As Ambassador, you will create and lead a Spring Service clothing drive for Cradles to Crayons in your hometown. You will build a team, organize details for a successful event, recruit supporters to donate goods, creatively advertise your service, and celebrate impact. It sounds like a lot, but we take it step-by-step to make it manageable and fun! The Ambassador Class will work as one team – linking your communities through individual service projects. Together, you will bring joy and warmth to thousands of children served by Cradles to Crayons.

We are honored to partner with C2C on Launch Day and through Spring Service to collect tens of thousands of essential items that children need to thrive -- at home, school, and play. Since 2012, Project 351 Ambassadors and Alumni have impacted more than 202,671 children in need of our care.

Cradles to Crayons’ model is inspirational, straightforward, and highly effective. Project development will include a number of important steps. During our weekly training, we will take one step at a time, with each a focus of your weekly calls and Project 351 support. Here’s a step-by-step overview of our Cycle of Generosity -- how your service will directly impact children in need of our care.

a. Ambassadors secure a service site and register their project.

b. Ambassadors and their Leadership Teams inspire their schools and community to donate like-new and gently-used children's items through hometown product drives.

c. At the end of the drive, donations are “quality checked” to support the dignity of the families we serve, and then packaged. This is a great team building service opportunity – and a fun way to measure and celebrate your impact!

d. Once packaged, donations are delivered to a Project 351 Regional Drop-off location (see more information below) on the weekend of April 12-13. Next, multiple 18-wheeler trucks will travel across the state – collecting Project 351 donations and delivering them to C2C’s Giving Factory in Newton.

e. There, thousands of bags of quality donations will be sorted and assembled into customized KidsPacks by C2C volunteers.

f. Once complete, KidsPacks are distributed to thousands of children through a collaborative statewide network of C2C’s social service agencies and school partners.

At your school, in your neighborhood, or with a house of worship... or, with Scouts, clubs, sports teams, music and theater groups. Some Ambassadors decide to run big drives. In some communities, Ambassadors and Alumni partner to engage every school in the district! While others decide to focus on their family or a few friends. Whatever size project you choose is wonderful and makes a difference. Please remember: every act of kindness will have a positive impact on someone's life.

You will lead a product drive – with the help of friends and family and the support of Project 351. Together, you will collect gently used and like new clothing & shoes so that Cradles to Crayons can provide children in Massachusetts with the essential items they need to thrive. This project also provides your community with the opportunity to “recycle for good”. By repurposing gently-used children’s clothing, your community can help sustain the environment as it supports Cradles to Crayons.

We will focus on the most requested items identified by Cradles to Crayons: gently used and new children’s clothing & shoes. All sizes are welcome (children’s & adult sizes) as long as the styles are children-friendly. After you register your project, your “Service Toolkit” (your project guidebook) will be mailed to you. It will provide details on the “wish list” of items – and much, much more.

Our spring campaign helps C2C support more than tens of thousands of children annually. C2C’s signature program is customized Kids Packs, essentials for infants through 12 year olds. A “complete outfit” component of the Pack includes at least two pairs of pants, four shirts, and one sweater. Most of the Packs also include books, enrichment games, and items such as socks, underwear and shoes.

At the request of C2C, the focus of our service will be the collection of children’s clothing & shoes. All sizes are welcome.

Project 351 will support you every step of the way! We will provide you with training and a step-by-step toolkit, helpful materials like templates for flyers to promote your service, and reflection activities to help you better understand your service. Project 351 will also be available to your educators (or other host site partners) for support and guidance.

Because of your leadership, communities across the state will be united together in service. Each year, the amount of donations for C2C grows. But, we don’t want you to drive to C2C’s Giving Factory in Newton to deliver your donations. Instead, we will have Regional Drop-off locations for every Ambassador. We will provide clear directions for our statewide network of drop-off locations in late March.

An open heart, a commitment to serve, and the desire to learn new skills, make new friends, and be part of making an extraordinary difference.

Every Ambassador has the capabilities to lead a project. Success starts with our values – kindness, compassion, humility. Other assets include strong organizational skills, teamwork, enthusiasm, and supportive adults and mentors. We will work with you on your ability to communicate how and why Spring Service is important to your community and to the children served by Cradles to Crayons; and other key skills for leading a project.

Most importantly, an active sense of gratitude is essential. For your family, educators, teammates, and volunteers. Your expression of appreciation motivates their generosity, makes them feel great about their service, and builds a spirit of community.