For Caring Adults

The Project’s Goal

Kids Embracing Kids is a project which encourages American young people to earn money to help Syrian kids in crisis—those who are trapped inside Syria and those who have been forced to flee the country with their families---by engaging in sponsored activities which benefit their families, their communities and/or themselves. All monies earned go directly to our featured humanitarian aid organizations. Young people themselves choose which organizations, and which projects, to support.

What Does "Sponsored Activities" Mean?

Young people do specific activities which benefit their families, neighbors and/or community, to earn money for one of the humanitarian organizations on the Kids Embracing Kids website, which aid Syrian children.
Each hour of community service earns one dollar from a designated "sponsor".
A sponsor can be a family member, relative, neighbor, organization, school, local business, etc.
Sponsors determine beforehand how much money they will donate on behalf of Kids Embracing Kids.
Sponsors donate the money earned by young people directly to a specific charity, as a tax deductible donation.
Young people use the honor system to keep track of their activities and hours to benefit Syrian children.
Kids Embracing Kids needs to be notified of all donations made on its participants' behalf via email to info@kidsembracingkids.org.

How Kids Will Benefit

Young people will be able to make a positive difference in a troubled world.
Young people’s capacity for empathy and compassion will be strengthened by their developing a better understanding of the challenges faced by children in crisis from different countries and cultural backgrounds.

How Caring Adults Will Benefit

Kids Embracing Kids provides a vehicle for adults to give youngsters an opportunity to enhance their problem solving skills and creativity by doing chores and activities to help child refugees, while at the same time benefiting themselves, their families and their communities.
Kids Embracing Kids provides an opportunity for adults to expose children and teens to the problems faced by children from another country and culture, which can help put young people’s everyday problems in perspective.
The project helps young people to begin the process of becoming caring, involved global citizens.

Broaching The Subject Of The Refugee Crisis With Children And Teens

When starting a dialogue with children and young adolescents about how and why they should help refugee children, consider these guidelines:

- Ask children about what they know and understand about the current refugee crisis.
- Take your cues from children about what they do and do not want to talk about because it may be too scary or upsetting.
- Ask children to put themselves in the place of refugee children and imagine how they would feel.
- Ask them if they would like to help and emphasize that they have the power to make a difference.
- If they want to help, ask for their ideas. If they have none, initially, make some suggestions and see which ones they respond to.
- Emphasize that all of us—children and adults—have a role to play in making the world a kinder, more just and peaceful place.

These are meant to be simply suggestions. Of course every child is different and that will affect their reactions and how you decide to approach this subject with them. UNICEF has a wealth of videos that might be helpful tools in discussions with young people about the Syrian crisis, such as the video below:

Featured Humanitarian Aid Organizations

To learn more about the work of UNICEF, the International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children, click here.