Girls Can Change the World: American Girl Introduces Service Initiative

If you have a daughter, you probably know about American Girl, the company which has developed an amazing collection of 18 inch dolls and consequently a pretty rabid following amongst the pre-teen set.  In a world of Happy Meal toys, it's gratifying to have dolls that are built to last.  And if your doll doesn't?  The American Girl Doll Hospital can fix what ails her -- from mussed up hair to a dog-chewed arm.  Your doll will be returned in a hospital gown, as good as new.  Though they aren't cheap, they are exquisitely made and have compelling books to go along with them -- historical narratives that make the dolls (and history) really come alive!

But now, the company is doing something new -- something that really epitomizes the SixSeeds lifestyle.  American Girl has pledge to donate up to $1 million in clothes, books, dolls, and money to charity.

How does it work?

Their website explains the process.  The girls are supposed to visit shineonnow.com from July 13 to July 31, 2010, to contribute free stars to the charitable effort. The company's goal is to collect one million stars by the end of the program. The more stars your daughter contributes, the more chances she has to help give. Apparently, she places stars in the sky, one hundred per day maximum, getting ever-so-close to that 1 million star goal.  In other words, your daughter will make a "virtual donation," which American Girl has promised to match with an actual donation.  (Also, for every star your child donates, she’s entered into a contest to win an actual doll — parents can turn off that function if it feels a little more quid pro quo than you’d like for a charitable endeavor.)  Not to make it sound more fancy than it is, as far as my eleven year old can tell, it literally is dragging a star into the sky.  Not too exciting, but perhaps they wanted to show that charitable work sometimes is not that flashy?

How should I talk to my daughter about service?

SixSeeds thinks about this a lot.  Because, even in a recession, we Americans have it pretty good.  If you’re like our contributors, you enjoy the benefits of modern life – don’t well-made dolls with wonderful hair to braid make childhood so much more enjoyable? But we also struggle with how to balance our blessings with a desire to make a difference in the world, to connect with our communities, to fight against the constant sense of entitlement that pervades our children and teens.

Honestly, we don’t know exactly how to achieve this balance. However, we’ve found that something happens when kids and parents roll their sleeves up and start to serve others side-by-side…something amazing.  We call it “family based service,” a seemingly bland tagline that doesn’t quite capture the joy we’ve seen in our kids’ eyes as they pack boxes full of candy and new DVDs for a soldier in Iraq or stuff backpacks full of new pencils and folders for children in Tijuana.

Instead of telling your daughter about this project, why not join alongside with her as she learns what it means to put others' needs before her own?

Also go through the information that the company sends her that will teach her about volunteering.  For example, this paragraph is part of the free "tool kit" that American Girl sends out to interested people:

Once you start lending a hand, we know you’ll discover that the best thing about giving back is what it gives you: confidence, a feeling of being needed, a sense of pride and accomplishment, new friends, and fun.

Talk to your daughter about this.  How does she feel when she gives to others?  Does she feel confident, happy, and accomplished? What if she felt sad, inconvenienced, and bored?  Is it possible for service and volunteering to sometimes veer into selfishness?  Why should you serve others?  Is the "best thing" really the way it will make her feel, and the things she gets to accomplish?

What do the girls learn?

If your daughter signs up to to be an "Ambassador," she can download info about how to more than just give virtually.  The download we received had this information:

1.  Be a Fabulous Fund-raiser!  Collect money to help
charities pay for things they need.

2.  Be a Hands-on Helper! Roll up your sleeves and
volunteer your time to helping a worthy cause.

3.  Be a Donation Dynamo! Find out who needs what
in your community!

4.  Be an Awesome Advocate! Help spread the word
about causes close to your heart!

Which Charities are Helped?

Kids in Distressed Situations

K.I.D.S. (Kids in Distressed Situations) has helped more than 65
million needy children by providing nearly $1 billion in brand-new
clothes, toys, books, and much more. Having something brand-new
brings hope and confidence to kids and their families. K.I.D.S. works
with nearly 1,000 local service agencies in the U.S. and around the
world to distribute new items to kids who are poor, sick, or homeless
or who have parents who are away from home or unable to care for
them. K.I.D.S. also helps families who have been affected by natural
disasters. American Girl is a proud partner of K.I.D.S. and is pleased to
continue donating new clothes as part of Shine On Now.

National Association of Children’s Hospitals

The National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related
Institutions (NACHRI) promotes the health and well-being of America’s
70 million children and their families. NACHRI works with over 200
children’s medical centers to ensure that all children have access to
a hospital when they need one and are provided high-quality care
and services. As part of Shine On Now, American Girl is supporting
NACHRI through a donation of American Girl dolls to bring smiles and
comfort to young girls who are in the hospital.

National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation (NWF) offers programs and activities
that teach and inspire people to protect wildlife and wildlife habitats.  
NWF focuses on the future of America’s wildlife by protecting and
restoring the homes of endangered animals and helping people
gain an appreciation and understanding of the natural world. NWF
brings people together through a nationwide network of 4 million
supporters and volunteers. Since early 2010, American Girl has
supported NWF’s Be Out There movement to inspire families to
connect with nature. Through Shine On Now, American Girl is
providing more financial support to help ensure a world of wildlife
and wild places for the future.

Save the Children

Save the Children works across the nation in some of the most
under-served, rural areas, where one in five children lives in poverty.
Partnering with local schools and community organizations, Save the
Children’s U.S. Programs provide literacy, physical activity and nutrition, and early childhood education programs, which benefited more than 50,000 children last year alone. Combined with its emergency response work, Save the Children helped more than 60,000 children in the U.S. As part of Shine On Now, American Girl is donating books to Save the Children to help young children in poverty learn to read. Save the Children provides in-school, after-school, and summer literacy programs to help students develop their reading skills and receive the guidance and support they need to grow as readers.

How do I get more information?

To learn more about the program, visit the ShineOn website and explore whether you can use the American Girl company to launch a newfound love of service in your American girl's heart.

Or, better yet, your entire family!