Kids Change the World

Sarah Elkind

Activity: Participated in Yorktown Community Day

Melissa Guckian

Activity: Participated in Yorktown Community Day

Erin Maurno

Activity: Participated in Yorktown Community Day

Matthew Hanratty

Activity: Participated in the Alliance for Safe Kids

Brittany Chiang

Activity:  Toothbrush Collection People to People International Westchester Union Student Chapter 

 This organization works hard to make a difference. Student chapters participate in many projects in order to learn about other cultures, spread awareness and help the community. 

This year, Brittany and the student chapter in the Cortlandt Manor area collected toothbrushes and toothpaste in order to ship to orphanages in Haiti where many children are unable to afford the small necessities needed to remain hygienic and healthy.

Olivia Schechtman
Activity:  Bake sale to raise money for Support Connection - an organization that offers support services for families affected by breast or ovarian cancer. Olivia raised over $300 on 1/2/2011 outside the Goldens Bridge Shopping Center!

Carlo Font
Activity: Make A Difference Club, Putnam Valley High School Carlo and the Club received the "Pride in Putnam Valley Recognition Award" for their outstanding and selfless service to the Putnam Valley community. They volunteered several weekends to renovate VFW Post 391 as a tribute to the local veterans, and raised funds for the Post's ongoing work.

The Make A Difference Club also raised funds for the "Habitat for Humanity" organization who presented the Club members with a 2x4 wood beam for them to sign. The 2x4 will be used in a Habitat for Humanity project.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND GETTING KIDS INVOLVED
As an orthodontist, I am honored to provide the life changing effect of orthodontic treatment to the children and young adults in our community.  Working with my patients also gives me the opportunity to share my philosophy of giving back to others. 

COLLECTION DRIVES
Our office sponsors many different community-minded charitable activities and we urge our kids and families to get involved.  Some examples of our recent office activities include:

• We collected used cell phones for area women’s’ shelters.
• We collected ‘comfort’ items to make care packages to distribute to our troops overseas and throughout the world through the efforts of Any Soldier.com.  Our office included toothbrushes and toothpaste in each package.  Additionally, our patients wrote personal notes of thanks to the soldiers that we included in the packages as well.
• We collected donations to distribute to the Putnam Food Pantry and our office matched our patient’s contributions.

ANNUAL HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
I am honored that I am able to offer the Richard Schechtman Scholarship Award to local graduating high school seniors.  This annual award recognizes two college bound seniors who have overcome adversity and displayed personal and academic growth throughout their four years of high school.

SMILES CHANGE LIVES PROVIDER
I am proud that our office was Westchester County’s first Smiles Change Lives (SCL) provider.  Smiles Change Lives is a national nonprofit organization that helps low-income children get braces.  The organization promotes and provides access to life-changing, essential orthodontic treatment for children in need. 

“A smile is an expression of inner joy that is vital to our spiritual health and joining SCL is my way of healing and helping kids, one smile at a time.”  ~Dr. Schechtman

For more information, please visit www.smileschangelives.org or ask our staff about it.  

MY BELIEF:
Kids can make a difference!  Kids can make the world a better place!

KIDS CHANGE THE WORLD
Our practice has recently launched a new program to encourage volunteerism and philanthropy from our patients.  Giving back to others inspires us, elicits gratitude for the blessings in our lives and leads to a higher social good that can benefit the world, starting with our local community.  It is also an important part of  bringing happiness to the individual.

• Our office will be participating in different charitable activities that we invite our patients to join.  Community service credit is available !
• We will spotlight our patients activities on our website, on our Facebook page, and on our new Wall of Honor (opposite the front desk in the office). 
• Local media may also recognize our kids efforts.
• If you participate in a volunteer activity TELL US ABOUT IT!  WE WANT TO KNOW AND RECOGNIZE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!

IDEAS:
Feeding and clothing the Homeless
Helping out in a Pet Shelter
Improving the Environment
Spending time with the Elderly
Raising money for a charity

SUGGESTED WEBSITES:
Visit a few of these following sites and maybe you will get inspired.  Please send me a note and tell me all about your community service project – I can’t wait to learn how YOU are making a difference!

INSPIRE ME TODAY – Daily Inspirations, interviews, videos and more
www.inspiremetoday.com

MAKING CHANGE: Tips from an Underage Overachiever
www.makingchangenow.com

GUILTLESS GIVING – Hygiene kits for the homeless
www.guiltlessgiving.com

THE PLANET US – You are never too young to change the world
www.theplanetus.com

DO  SOMETHING - Powering offline action.  Using the power of online to get teens to do good stuff offline.
www.dosomething.org

STARLIGHT CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION - Helping seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.
www.starlight.org

CAUSECAST – a place to explore issues while helping you connect with a community of people wanting to make a difference.
www.causecast.org

LOVE HOPE STRENGTH – One cancer center in every country, one concert at a time.
www.lovehopestrength.org

BE A BONE MARROW DONOR – where leukemia meets it match.
www.dkmsamericas.org

NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM – Marrow Registry
www.marrow.org

THE LEUKEMIA AND LYMPHOMA SOCIETY – Fighting Blood Cancers
www.lls.org

SUPPORT CONNECTION – support services for families affected by breast or ovarian cancer
www.supportconnection.org

CHILDREN’S CANCER FUND – Changing Young Lives with Cures for Living
www.childrenscancerfund.org

GREEN KIDS – Children changing the world
www.greenkids.com