Institute children, families and staff mark Spirit of Giving Month each November as part of the 365 Club annual fund campaign. The month provides teachers and families the opportunity to focus on developing the qualities of thankfulness, kindness and generosity to others.

Undoubtedly, one of the best ways to teach a child is through hands-on participation and by example. For that reason, Spirit of Giving month includes a variety of fun activities that focus on giving thanks and giving back. Here are some highlights. 

The Giving Wall
During Spirit of Giving Month, we celebrate the contributions that our staff members, families and children make to the community. At the entrance to the Early Learning Center-Downtown and in the piazza at the Early Learning Center-East Brainerd, we will erect Spirit of Giving Walls. This is the place where staff, the children, parents and visitors write messages, draw pictures or post photos of ways they give back to the community and the Institute. Think of it as graffiti about giving!

Giving Thanks and Giving Back Classroom Artwork and Projects
Our classrooms display beautiful works of art and the results of classroom projects on the walls of our hallways weekly. During November, classroom display art and other projects that tie to the Spirit of Giving theme. Check out our beautiful Spirit of Giving artwork when you visit the Institute.

Books on Giving Thanks and Giving Back
Along with books about giving thanks, the children’s library also features books about giving back during the month of November. Our volunteer reading buddies and teachers choose, these would be excellent selections for reading to the children in November. Teaching staff are encouraged to check these books out for classroom use, too. Here are a few of the titles: Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming, Giving by Shirley Hughes and Somewhere Today:A Book of Peace by Shelley Thomas.

365 Club Penny Wars
Penny Wars is a fun way to create a little competition among ELC classrooms. Each classroom has a collection container at the ELC entrances. Pick the classroom(s) you want to support and start dropping pennies into the containers. One point is received for every penny. But look out for silver coins and dollar bills...if someone puts them in your classroom’s container, they deduct from your penny points! Each silver coin or bill reduces the number of points from that container by the amount of the coin. For example, a nickel reduces the points by five, a dime by ten, a dollar by 100, etc. This is where strategy counts as classrooms compete against each other for the most “penny points.” Containers will be emptied, counted and totals posted on Wednesday and Friday afternoon. The two weekly winners at each ELC will control the Spirit of Giving stick for the days until the next total is tallied. The ELC-EB classroom and the ELC-DT classroom that have the best overall totals at the end of the campaign (Nov. 22) will have the honor of keeping the Spirit of Giving stick for the next year and will be awarded a prize package! 

Spirit of Giving Stick Competition
This is the inaugural year of the 365 Club Spirit of Giving Stick. Before Spirit of Giving Month kicked off, each ELC classroom add their own special flair in decorating the Spirit of Giving stick. Each classroom competes for control of the Spirit of Giving Stick as part of the 365 Club Penny Wars.

365 Club Donations and Pledges
Institute staff, volunteers and families give generously to the community through their volunteerism and financial support to their charities of choice. This support extends to the Institute through gifts and pledges to our own 365 Club annual fund.

It is obvious that a strong spirit of giving is alive and well at Siskin Children’s Institute. Are you interested in helping the children and families we serve through a gift to the Institute’s 365 Club. Give today.