of animals in need of homes can increase the likelihood of a successful placement.  Find out if a local shelter would benefit from your kids’ taking video of the animals to bring to life the online listings.  Kids (with parent permission) can also do some “social PETworking” by posting a link to a shelter pet on your Facebook page or via TwitterACritter to spread the word about specific pets to hundreds or thousands of people.  If you have a personal website, consider adding a link to a pet search site as well.

Adopt a shelter worker – People who work in shelters have extremely difficult jobs with long hours and little or no pay.  They often witness challenging circumstances that can be draining and disheartening.  Showing them a little appreciation can go a long way.  Your kids can stop by to say “thank you,” drop off a note, send an email, or bake some treats for a pick-me-up.

Not every kid can bring a pet home.  But any kid who is a pet lover can give some care and attention to an animal in need of a home. Start by contacting your local rescue shelter, humane society, or pet rescue program today!

© YesKidzCan!, 2010