Opinion: This Week, Help UNICEF’s Work Supporting Children Worldwide Online

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Photo: Detail of the poster of the UNICEF campaign.

By Alisa, Sophia, Laiyee, Heidi, and Jessica

Did you know the average American has $113 worth of spare change lying around their house? Last year, Belmont families helped us raise $2,000 with said spare change. Thanks to your efforts, UNICEF was able to support children worldwide in healthcare and immunization efforts- issues that are especially pressing during this period of time. 

To continue our efforts this year, UNICEF is running both an online fundraiser and an in-person coin collecting campaign in partnership with the Belmont elementary schools, until January 17. The online fundraiser can be accessed through the QR code below, and through this link: https://unicefusa.donorsupport.co/-/NLSTSHTB 

QR code for UNICEF fundraiser

While the in-person coin collection sites will be at ALL 4 elementary schools. With the new year, we hope to build a better future for children, one coin at a time. 

What is UNICEF?

UNICEF, or the United Nations Children’s Fund, is an organization that works in more than 190 countries around the world to help children by providing basic services like health care, education, food, water, protection, and more. 

Why are we collecting money?

All of the money raised by the Belmont community will directly assist global health care for children in need, around the world. Your participation allows UNICEF to continue bringing aid to families, from delivering safe water and emergency nutrition in the Horn of Africa to rushing warm clothes this winter to families in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Recently, UNICEF has been assisting the children of Ukraine by providing education, medicine, and mental health support.

Join Belmont High UNICEF At Its Family Fun Night Fundraiser On Thursday, April 14 To Help Those In Need

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Photo: The poster for Belmont High UNICEF fundraiser on Thursday, April 14

Looking for engaging and exciting family activities? Come to Family Fun Night, a fundraiser proudly presented by the Belmont High School UNICEF Club.

The event will feature fun activities run by the club’s members ranging from henna, slime-making, elephant toothpaste, and drawing, to more educational ones like robotics, learning all about UNICEF, and exploring sanitation around the world with water filtration demonstrations! Children will also be able to participate to win prizes.

The event will be held at the Belmont High School cafeteria on Thursday, April 14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is FREE. RVSP at https://bit.ly/ffn2022, but walk-ins are welcome!

All proceeds raised from this event will be donated directly to UNICEF and go towards helping children around the world. UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a worldwide organization that works in more than 190 countries to alleviate crises around the world, like the war in Ukraine and still the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, that pose an immediate threat to children.

UNICEF works to provide support – such as education, protection, healthcare, sanitation, water, and life-saving supplies – for children and families impacted. So if you were looking for an active way to help those in need, swing by the event!

Join Belmont High’s UNICEF Club at Virtual Family Fun Night: Games, Crafts, Puzzles On April 16

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Photo: A night of fun games, crafts and UNICEF

Looking for an interesting, engaging, and COVID-safe way to spend time with your family? If so, we, the Belmont High School UNICEF Club, are pleased to announce that our second-ever Family Fun Night will be happening on Friday, April 16 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

We hosted our first Family Fun Night in 2019 and it was a smashing success. This year, we’ll be bringing Family Fun Night to your computers, hosting the event over Zoom! For $5 per person, participants will be able to “wander” through breakout rooms hosted by our very own club members. These “booths” will be filled with fun games, crafts, and educational opportunities!

All proceeds raised from this event will be donated directly to UNICEF and go towards helping children around the world. 

UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a worldwide organization that works in more than 190 countries to help children by providing basic services like health care, education, food, water, protection, and more. This year, children need your help more than ever in battling against the effects of COVID-19 in areas with very limited access to necessary resources. UNICEF recently ordered over one million reusable masks for vulnerable communities, all manufactured locally to provide jobs. A little goes a long way: just $5 can immunize 10 children against measles and rubella!

For more information and to sign-up, go to bit.ly/ffn21 ! The Zoom link to the event will be sent after signing up.

Email unicef.belmont@gmail.com with any questions.

Dress-up This Halloween And Help BHS UNICEF Club Save Lives

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Photo: Dress-up the Halloween With Belmont High’s UNICEF Club

Bummed about not being able to Trick-or-Treat this Halloween? Are you a parent whose kids are frustrated that they can’t show off their costumes? Well, Belmont High School’s UNICEF Club have some exciting news: While Halloween this year may look different, it’s far from canceled as Belmont High School’s UNICEF Club is hosting a virtual costume contest!

In past years, UNICEF has always held a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF fundraiser during Halloween. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions this year, trick-or-treating may be canceled for many. As a replacement, the Belmont High School chapter of UNICEF is proud to host a virtual Halloween costume contest: Dress-up for UNICEF! Enter in this contest to win fabulous prizes (including candy!) while helping out children in need. This contest is open to ALL AGES.

Want to enter? Submit your entry here!

Dress-up for Halloween like usual, and enter your (or your child’s) costume in our costume contest! We are offering the option to donate to our virtual Trick-or-Treat box along with the contest—consider it an entry fee of sorts—but again, it is totally optional. You and your child’s donations are sent directly to UNICEF, who uses the proceeds to make a difference around the world. UNICEF recently ordered more than one million reusable masks for vulnerable communities, all manufactured locally to provide jobs. A little goes a long way:

  • $5 can immunize 10 children against measles and rubella
  • $35 can supply 50 kids with pencils and books for a year of education
  • $150 can provide a whole village with a hand pump for safe drinking water.

Every contribution makes a difference! Last year, Belmont raised a grand total of $1,541 from Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. We’re hoping to raise as much, if not more, through this fundraiser, but we need YOUR support.

*THE CONTEST ENDS MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND*

You can submit your entry and find out more about the contest regarding rules, categories, etc. here: http://bit.ly/dressupforunicef, or scan the QR Code below.

What is UNICEF?

UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, is a worldwide organization that works in more than 190 countries to help children by providing basic services like health care, education, food, water, protection, and more. This year, children need your help more than ever with COVID-19 impacting areas with little access to the resources that can help battle this pandemic.

Even if you don’t plan on participating in our contest, you can do your part by spreading the word through social media or simply through word of mouth! Attached below is a picture flyer you can share. UNICEF and children around the world are counting on you.

Letter to the Editor: Trick Or Treating For UNICEF

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Photo:

To the editor:

What is UNICEF and what is “Trick or Treating for UNICEF”?

UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund whose focus is to help the children in need whether they are going through poverty, violence, or lack of health. 

One way UNICEF gets donations to support children is through Trick or Treating for UNICEF. Millions of kids around the world are in need of medicine, food, or even just some clear water so your donation would be very important to us!

The Belmont High School chapter of UNICEF will be collaborating with the Daniel Butler School and the Chenery Middle School this Halloween. Butler and Chenery students will be trick or treating around Belmont with little orange boxes to collect change for UNICEF’s Trick or Treat. 

How Can You Help?

Trick-or-Treaters will come by with little orange boxes to collect donations. Please have some change ready along with Halloween candy. Even a few cents can go a long way!

History

Trick or Treating for UNICEF was invented by Mary Emma Allison in 1949. She was inspired when she saw a UNICEF booth collecting funds for undernourished children around the world. The first time she did Trick or Treating for UNICEF, she collected $17 and donated it to UNICEF. 

Eighteen years later, President Johnson declared Halloween to be UNICEF Day. Afterwards, Trick or Treating for UNICEF spread throughout the whole country, and even into some other countries such as Canada and Mexico. Donation boxes would be distributed to millions of trick or treaters every year. This program has raised more than $188 million worldwide, immensely helping those in need.

Whom Does the Money Go To?

Money donated to Trick or Treating for UNICEF is proudly funded to children in need of medicine, nutrition, water, and education. A little money can go a long way!

  • $5 can provide children with 13 doses of measles vaccine 
  • $15 can provide a child with clean and safe water for a year
  • $50 can provide 35 malnourished children with lifesaving nutrition for a day
  • $165 can provide a bicycle to deliver medicine to children

Put yourself in the shoes of these children and image how they could live without health and education. It’s really tough for them so we will appreciate any donations we can get to help these children all we can.

Maggie Yu

Belmont High School chapter of UNICEF