All youth deserve acceptance and compassion in a school environment, the need to know their lives matter, and that they have the power to impact the lives of others in a positive way. The Sparrow Clubs program provides youth, including those with disabilities, opportunities to discover their value through participation in service-learning. Many young people struggle with feelings of isolation, loneliness, low self-esteem, and lack of purpose. By focusing on community service, the Sparrow program enables everyone to make a difference, regardless of popularity, economic situation, athleticism, intelligence, etc. This program is unique in that it brings segments of youth together that would not normally associate with each other. It unites youth in purpose as they work to accomplish a common goal – the welfare of a child in medical need. The child becomes the inspiration for students to be involved. Community service takes on an entirely different meaning when students are introduced to an actual family, know their story, and understand their hardships. They want to contribute their time doing community service in order to benefit their Sparrow family, instead of feeling that their service hours are required and something they have to do in order to meet school requirements.The Sparrow Clubs program provides opportunities for youth to learn that they have the power to make significant change in their communities. Youth begin to understand the needs of the community in which they live. They are exposed to problems larger than themselves, and they learn to be part of the solution. Students learn lessons in conscience, compassion, courage, and character as they serve others in need. The ultimate goal of Sparrow Clubs is to impact youth culture by imprinting compassion, generosity, and integrity on the hearts of kids in schools. Sparrow Clubs believes that compassion can overcome anger, that generosity can overcome selfishness, and that integrity can overcome apathy. The Sparrow Clubs program compels and motivates kids of all ages to look beyond themselves for the sake of serving others in need – not only the family of a child in medical need, but others throughout our communities. Serving others leads to change at a heart level. Families with children in medical need face significant emotional turmoil, as well as financial hardships. Although health insurance coverage is now available to more individuals, ancillary costs such as travel expenses for specialized care, ongoing therapies, annual co-pays and deductibles are out-of-pocket expenses for families. In most cases, parents caring for a critically ill child lose time from work – some have to leave their jobs – resulting in a reduction of income and inability to pay for ancillary costs, let alone day to day living expenses. Sparrow families no longer feel as isolated during the struggles with their child’s medical issues when they are embraced by an entire school student body. Their child becomes an inspiration and a catalyst for change in the hearts of youth. Sparrow Clubs also offers financial support to families with children in medical need by partnering them with schools involved in the Sparrow Club program. Communities benefit from thousands of hours of community service performed by youth on behalf of their “Sparrow” family. Other non-profits also benefit as youth often volunteer for non-profits while performing community service.

To empower kids to help kids in medical need by inspiring young people to make a difference in the lives of others through acts of community service.