As she decorates a paper, senior Christine Kim, president of Cardz for Kidz, tells members how they can bring positivity to kids in hospitals by creating cards with encouraging messages. Students have learned from Kim, and she said she enjoys helping others by doing good deeds within the community.
“This club is for a good cause,” Sophomore Sarah Jebakumar said. “Which is why I joined.”
Kim and students in the club create uplifting cards for kids in hospitals. She hopes for others in the community to see and follow what she and the students are doing. The students use markers, colors and inspirational quotes to bring a positive message to kids.
“Our goal is to bring more awareness and positivity to kids in hospitals. We do this by creating motivational cards for the kids,” Kim said. “We want to help kids in hospitals to stay positive. Our club wants to bring a positive message to kids in hospitals.”
When starting up Cardz for Kidz, Kim said she faced challenges.
“Figuring out the materials we needed when making cards and who’s doing what to help with the club (created part of the challenge),” Kim said. “We collectively agreed on things in the end when we needed to make decisions.”
Kim and the students have made efforts for people to join such as spreading the word about Cards for Kidz.
“We made flyers and handed them out to people,” Jebakumar said. “We have also told others about our club, such as friends.”
The willingness to help others gave Kim the idea to start making cards for kids.
“I always wanted to be someone who wanted to help kids,” Kim said. ” I grew up with younger siblings and loved helping them. When I found out about cards going to kids is hospitals is Illinois, I wanted to start that here.”
Whenever the students are done creating messages, the cards go to multiple hospitals all throughout Chicago.
“We currently only send to Chicago because that is where our main organization is located,” Kim said. “We are actually a student chapter of the actual non profit who started this whole thing. Later when we get more members and participation, we will plan to branch out to local hospitals.”
Junior Yara Al Daggistany is one of the many students who have joined Cardz for Kidz.
“My favorite part is all the help we give to the community. It doesn’t give a lot of effort, but we are doing kindness through our community,” Al Daggistany said. “I joined because I love to do volunteer service in the community. I am interested in health care and this club can give me a chance to expand my interests.”
