Learn how 8-12 year olds can support worthwhile non-profit organizations through arts & crafts
Our Organization
Our Founder
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
Charlotte Elwy, now in 12th grade, launched Giving Back Crafts when she started high school in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has been volunteering with her family since she was in elementary school. Charlotte is the recipient of the 2020 and 2021 Gold Medal President's Volunteer Service Award, and with her family, she received a Daily Point of Light Award in 2018, from the Points of Light Foundation, and President George H.W. Bush. Charlotte is a graduate of the Youth in Philanthropy (YIP)leadership program through the Foundation for MetroWest. She has served multiple years on the YIP Board and previously as a YIP instructor's assistant. Charlotte was also a multi-year participant in the Teen Leadership Corps of Cradles to Crayons. Through her own volunteering efforts, Charlotte became aware of the gap in volunteer opportunities for older elementary school and early middle school students, and created Giving Back Crafts as a way to engage this age group in meaningful, community-based volunteer opportunities.
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
Through Giving Back Crafts we have used arts and crafts to support others in many ways:
- Created fleece blankets for newborns for Room to Grow
- Sent homemade thank you cards and notes to pandemic first responders through Boston Cares
- Designed and laminated bookmarks to encourage reading through Cradles to Crayons
- Made lip balm kits for women attending the Women's Lunch Place
- Designed well wish cards and gift bags for clients of Hope and Comfort
- Made paracord bracelets for deployed soldiers through Soldiers Angels
- Created Valentine's Day and Holiday cards for Cards for Hospitalized Kids
- Collaged flowerpots for homebound seniors, delivered to clients of Wellesley Council on Aging
- and much more!
We are always looking for new volunteering opportunities, so if you know of a local or national non-profit organization that we can support through an arts and crafts opportunity, please let us know!
How It Works
Giving Back Crafts Opportunities
How It Works
We provide a 1.5-2 hour volunteering session, at a school or local library after school or on weekends, where we introduce 8-12 year olds to a specific non-profit organization and what this organization does to help those in need in our communities. We then have a 30-45 minute craft planned that will provide help to those served by this organization (e.g., fleece blankets for newborns, chapstick butterflies for women who are homeless, flower pots for homebound seniors). We provide all the supplies and materials, we only need motivated and enthusiastic 8-12 year olds to help us create these crafts! Permission slips signed by parents or guardians are required for each event. Parents or guardians are responsible for dropping off and picking their child(ren) up from each event. Weather permitting, an outdoor snack break is provided, where masks can be safely removed.