How Your Giving Makes a Difference

Cunningham Children's Home (a designation of United Way of Champaign County).

A remarkable phenomenon occurs when children that have experienced need firsthand encounter others who are struggling. These children, once their basic needs are met, deeply desire to provide for those around them.

Recently, the students of Cunningham Children's Home's on-campus school took orders, baked, and sold homemade goods to raise funds and purchase food for the Eastern Illinois Food Bank. The kids were so excited about all the food they were able to buy for hungry families! There is no radiance on earth like that on the face of a child when they've helped someone.

Generosity is a fundamental tenet at Cunningham, a part of the Circle of Courage resiliency model we use to provide a therapeutic framework for child services. The Circle teaches that growing children need four inter-related experiences; belonging, independence, mastery, and generosity.

As staff, supporters, and the community model generosity for Cunningham youth, they take hold of those very same principles and the things they can do to make a difference. Right now they may not be able to feed every single hungry child, but they can certainly do their best to feed one.

Click here to see How YOU Make a Difference (PDF)