Karma for Cara Foundation awards microgrants to youth 18 years of age & younger who spearhead exceptional service projects in their communities. Microgrant recipient Andrea (10) from Florida received two awards for her service project entitled Crafty Boxes Uplifting Kids which attempted to help sick children in hospitals feel better at difficult times by providing them with boxes filled with craft projects. The 4th and 5th grade classes at Andrea’s school helped by donating shoe boxes and supplies (glue sticks, scissors, 6 colors of paint & a paint brush, stickers & construction paper).  At the end of every month, she dropped off 15-20 crafty boxes at local hospitals. Andrea’s goal was to gift 190 boxes total for the first year of the service project. This project has special meaning to Andrea because 2 years prior to starting the project, she experienced severe stomach pains when with her mom at a church activity which resulted in a visit to the ER where she had her appendix removed. 

• What inspired you to start this project? Personal experience in a hospital. I hope that other kids don’t have to be bored at a hospital like I was and that I can bring a bit a joy to their time at the hospital.

• Other than you, how many student volunteers participated in your service project? 3 + some classmates

• How many adult volunteers participated in your service project? 1

• How many hours did you spend on your project? 52

• How many hours did other volunteers spend on your project? 160

• How many individuals were affected by your project? 184

• During the time period between when you applied for a K4C microgrant & when you completed the project, what surprised you? How much I enjoy making other children happy and how many boxes I was actually able to take to the hospital. I never thought I was going to be able to accomplish so much.

• Overall what did you learn from this experience? How much little actions can impact other kids and make them smile and be happy.

• How will your project continue having an impact in the future? I will continue putting the crafty boxes together and taking them to the hospital so that children’s spirits will be lifted through a tough time at the hospital.

• How was the K4C microgrant helpful in the completion of your project? The microgrant was super helpful because it was very hard to get enough donations to create the crafty boxes monthly. Having the grant allowed me to know for sure a set amount monthly that I could count on for the children.