Help Under-Privileged Children in COVID-19
A Project Funded by Alliance of Chinese Americans San Diego
Katherine Ge
Team Members
Ruby Gao, Nicole Su, Isaac Hsu
Ruby Gao, Nicole Su, Isaac Hsu
Background
I did a closet clean-out and reorganization during quarantine. Surprisingly, there are quite a lot of brand new, unused stationery/notebooks and lightly used toys hidden in the house. I figured that since there are many children staying home during COVID-19, they could make good use of those stationery/notebooks/toys, etc. Adding off of the stationary and toy donation, we could build connections with under-privileged families and seek more means to help their children in the long-term by tutoring them on various topics. Eventually, this can become a long term recurring charity event of project butterfly.
General information of Project Butterfly How we Started: Project Butterfly is a nonprofit club founded by Katherine Ge and Ruby Gao in May, 2019. As good friends in Carmel Valley Middle School, Katherine and Ruby share common interests in art, performance, and charity. They took it to their interests to start a non-profit organization. Although organized charity events mainly take place in California, USA, Project Butterfly is committed to helping everyone in the United States, and worldwide who is in need. Mission Statement: Project Butterfly was founded based on the concept of the "Butterfly Effect". We believe that every kind action, no matter how small it is, when kindness passes from one to another, can potentially lead to a bigger impact. We believe that everyone, no matter who you are, deserves to get this kind of help. The club members of Project Butterfly always strive to help people in need.
Future Projects Planning • Help underprivileged family and kids through tutoring/donation • Expand monthly talent shows to more senior centers • Recruit more volunteer students to join the club • Fundraising in various occasion Past Projects: • Donated 30 DIY face shields and 100 surgical masks to working staff and volunteers at CVMS graduation drive through day. (May 2020) • Worked together with Bayside Community Center to help small businesses reopen around the Linda Vista area. Donated 1500 surgical masks and 50 DIY made protective face shields (May 2020) • Organized a community blanket drive and collected 50+ lightly used blankets and garments. Organized GoFundMe online fundraising to raise $500 and purchased 51 new blankets and 25 pairs of shoes. Donated blanket and shoes to homeless shelter in downtown San Diego (April 2020) • Donate 3000 surgical masks and other PPEs to multiple places, including Alvarado Hospital, Salvation Army Senior Center, County of San Diego Sheriff Department, San Diego Police Department, etc. (April 2020) • Fundraising (~ $3000) through donations from family, friends, and classmates and purchased 5000 surgical masks from China (March 2020 - April 2020) • Designed the fundraising poster for ACCEF 4th round Wuhan covid-19 relief fundraising. (Feb 2020) • Attend the annual beach cleaning, location powerhouse beach (Sept 2020) • Organize a monthly youth talent show for seniors at Atria La Jolla Senior Center. Build a volunteer performer group of up to 50 youth over time, and new volunteers keep joining the group. (May 2019 - Present)
Media Exposure:
• Featured on “world Journal” 5/28/2020
• Featured on “Del Mar Times”, 5/13/2020
• Featured on “The San Diego Union Tribune”, 5/12/2020
• Featured on “美国新报“, 5/10/2020
Goal
1. For short term summer project: a) Collect books/stationery/art supply/toys at community and donate to children of under-privileged family b) Fundraising to buy hygiene products for donation c) Donate the remaining PPEs of Project Butterfly to under-privileged family and educate children on how to protect themselves during COVID-19 to prevent further spread of the virus
2. For long term: We could build connections with under-privileged families and seek more means to help their children in the long-term by tutoring them on various topics. From this summer project, I hope we can continue to contribute to the San Diego community and improve the well-being and living conditions of homeless families. This charity donation event can also become a recurring project at the end of every school semester.
1. For short term summer project: a) Collect books/stationery/art supply/toys at community and donate to children of under-privileged family b) Fundraising to buy hygiene products for donation c) Donate the remaining PPEs of Project Butterfly to under-privileged family and educate children on how to protect themselves during COVID-19 to prevent further spread of the virus
2. For long term: We could build connections with under-privileged families and seek more means to help their children in the long-term by tutoring them on various topics. From this summer project, I hope we can continue to contribute to the San Diego community and improve the well-being and living conditions of homeless families. This charity donation event can also become a recurring project at the end of every school semester.
Method
• Organize a stationery and toy drive These could include books in good condition, unused stationery, art supplies, and lightly used toys such as Lego pieces and puzzles. The collected item could be donated to under-privileged families with kids. They would definitely use these items more than we have by using them to read, learn, or for entertainment.
• Online fundraising through GoFundMe We plan to purchase hygiene products like soap, towels, hand sanitizer, and toiletries, etc. After doing a blanket drive for a homeless shelter in April, I have learnt that hygiene products are just as important as clothing or blankets. So, this time we would like to donate hygiene products to homeless families in hopes of making their daily living more sanitary and hygienic.
• Bring together kids from under-privileged families and middle class kids Community impact is limited if we just do a drop-off donation. In order to further help the kids from under-privileged families, I believe we should help them with their education too, encourage them to pursue their interests and build self-confidence.
• Organize a stationery and toy drive These could include books in good condition, unused stationery, art supplies, and lightly used toys such as Lego pieces and puzzles. The collected item could be donated to under-privileged families with kids. They would definitely use these items more than we have by using them to read, learn, or for entertainment.
• Online fundraising through GoFundMe We plan to purchase hygiene products like soap, towels, hand sanitizer, and toiletries, etc. After doing a blanket drive for a homeless shelter in April, I have learnt that hygiene products are just as important as clothing or blankets. So, this time we would like to donate hygiene products to homeless families in hopes of making their daily living more sanitary and hygienic.
• Bring together kids from under-privileged families and middle class kids Community impact is limited if we just do a drop-off donation. In order to further help the kids from under-privileged families, I believe we should help them with their education too, encourage them to pursue their interests and build self-confidence.
Update
(August 16, 2020)
- Sunday, 7/12/2020, Ruby updated the GoFundMe page to fit our new project
- GoFundMe link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/projectbutterflyca
- Saturday, 7/18. Katherine gathered her own books and toys for donation
- Saturday 8/1, Katherine made a donations yard sign and set it outside her neighbourhood, she also made an advertisement for donation and put it on NextDoor
- Sunday 8/2 - Monday 8/10, many toys and books were donated and cleaned
- Tuesday 8/11, Katherine counted 1022 books and 93 toys that were donated
- Kindergarten books: 434, Grades 1&2 books: 387, Grades 3+ books, 201
- Wednesday 8/12, We called the Bayside Community Center and developed a plan: We would distribute the books and toys along with their weekly meal distributions
- Bayside’s website: https://www.baysidecc.org
- Attached below are some pictures of the toys/books we took during the whole process!