BE A PART OF MASON-RICE SOCIAL ACTION!
Look for all Social Action events marked with on the School Calendar throughout the year.

Mission:  The Mason-Rice Social Action committee aims to provide opportunities for students and their families to participate in community service activities.  The goal is to build community involvement within the school while raising awareness of social and cultural issues outside of school.  Studies show that exposing children to service, volunteering, and philanthropy both teaches them about social issues and deepens their sense of connection to their community.  We hope that engaging our children in meaningful and educational ways will foster a commitment to service and help them become active citizens. The efforts will include kids-driven projects (Kids Take Action or KTA), as well as family-oriented projects.

Help lead or plan future initiatives.  We are looking for volunteers to lead or help plan initiatives.  We would love your feedback and participation.  Contact any of our Social Committee chairs if you have any questions: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Suzannah Creedon or Maureen Oates. 

2011-2012 Social Actions at a Glance:

We have a variety of activities planned throughout the school year.  We would love your children or your whole family to participate.  Review the list below and check for latest event, dates/times on the calendar on the Mason-Rice PTO website. And watch the Notes for a preview of upcoming activities.

SOCIAL ACTION FAMILY PROJECTS		KIDS
October 16 Family Table	March 2 Birthday Wishes Goody Bags	KTA MEETINGS in 2011  KTA Projects in 2011
Late October Trick-or-Treat UNICEF	April 29 Newton Serves
November 1-4 Halloween Candy Drive	May 6 Walk for Hunger
November 14 - December 14 Gift-of-Giving	May 20 Relay for Life
December 11 Holiday Sing-a-long	June 3 PMC Kids Ride
Early January Cradles to Crayons (C2C) Toy and Clothing Drive	June 4 Food Drive for Family Picnic
February 12 Family Table

PROGRAMS and PROJECTS INFORMATION. 

Family-Oriented Opportunities. These events include Annual Holiday Gift-of-Giving program for local charities for homeless children and shelters for battered women; Birthday Wishes;  the Walk for Hunger; Relay for Life; and Pan Mass Challenge for Kids. All parents and children are invited to participate – thank you in advance for your ideas, energy and participation – we look forward to a really rewarding year.

Family Table. Each year, Mason-Rice families will go to Jewish Children and Family Service’s Family Table in Waltham to pack, sort and deliver groceries to local families in need. Because volunteers at this pantry deliver the food, it is able to serve recipients who are unable to drive to pick up groceries.  The event will run from 10 am to 12 noon. Mason-Rice families going to Jewish Children and Family Service’s Family Table in Waltham will pack, sort and deliver groceries to local families in need. Because volunteers at this pantry deliver the food, it is able to serve recipients who are unable to drive to pick up groceries.  Recipients of the food maintain their confidentiality and dignity and volunteers get to see the incredible difference they are making in the recipient’s life. In just a couple of hours, volunteers of all ages feel appreciated and rewarded after personally packing and delivering enough groceries for a month to local families. Learn more about Family Table at Jewish Family and Children's Service website at http://www.jfcsboston.org/. If you have any questions or are interested in helping out, please contact Suzannah Creedon.

Gift of Giving. Every year, Mason-Rice families help hundreds of children in need have a more joyful holiday season. Learn more.  The Gift of Giving annual holiday outreach to Bromley-Heath Housing Development (Boston's largest public housing development), the Child Witness to Violence Project (children living in foster care due to domestic violence) and Department of Children and Families (counseling and advocacy for children who have witnessed domestic violence) begins in second week of November. Sign-ups will be at the M-R lobby bulletin board.  At that time you will be able to select one or more children in need, and help make their holiday season more joyful by providing them with new gifts. More details will be coming in backpacks the week of the launch. Look for news in NOTES for current year schedule.  If you have questions, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Many thanks in advance for your generosity! Download FLYER and GIFT TAGS. 

Birthday Wishes. Every year Mason-Rice helps homeless children celebrate their birthday.  We support the Birthday Wishes Mission that bring birthday parties to homeless children. Birthday Wishes recognizes the importance of a birthday in a child's life and believes that the gift of a birthday celebration provides normalcy, joy and hope in these children's otherwise unsettled lives.  There are well over 96,000 homeless children in Massachusetts alone.  Help Mason-Rice support Birthday Wishes by donating new and leftover party favor items by dropping them in the box in the Mason-Rice lobby during our February 2011  drive or bringing them on March 9th to Ms. Liu’s classroom and help us stuff the bags.  We’ll supply the bags!  Click to view examples of goodies.  RSVP or if you have any questions, please contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or check out the Birthday Wishes website: http://www.birthdaywishes.org.  See the calendar of events on this website for information on upcoming opportunities.

Kids-Take-Action (KTA). Learn more. Kids Take Action (KTA) is dedicated to generating enthusiasm for social  action, volunteerism, and philanthropy in elementary school children.  The purpose is to inspire children to have a lifelong commitment to take action to help address local and global problems.  KTA provides a framework for student-driven efforts to harness the collective energy of the entire school community for the greater good. Click for Registration Form. For more information on KTA, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .